OUR PASTOR

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I am a third generation Christian, having been raised in a fundamental Christian home all my life. I saw the need for a personal relationship with Jesus at age 8. I began my job career as a newspaper carrier at 13. I worked in fast-food service and grocery stores until I acquired a machinist job in 1987. After spending a number of years in the machinist field with Trico Technologies, God, through an exposure to a harmful chemical altered my life’s direction. Two months to the day after marrying Laura Arndt, God allowed me to be exposed to this dangerous Chemical at work. For four plus years, I suffered with grand mal seizures as a direct result to the exposure to chemicals. This led me to become reclusive for fear of being exposed again. God worked through a phone call from a student worker at Hyles-Anderson College. This student recruiter encouraged me to sign up on their new computer for College. I did this to humor this young lady because I was physically unable to attend College due to my illness. She told me that my information would be kept on this computer. This was the last day that I ever had a seizure from exposure to a chemical. My wife, family and I believed this to be direct guidance from God to go to Bible College. He led me to go to Bible College with the intent to work for Him in His service. Upon graduating from college in 2000, I was hired as assistant pastor of Heartland Baptist Church directly out of college and have continued to work for them in the capacity as pastor since 2004. I have done many tasks through the years while pastoring working both as a machinist and working with people. During the college days, I even worked as a job coach with autistic people. I have always enjoyed helping people better themselves. To label my personal skills is difficult for me to do, but I can promise that I will do my best to be what God desires me to be. I believe that God desires for all of us to be like Jesus. Our job in the church is to attempt to grow as a Christian realizing that we never fully attain this until we get to Heaven. We must encourage the lost to accept Jesus as their Savior and then strive together to become more like Him every day. My goal is to take the Bible and make It’s Truths applicable to our life today. Through this effort, I believe that we can work together to build God’s church by building God’s people. Come join me in this venture.