Languages   |   Education   |   Training   |   Ministry History   |   Questions

 

LANGUAGES

English

 

EDUCATION

School

Degree

End (mm/yy)

 

Anderson University School of Theology

D.Min.

05/2011

 

Anderson University School of Theology

M.Div.

05/1988

 

Huntington University

BA - Psychology

05/1985

 

Caston High School

High School Diploma

05/1981

 

TRAINING

Course

End (mm/yy)

 

Church Doctor Institute - Dr Kent Hunter

2013

 

How to Supervise People - Fred Pryor

2003

 

Alpha Ministries training

2002, 2003, 2004

 

3DM Pilgrimage to Sheffield England with Church Doctor Ministries

02/2014

 

Preventing, Coping, and Overcoming Conflict - Thomas

2008

 

Managing Criticism and Complaints – Jim Sparks

2002

 

Congress on Evangelism

2003, 2004, 2005

 

Developing Congregations for Discipleship – Ray

1990

 

Leadership Building Seminar: How to Become a Leader of Leaders to Create a Purpose Directed Church to Reach the Unchurched – Dale Galloway

2002

 

Eagle Scout

1978

 

CERTIFICATIONS

Certification

End (mm/yy)

 

ACC Coach - International Coaching Federation

02/26/2021 to present

 

Fresh Expressions Coach

May 2020

 

Certified Church Consultant - Church Answers University

January 2021

 

Certified Church Revitalization Coach - Church Answers University

09/2021

 

Certified Simple Church Consultant - Church Answers University

05/2024

 

First 12 Church Planting - Trained Coach – Path 1 UMC

06/2017

 

Trained Facilitator for Prepare Enrich Marriage

2009

 

Wayne Barrett - Stewardship Consultant

2003

 

MINISTRY HISTORY

Church/Organization

Position

Begin (mm/yy)

 

Great Lakes Conference of the Global Methodist Church

Conference Superintendent

12/2023

 

Great Lakes Conference of the Global Methodist Church

President Pro Tem - Full Time

Dec. 2023-Dec. 2024

 

Great Lakes Conference of the Global Methodist Church

President Pro Tem - Part Time

February 2023 - Dec. 2023

 

Indiana Chapter Wesley Covenant Association

President

July 2020 – October 2023

 

St. Lukes United Methodist Church, Kokomo, Indiana (Rebranded- The ConneXion Church Global Methodist)

Sr Pastor

July 2019 – December 2024

 

Sonrise Church, Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Sr Pastor

July 2015 – June 2019

 

Trinity Church United Methodist, Kendallville, Indiana

Sr Pastor

July 2005 – June 2015

 

Attica UMC, Attica, Indiana

Sr Pastor

June 2000 – June 2005

 

Celebration UMC, Winona Lake, Indiana

Sr Pastor

June 1995 – June 2000

 

Mt. Tabor UMC, Dunkirk, Indiana

Sr Pastor

January 1991 - June 1995

 

First United Methodist Church, Anderson, Indiana

Associate Pastor with focus on Youth, Young Adults and Assimilation

June 1987-December 1990

 

Markleville United Methodist Church, Markleville, Indiana

Pastor

June 1985 - June 1987

 

MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS

- First appointment – started a youth group as a miraculous transformation came to the students. The church saw having a student pastor as its ministry. I learned to work with people and teams to make updates and changes, even if they did not see the need.

- Second Appointment at downtown tall steeple – grew the youth group and team – learned people are people. I learned about leadership and the need for the leader’s health. I built ministry teams, and worked with the churches of our district. Lead camping programs.

- Third Appointment – grew an after-school children’s program and brought formerly unchurched families. I learned about small towns and how they function very differently from cities.

- Fourth Appointment – first time I followed a founding pastor. Learned how not to plant a church, and if one is to reach the margins, partnerships and paths to healing and health are critical.

- Fifth Appointment – implement Alpha (Trained by Sandy Millar and Nicky Gumbal), learned about spiritual mapping one’s community and praying through a town or region’s traumatic past (this was a very spiritually dark community – we learned that the Trail of Tears ran through this town, Chief Techumse’s brother The Prophet would plan his battle on the same city square the church and city building was

- Sixth Appointment – stayed for 10 years, the longest serving I have had. Led through transformation through a Healthy Church Initiative, completed my D Min in Leadership Development, made practical community impact.

- Seventh appointment – Second time I followed a founding pastor. He died after 25 years. I learned the hard way about what “transitional and interim pastors” need to do to help a congregation heal and transition. I also learned multiplication and multi-site.

- Eighth appointment – nothing was normal during my time here. COVID, disaffiliation, rebranding, affiliation with the GMC, while also leading the renewal through WCA, and then the formation of the Conference.

- Formation of our new Conference – this is the one thing I am most proud of. I have found that God has used my now-over-40 years of experience to lead in the formation of the Great Lakes Conference. God has used the good, bad, ugly, betrayals, losses, relationships, and experiences of all my appointments to build the team that would build the conference. I compiled a team of leaders from five former conferences and built a unified, healthy conference set to be not just an upgraded version of our past, but to truly work to transform something new. I utilized their experience in the marketplace. One lay leader built a multi-billion-dollar business, so I had him be our “project manager” for the business side of the conference. I had another leader who led “safety culture” for a large international company. I had her serve as our “project manager” to help us identify the type of culture we wanted for this new conference. We developed our “Culture Statement” (https://irp.cdn-website.com/7ca3767a/files/uploaded/2025+-+Culture+Statement.pdf ).

QUESTIONS

 

1. Gospel: What is the gospel?

The word gospel literally means 'Good News.' The Good News of a God who loves humanity so deeply that He acted to restore what was broken. Created for relationship with God, humanity chose disobedience, fracturing that intimacy (Genesis 3). God's response wasn't condemnation but redemption. God’s plan, set in motion in Genesis 3, culminated in Jesus Christ: His life, death, and resurrection -making reconciliation possible for all.

John 3:16–17 captures it well: God didn't send His Son to condemn the world, but to save it. Wesley saw 1 John 4:19, 'We love Him, because He first loved us', as 'the sum of all religion.' Our Wesleyan lens begins with a loving God who reaches out through prevenient grace, drawing all people into justifying grace, and then growing them up through sanctifying grace. The Gospel isn't just a destination — it's a relationship to live into and share with the world.

 

2. Trinity: How would you articulate the doctrine of the Trinity and why it matters?

The Trinity expresses God's 'tri-unity': Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are distinct but inseparable, eternally one in essence and power. The word 'Trinity' doesn't appear in Scripture, but the concept is woven throughout it. John Wesley anchored his teaching in 1 John 5:7, requiring his pastors to affirm the three persons of God, even if not the term itself.

The Trinity matters for several reasons. First, it affirms that Jesus is fully God and fully Savior, a truth central to our faith and historically contested. Second, it reveals God's communal nature. Genesis 1:26, 'Let us make human beings in our image', shows that community is rooted in the very nature of God. Third, it sets Christianity apart: this God is not a human construct, but a relational, self-revealing God who invites us into the divine life. The Trinity isn't merely a doctrine to defend— it's a relationship to enter.

 

3. Jesus: In what sense did Jesus die for our sins, and how does it impact your understanding of the Church’s mission?

Jesus died for our sins because only He could bridge the breach between a holy God and a fallen humanity. Since humanity caused the break, only a human could reengage the relationship — yet only God could fully heal it. Jesus, fully God and fully human (Matthew 1:18–25), is that bridge.

John Wesley held both the Eastern (therapeutic) and Western (judicial) understandings of salvation in creative tension. God is both Father and Judge. The first sin severed the relationship; the second broke God's law. Both require healing and atonement, which Christ alone provides (John 14:6).

This shapes the Church's mission profoundly. Alan Hirsch says, 'It's not so much that the church has a mission, it's that the mission of God has a church.' Those who say yes to Jesus become witnesses of His saving work (Acts 1:8), sent into every corner of the world to offer God’s reconciliation through Christ.

 

4. Holy Spirit: How does the ministry of the Holy Spirit relate to your understanding of the Church?

The Holy Spirit is an essential, yet often underutilized aspect of God, for many Christians. Too many Methodists joke, 'Father, Son, and What's-His-Name.' The Holy Spirit holds a central role in empowering the church, and its people. It is the Spirit that empowers God's processive grace — warming hearts, guiding believers, and equipping for growth in holiness.

The Spirit doesn't lead contrary to Scripture; the two work together. As believers are rooted in God's Word and open to the Spirit's movement, a powerful synergy emerges; faith that is both intellectually grounded and experientially alive. Charles Wesley's 'Awake, Thou That Sleepest' captures this: the Spirit doesn't just cause growth, but gives strength and insight for the journey.

The Church without the Holy Spirit is an institution. The Church empowered by the Spirit is a movement—sent into the world to bear witness, make disciples, and spread scriptural holiness where we do life.

 

5. Sanctification: Do you affirm the doctrine of entire sanctification, and how would you explain it to someone who has not encountered it before?

Yes, I fully affirm entire sanctification. It is one of our most distinctive Wesleyan contributions. Wesley called it 'the grand depositum which God has lodged with the people called Methodists' (Letter to Robert Brackenbury, 1790).

Wesley distinguished justification —what 'God does for us through His Son' —from sanctification —what God 'works in us by His Spirit.' Justification is the new birth; sanctification is the journey of growing into the fullness of that new life.

I explain it this way: when a child is born, they possess everything they'll ever need —but growth takes time, community, and intentional formation. The same is true spiritually. New birth is the beginning, not the destination. Entire sanctification is the lifelong process of being restored to the image of God, growing in perfect love. Without a community of faith nurturing that growth, we risk what I call 'spiritual infanticide' —new birth, but failure to thrive.

 

6. Holiness: How do you understand holiness as it relates to human flourishing?

Holiness begins with God. The Hebrew qadosh and Greek hagios both convey being set apart from what is unclean. Encountering a holy God produces awe, awareness of our own sinfulness, and the invitation to be transformed (Isaiah 6). Hebrews 12:14 is clear: 'Without holiness no one will see the Lord.'

Miriam Swanson gave a helpful illustration: holiness is less like wearing white jeans (avoiding stains through behavioral management) and more like bleach — the cleansing agent that makes things white. The focus isn't on the garment; it's on what transforms it.

Holiness is not withdrawal from the world. Wesley sent the early Methodists into the highways and hedges. The Spirit who dwells within the believer (1 Corinthians 3:16) goes with them into every context. Holiness of heart produces social holiness. When personal transformation and communal engagement work together —addressing poverty, racism, and injustice — that is where humanity truly flourishes.

 

7. Sacraments: What is your understanding of the Sacraments and their role in the life of the Church?

A sacrament is an outward and visible expression of an inward and spiritual grace. Global Methodists have two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion.

Baptism marks the threshold into new life in Christ and incorporation into His Body. It is a once-for-all act —we do not re-baptize. We practice sprinkling, pouring, and immersion, each expressing a different facet of the salvific experience. We also practice infant baptism, understanding it as a gift given before the child can choose, with the congregation pledging to nurture the child toward personal faith.

Holy Communion is the ongoing, regular renewal of that covenant —a means of grace through which we encounter Christ's real presence in simple elements of bread and wine.

Neither sacrament saves in and of itself, but both serve as tangible channels of God's grace, anchoring believers in the story of redemption and drawing them deeper into relationship with Christ and His Church.

 

8. Scripture: What is your understanding of scripture’s inspiration, authority, truthfulness, and sufficiency?

I affirm our Book of Doctrine and Discipline (¶104): the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are 'the primary rule and authority for faith, morals, and service.' The Bible is inspired by God —and while written through flawed humanity, God protected its sacred truth.

F.F. Bruce rightly said, 'There is no body of ancient literature in the world which enjoys such a wealth of good attestation as the New Testament.'

Wesley defined a Methodist as 'one who lives according to the method as laid down in the Bible.' I believe that still. Scripture is not merely a historical document —it is a living word (Hebrews 4:12) that lights the path, illumines the soul, and equips the believer for every good work. It is our guide, our anchor, and our foundation. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

 

9. Human Sexuality: What is your understanding of human sexuality expressed in terms of human flourishing?

Human sexuality is God’s good gift. I affirm our BDD: sexuality is rightly expressed within the covenant of a loving, monogamous marriage between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:3–9). The complexity of human sexuality and the design behind it reflect a creative and intentional Creator. Yet this gift has been damaged by the fall, cultural distortion, and, sadly, by harmful teaching within the Church. Movements like Purity Culture and patriarchal frameworks that position men over women, overemphasize male desires and perspectives over females’ unique creation, has caused harm to all.

Flourishing requires more than protecting this gift — it requires teaching, healing, living in, and modeling a robust biblical sexual ethic: one that upholds the dignity of both men and women, affirms mutual submission (Ephesians 5:21), celebrates God's design, and offers the Spirit's transformative power to all who carry brokenness. The Church has a unique opportunity to lead here.

 

10. Human Beings: How does the biblical vision of human beings made in the image of God form your attitude toward the dignity of human life at every stage from conception to death?

Every person — regardless of circumstance, ability, or behavior — is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–31). That conviction shapes how I lead and engage people. Psalm 139 reminds us we are formed with purpose, and Ephesians 2:10 says we are His masterpiece. That doesn't change based on what someone has done or where they are in life.

I affirm our BDD (¶302): life is a holy gift of God, and believers have a particular duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves — the unborn, those with disabilities, the aged. Life is sacred from before conception to natural death.

When I encounter people, even if they harm themselves or others, I begin with this: they are image-bearers searching for life. That posture of compassion, rather than offense, opens doors. It's easy to love the lovely. We're called to love everyone (Matthew 22:36–40).

 

11. Wesleyan/Methodist Contribution: What is the Wesleyan/Methodist contribution to the Church universal?

Our greatest contribution is this: while the Reformation sought to correct the Western church, Methodism sought to return to the fullness of the pre-split Christian tradition. Wesley called this the Primitive Church. We hold both the Western (judicial) and Eastern (therapeutic) understandings of salvation —a theological breadth and depth most traditions lack.

Our way of salvation emphasizes the experiential processive nature of God’s grace —prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying. God goes before, draws near, and continues the work of transformation in the believer's life. Charles Wesley sang about this. The early Methodists organized around it through societies, class meetings, and bands.

In this season, I believe the GMC has a fresh opportunity to offer this fullness —rooted in Scripture, alive in experience, and sent into the world —to a broader evangelical conversation that often reflects only one stream of the tradition. We know how to form people, not just awaken them.

 

12. Global Methodist Church: What is your vision for the GMC?

My vision is that the GMC becomes a genuine new movement of Methodism, not simply an upgraded version of what we left behind. It would be easy to change the signage without changing how we live. That would be a missed opportunity.

In our Great Lakes Culture Statement, we say: 'The Local Church is not a landing place, but a launching pad to spread holiness of heart and life.' Every level of structure —conference, episcopal, connectional —exists to resource, equip, and empower the local church in its community.

We are still in our start-up phase. The coming years are foundational. There will be times when formation will be slow, along with other distractions. The work ahead requires intentionality: forming disciples who make disciples, planting reproducing churches, living into our new alignments, and building structures that are movemental rather than institutional. The world is our parish —and we're just getting started.

 

13. Evangelism: What is evangelism and how have you practiced it effectively in your ministry?

Everyone is good at evangelism for things they love. The disconnect comes in sharing about faith. Paul charges in 2 Timothy 4:5 to all: 'Do the work of an evangelist.'

Evangelism is not a separate task—it is the natural expression of a disciple’s life. Evangelism is: living as a disciple and inviting others into that same life. Sharing what my life was like without Jesus, how I found Him, and what life has been like since. The application of the concentric circles of relationships in Acts 1:8 helps frame the affiliations in our lives - people like me, people similar to me, people I find difficult, and everyone else.

In my ministry, the most effective evangelism has happened through real relationships—in

everyday moments. People are drawn to authentic lives transformed by grace. The movement is simple and powerful: follow Jesus closely—and invite others to do the same.

 

14. Discipleship: What is a disciple, and how have you effectively made disciples in your ministry?

A disciple is more than a learner. A disciple orders their life around Jesus. To say yes to Jesus is the beginning, not the destination. Discipleship is the intentional journey of becoming more like Jesus — renewed in mind, transformed in behavior, and bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). Ray Vanderlaan's image of 'walking in the Rabbi's dust' captures what discipleship is: not information transfer, but life-on-life formation. A disciple is one who walks so closely to Jesus, learning His rhythms, His way of engaging people, His character.

In my ministry, disciple-making has been most effective through intentional, relational environments—small groups, one-on-one investment, and everyday conversations. Teaching must move beyond information to lived application, asking how faith shapes real life.

I've worked to give every church I've served a clear discipleship pathway — a process anyone can follow as they grow. Discipleship must be intentional, relational, and reproducible.

15. Local Engagement: How have you led congregations to engage their local contexts with the gospel?

Local engagement has been central to my leadership. I believe pastors are called to communities through the local church. The local church is meant to be a visible expression of God’s Kingdom, not an inward-focused gathering. Too many churches function like clubs with religious themes rather than outposts of God’s Kingdom. I consistently teach the difference between doing missions and being missional. I have intentionally led congregations from transactional mission to incarnational presence— not just giving, but showing up.

We hosted block parties, hand-delivered invitations, and created accessible, relational spaces where people could belong before they believed. We shifted ministry beyond the building—holding meetings and small groups in the community spaces. The church is not merely a gathering place for the redeemed —it's a scattering force for the Kingdom. The local church is a launching pad — and every disciple is a missionary where they live, learn, work, and play.

 

16. Unreached People Groups: How do you understand the mission of the GMC in relation to unreached and unengaged people groups?

The GMC's mission, 'to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe', already names the whole world as our parish.

Unreached people groups (UPGs)—those with little to no access to the Gospel—and unengaged groups (UUPGs)—those without any meaningful witness —represent a central calling, not a specialized task. This requires both local faithfulness and global partnership—seeing unreached people not as distant projects, but as neighbors in God’s redemptive story.

The Acts 1:8 framework of concentric circles of relationships applies globally, asking how I join what God is already doing there. Being a global Church must resist any colonial impulse. We do not bring the Gospel as owners, but as co-laborers, joining what God is already doing within cultures and communities. The aim is not to reproduce a single cultural expression of Christianity, but to see indigenous, Spirit-led communities emerge in each context.

 

17. Global Missions: What is the local church’s role in global missions? How will you equip local churches for that role?

Global mission is not a department of the Church; it is its identity. Alan Hirsch said, 'It's not so much that the church has a mission, it's that the mission of God has a church.' Global mission is not a program managed by a few, but the natural outflow of discipleship in every believer.

As Conference Superintendent, I personally lead an international mission trip and invite our Great Lakes pastors to join. Serving cross-culturally changes us. Our world gets smaller, and our faith expands. We are also developing a strategic, interactive database of missional opportunities across our conference, so that when the Spirit stirs someone to engage, there's a pathway ready.

Churches are best equipped through:

• Clear teaching of a missional theology that integrates discipleship and mission

• Intentional pathways for local and global engagement

• Immersive experiences that expand vision and deepen calling

• Collaborative networks that connect churches to shared opportunities

 

18. Christian Unity: What is your understanding of Christian unity? How will you lead the Church toward greater unity in Christ and the Spirit both within the GMC and in relation to other ecclesial bodies?

Christian unity is grounded in our common confession of Jesus Christ and sustained by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is not the erasing of differences, but the faithful ordering of them under a shared allegiance to Christ. Christian unity, rightly understood, is both theological and relational— holding truth with integrity while engaging others with humility and love. It is a Spirit-shaped oneness grounded in truth, expressed in love, and lived in mission.

My own journey has been deeply ecumenical, taking place alongside believers from multiple traditions, which has given me a deep respect for the broader Church and the ability to work across denominational lines without losing doctrinal clarity. That experience shapes how I understand unity: not as compromise, but as shared participation in the life and mission of God. I will continue to live into that opportunity to model a unity that is rooted, generous, and mission-focused.

19. Bishop's Work: What is your understanding of the work of a bishop?

The bishop has two lenses: the 'thirty-thousand-foot view' and the Jethro model (Exodus 18). Bishops must hold the big picture: understanding broader trends, long-term consequences, and the overarching goals of our movement, while also remaining connected to the local level through regular travel and relational engagement.

The teaching office of the episcopacy is an important work. There is a need for teaching series, itenerating around conferences and teaching, and clarifying decisions. Another important teaching aspect of Bishops is to teach, mentor, guide, and equip their Conference Superintendents, who in turn do the same with Presiding Elders, who do the same with pastors, who do the same with local leaders. This chain of relationships transmits and guards our doctrine, our Wesleyan distinctives, and the health of our movement.

Bishops also play a key role in appointment-making, accountability processes, and ensuring the conference structures are forming disciples — not just managing institutions.

 

20. Your Qualifications: What qualifies you for the office of bishop?

A convergence of my calling, experience, and demonstrated leadership qualifies me for the office of bishop. Over four decades of pastoral ministry across diverse contexts—rural, suburban, multi-site, and large congregations —following two founding pastors have formed in me a broad and practical understanding of the Church’s life and mission. Serving as Conference Superintendent, I have helped lead the formation of a new annual conference from its inception, cultivating culture, structure, and alignment to support the ongoing growth of over 300 churches across four large states. I've been mentored by Bishop Mark Webb since the foundation of our conference, providing me with a working model of the emerging episcopal role.

My Doctor of Ministry in Leadership Development focused on Wesleyan renewal principles.

This provides theological depth for guiding a movement in formation. My experience in coaching, revitalization, and leadership development has equipped me to empower leaders and strengthen local churches.

 

21. Assembly of Bishops: What do you see as the role of the Assembly of Bishops?

The Assembly of Bishops serves as the collective spiritual and strategic leadership of the Church, entrusted with overseeing both its doctrinal integrity and missional direction. Drawing from the responsibilities outlined in the Book of Doctrine and Discipline, the Assembly functions both collaboratively and contextually—guiding the whole Church while each bishop leads within a specific area. The Assembly also reclaims the teaching office of the episcopacy—clarifying doctrine, identifying emerging needs, and equipping leaders across the connection.

The Assembly's strength is collective — each bishop bringing unique experience, context, and gifting. Together, they model the ensemble leadership essential for a healthy global movement. The Assembly also sets the tone for how accountability, formation, and mission are lived out at every level of our connection. Using a distributed leadership model, reflected in Exodus 18, the Assembly strengthens leadership at every level, ensuring shared responsibility and sustainability.

 

22. Fellow Bishops: How do you envision working together with fellow bishops?

Silos produce isolation; ensembles produce movement. I envision working with fellow bishops as a collaborative, Spirit-led team where trust, candor, and shared mission shape our leadership. The Assembly is not to be a place for isolated authority, but for shared discernment—listening to God and to one another. Each bishop brings a distinct perspective shaped by context and experience. These perspectives sharpen our vision and guard against blind spots. What one sees clearly, another may miss; what one carries as strength, another may help refine. This is not weakness— it is wisdom in community. The Assembly can become a living example of connectional, Spirit-led leadership, not just a governing body. The Assembly gains its greatest strength when each bishop's unique gifting, regional experience, and theological insight are genuinely honored and utilized. Valuing one another’s strengths and supporting one another’s limitations, a culture of mutual respect and effectiveness is created.

 

23. Conference Superintendents: How do you envision working together with and supervising conference superintendents?

Having served in this role, I understand both its weight and potential. I envision working with Conference Superintendents in relational partnership marked by trust, clarity, and shared mission. Helping Superintendents lead movementally—not institutionally—through conferences, building structures that support disciple-making, multiplication, and alignment. At its best, this relationship becomes a multiplier of leadership. I have benefited from Bishop Mark Webb's mentoring, and I would offer the same kind of support, wisdom, and steady presence. I would provide guidance in accountability and care—approaching complex situations with discernment, patience, and a commitment to truth. This requires asking the right questions, avoiding rushed conclusions, and ensuring that both justice and pastoral care are upheld. I would strengthen the relational and functional clarity between bishops, superintendents, and presiding elders, ensuring a collaborative system. This means regular communication, clear accountability, and a coaching posture — asking powerful questions rather than providing all the answers.

 

24. Handling Concerns: If laity or clergy bring concerns directly to you bypassing their presiding elders and/or conference superintendent, would you include the applicable conference superintendent and/or presiding elder in the conversation? If so, how would you empower your conference superintendents and/or presiding elders in the discussion?

Yes, I would include the appropriate Conference Superintendent and/or Presiding Elder, in a way that strengthens—not bypasses—their leadership. Clear relational pathways matter. Concerns are best addressed at the closest level of care, where context and relationships are strongest. When someone comes directly to me, I work to realign the conversation appropriately— inviting the responsible leader into the process. I have experienced this under Bishop Mark Webb, who consistently honors my role, includes me in conversations, and reinforces proper channels. I would follow that same pattern. I would communicate with the leaders, gather their perspectives, and ensure they are positioned as the primary voice and local authority.

This means they lead conversations, while I support, guide, and offer a broader perspective. This approach builds trust, prevents triangulation, and reinforces a healthy leadership culture. One where authority is honored, and leaders are empowered to lead well.

 

25. Laity Leadership: How do you envision incorporating laity into the leadership of the church and into your leadership team?

I believe a healthy Church requires strong, engaged, and empowered laity. Lay leaders have been essential to Methodism from its earliest days. I have intentionally carried that forward in my leadership. I incorporate laity in three key areas: leadership, accountability, and training.

In leadership, I actively place gifted lay leaders alongside clergy at every level. In forming our new Conference, key project leadership roles were held by lay professionals, and District Teams include Lay Leaders working in partnership with Presiding Elders.

In accountability, I foster a shared ministry model where clergy and laity are co-laborers— mutually responsible to Christ, one another, and our doctrine.

In training, I prioritize developing an equipped laity—grounded in Scripture and the Catechism, and strengthened through practical leadership pathways.

The Holy Spirit speaks through the whole Church. My role is to ensure the laity are not spectators, but active participants in God’s mission.

26. GMC Challenges: What do you see as the top three challenges facing the GMC today? How would you address them?

First, we must resist becoming a rebranded continuation of what we left. I would live into our deeper call to become a new movement of Methodism, formed by scriptural holiness, lived discipleship, and an intentional culture, not just improved structure.

Second, clarifying roles and leadership systems. I would work to clarify and live into the distinctions between Bishops, Conference Superintendents, and Presiding Elders, which are still emerging. Without clear alignment, confusion and inefficiency will persist. I will bring disciplined attention to defining responsibilities, strengthening accountability, and building scalable leadership models.

Third, we must learn to be truly global without becoming uniform or colonial. We need to live into our global unity, rooted in shared doctrine, mission, and values, while allowing for contextual expression across cultures. These are not problems to manage, but opportunities to seize in forming a Church that is clear, connected, and faithfully positioned for global impact.

 

27. Devotional Life: How would you characterize your devotional life?

My devotional life is about abiding—it is about remaining with God, and allowing Him to shape my life for others. It is anchored in daily encounter and sustained through ongoing attentiveness to God. I begin most mornings in Scripture and prayer, often journaling to reflect, respond, and listen. Various practices have helped shape both the structure and depth of this time, but the goal has always been relationship, not routine.

A significant season of hardship moved my devotional life beyond simply a set time, into a continual awareness of God throughout the day. This became a continuous posture of dependence and awareness throughout the day.

I have been especially shaped by Oswald Chambers’ call to be “broken bread and poured-out wine.” That vision continues to form me. I learned to listen more carefully to God’s voice in Scripture, in circumstances, and in the quiet movement of the Spirit.

28. Theological Resources: What are the top five authors or theological resources to which you turn for research and learning and why?

My approach to theological resources is guided by a desire for faithful doctrine that is lived, not merely studied. I was formed in environments that required me to think critically, articulate clearly, and defend my convictions.

My theological formation has been shaped by a range of voices — historical, contemporary, and experiential. Several voices have been particularly formative. Dennis Kinlaw, Thomas Langford, and Kenneth Collins grounded me in Wesleyan theology and the historic faith. David Watson and Kevin Watson has helped me connect doctrine to discipleship, especially through catechesis and class meetings. N. T. Wright has shaped my understanding of the resurrection and biblical theology, while Richard Heitzenrater and Gareth Lloyd have deepened my grasp of Methodist history.

Whether through classic commentaries or voices like Michael Card on lament, I engage these voices not for information alone, but for formation—seeking theology that shapes how we live, lead, and make disciples.

29. Failures: Describe one time you failed; what did you learn from that failure?

My most formative failures occurred during my appointment to a large, multi-site church in a season of complex transition and hidden instability. I entered without fully understanding the depth of unresolved grief, unclear succession decisions, and misaligned staff culture. I failed to ask enough questions, assumed alignment that was not present, and did not act quickly enough to address emerging dysfunction. I also made hiring and communication missteps, which weakened trust and clarity. The situation escalated into conflict, culminating in my reappointment during a season of multiple losses.

I was reshaped. I learned the necessity of clarity in transitions, early intervention, and disciplined leadership structures. I now lead with greater attentiveness to culture, alignment, and the emotional realities beneath organizational decisions. Most importantly, I was formed spiritually—learning lament, surrender, and trust.

That season did not end my ministry— it refined it, grounding my leadership in humility, wisdom, and care.

30. Leadership Style: How would you describe your leadership style?

My leadership style is collaborative, directional, and catalytic. I lead best in an ensemble, building strong teams where diverse voices are heard, but not left unaligned. I carry an Apostolic/Teaching (APEST) orientation—constantly looking to expand mission, while ensuring people understand why and how we move forward.

When discerning direction, I listen carefully to those involved and impacted. I believe good leadership holds multiple perspectives with humility, while helping bring clarity and shared understanding. Once direction is discerned, I lead decisively—aligning people, communicating clearly, and moving forward with purpose.

I am also intentional about movement dynamics. Drawing on the law of diffusion principles, I focus on innovators and early adopters to establish momentum and reach tipping points for sustainable change. At my core, I am a practical theologian-leader— building teams, teaching constantly, and leading toward outcomes. The goal is not just participation, but alignment, movement, and measurable Kingdom impact.

31. Decision Making: Give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision as a leader and how you made that decision.

One of the most difficult decisions I faced was leading a declining congregation into a formal consultation process. They had been in long-term decline despite a growing community, and it became clear that internal efforts alone were not enough. The decision required personal and organizational vulnerability—inviting outside leaders to assess our ministry, culture, and leadership. I gathered key leaders, shared the reality honestly, and invited their input. Together, we agreed to proceed. During the consultation, strengths, concerns, and clear prescriptions were identified. This required difficult conversations, realignment of priorities, and sustained follow-through.

I made the decision through prayer, counsel, and a commitment to truth over comfort.

The outcome was not immediate ease, but greater clarity and forward movement. Effective leadership often requires courage to face reality and lead through it. That decision to choose outside wisdom over personal defensiveness was one of the best leadership choices I've made.

32. Confrontation: Give an example of a time when you had to confront an employee or colleague over behavior or beliefs contrary to those agreed upon and how you handled it.

I had to confront a staff member and a congregant regarding serious boundary violations and sexual misconduct. A church employee was in an inappropriate relationship with a congregant, exhibiting predatory behavior toward women.

I gathered key leaders to establish clarity, alignment, and a response plan. We agreed the behavior was unacceptable and required accountability and care. I met separately with each individual, alongside another leader. With the staff member, we listened, confirmed the facts, acknowledged elements of manipulation, but also addressed responsibility. Due to the breach of trust and the role, I decided to terminate employment, while leaving space for pastoral care.

With the congregant, I required full disclosure, counseling, and strict behavioral boundaries for continued participation. These were coordinated with a professional counselor.

This experience sharpened my approach to leadership: address issues early, act with clarity, involve others wisely, and protect both people and the integrity of the Church.

 

33. Teaching: What experience do you have in a teaching role? How has your teaching style evolved during your ministry?

Teaching and training began early and have remained a consistent thread throughout my life and ministry. My leadership roles in Scouting required teaching, including serving as a Troop Leader Development Instructor, as an Eagle Scout, and a member of the Order of the Arrow. I learned to lead by developing others. That pattern continued through college and into ministry. I have taught in local churches of varying sizes, led spiritual formation, and served in structured training environments. I taught courses for Local Pastors Training School for ten years; contributed to Fruitful Congregation Journey as a consultant, coach, and curriculum writer; and worked with Dr. Kent Hunter through SEND training. I have also taught internationally, including pastoral training in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Dakar, and I continue teaching as a Conference Superintendent.

As an Apostle/Teacher, I consistently seek to connect the “why” with the “how”, helping people live what they learn.