I want to serve a church that is passionate about the gospel. I use technology imaginatively in preaching. God has blessed me with a PhD in Bible, equipping me especially for the ministry of teaching. Over ten years of ministry in a congregation I have taken skills that were developed for the classroom (extensive training in biblical languages and exegesis) and have augmented them with a love for the people of God and a desire to follow the leading of the Spirit. This combination greatly enhances my preaching. I love nothing better than interpreting the Word and Sacrament in ways that feed and build up the body of Christ for mission in the world. My experience in executive (strategic planning, budget) and administrative capacities (coordinating work of staff and volunteers) serve the church well.
I am thoroughly collaborative. I value others and believe in building deep relationships. I encourage initiative and participation. I delegate and forego the need for control. I involve others in planning; indeed, I see the participation of everyone as essential to the health of the congregation and the ability of the church to achieve its goals. I seek the opinions of others, and listen with great carefulness. On the other hand, I recognize that the mission of the church and the call of Christ is the purpose for which we gather and work together. God calls these very human interpersonal relations into being for a purpose. I realize that the expedient and the pragmatic–deadlines and the need for order–sometimes derail my better intentions. I also realize that conflict within a congregation is inevitable and is the natural result of working together to achieve our mission in Christ. I strive to confront conflict, to work through it, but not to overreact to it. I am confident that God achieves the church’s purpose through the collaborative efforts of church members. With God’s help, I will continue to trust and lead.
