My heart’s desire and deepest passion is to creatively point people to the power and love of Jesus Christ. 

Having served in churches ranging from 300 to over 1,000 in several states from Indiana to Texas, I have had a wide range of experiences. I have an eclectic mix of talents and abilities. I am capable, effective and comfortable both on stage in musical (vocal and guitar), theatrical, service planning and teaching environments, as well as behind the scenes in the technical arts. I have extensive experience with A/V/L systems, theater, as well as an eye for graphic design and video production.

About

My wife, Angie and I met in college, where she was studying Youth Ministry/Counseling and I was a Music/Education major. In 1998 we entered into ministry straight out of college, both serving as youth ministers at a growing church in Indiana. After a great ministry run there, with the church experiencing growth, she moved out of vocational ministry with the birth of our first daughter, and I transitioned in worship ministry. I’ve served in churches ranging from 350 to over 1,000 and have been blessed to have had great experiences and to have been a part of dynamic churches who were all on the edge of big changes, whether large building projects, numerical growth, mission initiatives, etc.

I currently serve as the Worship Minister at the Highland Church of Christ in Robinson, IL, (small town of around 7000) where I have been for the past 8 years. During that time, the church has grown from around 450 to over 700. At Highland, my main responsibilities include planning, staffing and leading all worship gatherings (3 contemporary and 1 traditional), oversight of visual communications, technology and media.

We have 2 wonderful girls (Kyra – 14, Siana – 10).

I have a very broad and eclectic skill set which lends itself well to enhancing what I do as a minister working in the creative arts, and includes extensive experience in AVL system and design, as well as audio engineering and post production.

I use an artistic eye in creative ways each week as I design graphics for each new sermon series, create announcement slides, flyers and stage design.

Another of my strengths is in long range planning and big picture thinking. I can look at a project or idea and see how it could come to fruition and benefit the church in the coming years, and often can also see problems that may arise due to the same, as time goes on.

A skill that I have been working on developing over the years is video editing. I love being able to take people’s stories of God working in their lives and share them in a way that helps their personal story connect with God’s greater story to inspire others to look for ways to see God more clearly. You can check out some of these projects on my Vimeo page.

My gifts are diverse, and as my wife affectionately teases, I’m a bit of a freak of nature as far as how my abilities are dispersed, with skills usually associated with “up front communications” (worship leading, teaching, etc.) as well as “behind the scenes” activity (tech, planning and direction). However, I am committed to using all of it to build up God’s kingdom and to the benefit of His church.

Our family is currently searching for God’s voice in discerning where we can best serve. I would be interested in further conversation to determine whether or not I may be a good fit.

 

Q&A

What are your theological absolutes and/or non-negotiables?

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Bible is the inspired word of God. The Church is the body of Christ here on earth and is made up of all Christians. We all have the opportunity to spend eternity with God if we believe in Christ, confess our faith, repent of our sins and are baptized into Christ. That gift is given to us freely. We can do nothing to earn it. Christ calls us to be “little Christs” here on earth. The task has now been given to us to be the light of world.

I believe God’s kingdom is a big place.  I choose to “major in the majors”, which means there are areas where opinions vary.  In essentials unity; in opinions liberty; and in all things love.

Please describe your philosophy of worship.

I go into more detail on this in the video (3 chairs), but as worship leaders/pastors we serve as “lenses.” The job of the lens to bring something into view or focus. As a magnifying glass helps the unaided eye see objects more clearly, as worship leaders, we help people see God more clearly. They don’t see US, they see HIM. And just as our lenses need to be clean in order to help us see THROUGH them, we must keep distractions to a minimum so Jesus can be more fully seen

How would you describe your leadership style (off the platform)?

I like to “set the pace” by providing a frame-work for others to follow. This happens through painting a picture of what we are shooting for. The next step after getting everyone on the same page is to provide the resources (ie. training) needed to achieve the goals. Whether through myself or other means, once enabled, it’s my job to provide support and encouragement, all the while, keeping the team moving toward the goal. The speed of that movement is defined differently for various areas and personnel, but the key is forward movement.

What do you think your greatest creative contribution is to a team and to the church?

Thinking outside the box, while simultaneously being able to mold the box to fit the contents, and helping facilitate an environment that is conducive for people to grow closer to Christ.

 Describe your understanding of “team” or “collaboration” when it comes to worship teams.

I see this as being very similar to non-worship team ministry. Each situation is different. The key is identifying potential, giftedness and maturity, and finding ways to best help volunteers move forward while building a high level of quality. Everyone is part of the team whether they sing, play, lead, run a click, push a fader, click a mouse, or spike a stage. Musically, I often teach the idea that we are like an orchestra. Every single person in the orchestra is important. And while there are “chairs” (leaders whose talent sets the pace), you never hear a section decide that they are just going to check out because they are only playing a few measures. So you may “only” be playing pads on this song, or you may be playing simple chords until the big bridge section, or you may not be singing the lead all the time, but you are important. This really applies to the whole worship team: everyone is needed, and everyone contributes to the final product.

What are some of your hobbies/interests?

In my limited free time, I have grown to love participating in our local community arts. This not only has been a great artistic outlet, it has also given me a wonderful connection with the community outside our church walls. I have been in 10 shows over the last 8 years, with parts ranging from the Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, to Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Javert in Les Miserables, and Ralph in, The Christmas Story. One of my biggest joys is that my family has fallen in love with it as well, and I have been able to do several shows with my daughters, as well as Les Mis, in which our entire family was cast together. I am also a member of a few community choir groups, both volunteer and audition based.

I enjoy playing guitar, recording, video editing, acting, photography, and design. I enjoy listening to good music on a great audio system. For a while I ditched driving a car and instead rode my bike daily to work and back. I broke my elbow in a freak ice skating accident a year ago and that has slowed down my biking, as well as my love for golf. I was once an avid golfer (3x a week).

I love watching documentaries on anything other than food. I am a big Star Wars fan, and have been known to be obsessed with “24” when it was on the air. I love seeing shows (musicals and straight plays) with my family and think that Vernors is the best (and only) soft drink worth drinking.

Are you still working @ HCC?  Why are you leaving your current position?

Yes, I’m still working as the Worship Minister at Highland. Our family has been wrestling for awhile with where God may be leading us. You can read what I shared with the congregation here.

I am

I am

a highly creative person who desires to do all things with excellence.

willing to go the extra mile, or sometimes 5 miles to get things done that I believe are worthwhile and right.

a very focused, driven, and sometimes intense personality who is always looking to improve.

highly motivated to get things done, and often over-commit myself.

a deep thinker, who cares deeply about the kingdom, but sometimes needs to chill out a little bit.

a natural leader who gives and receives feedback well, and appreciates conversation where participants are mutually challenged to think deeper and grow through interactions with others.