I grew up around the United Methodist, Baptist, and Pentecostal churches in my hometown of Parkersburg, WV, but Christian faith did not come a vital part of my identity until college. Asked to work at a church camp the summer after my Freshman year of college, God came alive to me around camp fires, scripture and Christian community at the age of 19. It was at this Presbyterian camp that I began my formal relationship with the PC(USA). Upon college graduation, I worked full time in the Presbyterian Camp and Conference Ministry for 7.5 years at Crestfield (for Pittsburgh Presbytery) and at Highlands (for Denver Presbytery). In 2010, I was called to Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church and to Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, WV
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My formal education includes a B.A. in Economics from West Virginia Wesleyan College, M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Louisville Seminary.
I am passionate about helping others recognize the transcendence and immanence of the Triune God, and helping others live faithful lives following Jesus. My doctoral work focused on ecclesiastical institutions in transitory stages, integrating concepts of Church History, Reformed Theology, and Family Systems Theory to help create a cohesive theology of evangelism for congregations within the Presbyterian Church (USA).
While at Davis & Elkins College, I served as an adjunct faculty member in the religion and philosophy department, and I currently serve as an adjunct faculty member in the Honors College at Boise State University.
While I am incredibly appreciative of the formal training of seminary and the opportunities to work in higher education, my work around campfires at summer camp has prepared me best for pastoral life. It was at summer camp where I learned to live in community, worship and study scripture together all the while experiencing the joy of God’s grace amongst diverse individuals in an outdoor setting. Presbyterian summer camping has been instrumental to my human experience of spirituality and community, and vital to my understanding of pastoral ministry and the mission of the Church.
Finally – and most importantly – the joys and challenges of raising a young family has helped me to appreciate the vastness of God’s grace. In 2006, I was blessed to marry my best friend, Chrissy, who is a successful professional and solid source of stability and faith in my own life. Together we find great joy in raising two young children, Levi David and Laurel Anne. Our free time is typically spent in the outdoors where we love to play in the Boise River, hike along the mountain trails, and explore the beauty of God’s creation. We hope that our children will come to love skiing at Bogus Basin as much as we love to ski.