Master Plan Ministries
Durango, Colorado 81303
CO

• Education: Formal: B.S. Degree in Chemistry. More importantly: a life of loving God passionately and seeing Him working constantly in, through and around me. I love Jesus!
• Experience: Actively involved in Ministry as a child, growing up an MK all over the world (my parents always involved us in all aspects of the ministry and I thank God for that). Did a DTS with YWAM in 1997 (before college). Went to college hoping to become a doctor to be a medical missionary but along the way became very active in college ministry as a student leader and God changed Erin and my vision to reaching the lost and making disciples here in our own country. After graduating we spent 2 years on associate staff (with MPM) and have been full time since early 2004.
• Comment to those looking at my sermons: I don’t have a lot to offer more than a sold out passion for Christ (no theological degrees or anything). I hope I point to Him and I hope all I share is based solely in His word and comes out of a life of application. I trust He will encourage you!
• Sermon or series that made a difference: A ton: growing up listening to Norm Schultz, Tom Ray, Mark Minichiello, Phelipe Morales and others. As a college student and ever since Russ Akins has discipled and encouraged me a ton. A ton of Kyle Kostreva, Gordy Herrick and Ravi Zacharius messages. Right now (Russ of course) and my pastor Dwight Saunders. My accountability partner and friend Austin Krokos is continually challenging me to the next step. All along, my wife Erin’s insights are some of the most profound I’ve ever heard and I’m challenged, encouraged and blessed tremendously by her.
• One of my favorite illustrations: The law and the shopkeeper. Say you get hired and your employer wants to expose your true character so he leaves a $100 bill out. The money (law) is intrinsically good but at the same time exposes my potential for sin. At that point that is the law governing my relationship with the shopkeeper. Let’s say 10 years later I’m still his employee and am now best friends with Him. He would never put the $100 bill out to expose my character - there’s now a new relationship based on love. That being said, if it were I still wouldn’t break it, I would never think to rob my best friend.
• Family: I married the most amazing woman alive, my wife Erin, in July of 2002. Our first and only child was born in September of 2008, her name is Eliana and we are thrilled with this awesome adventure and responsibility of parenting which God is using to refine and develop us into the people He wants us to be.
• What my parents think of my sermons: Haven’t talked about it much.
• What my spouse (really) thinks of my sermons: She is encouraging and supportive.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: Preach for a verdict.
• Books that have had an impact: The Bible, of course. Andrew Murray’s Humility. Master Plan of Evangelism. All C.S. Lewis. All the Creation/evolution stuff (being a Chemistry major and all).
• Hobbies: Roasting coffee, Hunting, fishing, snowboarding, camping and hiking.
• If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: Love Jesus more every day, serve Him passionately, put everything on the line risking it all to further His Kingdom, be bold, a fool for Christ, share the gospel without fear, the harvest is ripe - believe it and act on it, live and die with purpose, run to the fight and fight this fight to win it by faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Something funny that happened while preaching: I was supposed to speak at a church who a student in our ministry said his dad pastored (crazy miscommunication). I talked with him and he invited me to come down and speak on a certain Sunday. Erin and I drove 10 hours to this city, arrived at the church and nobody knew the man who supposedly was the pastor (turns out he was a member of the choir). The pastor ended up being a lady who had never heard of my wife and I and definitely didn’t expect me to speak. What’s bizarre is that afterwards we brought it up with the student who said, "no, my dad’s not the pastor, where’d you get that idea?"
• What I want on my tombstone: Loved God, loved his wife and family and fought this fight to win it.