5th Grade Ministry

I wasn’t raised in the church. We moved around a lot and when I was about the age of 12 a neighbor said, “Hey, I’d like to invite you to church,” and I was like “Yes!” because I was desperate for friends. Any time that I could go and meet someone new I was on it, so I went. I remember them saying, “Anybody want Jesus?” My heart just leapt open like “YES!” and I practically ran down the aisle because I had no previous knowledge of what I should be doing. When I got home my step-father said I had joined a cult, took away the Bible they had given me and that was it.

My mom and step-father divorced when I was 16. I was trying to find that feeling that I’d had at 10 or 11 and was confirmed through the Catholic church, but I didn’t feel that same tangible something. Years passed and I went into the Navy. One day a sweet friend of mine said, “Hey, can we talk?” and she opened the Bible and pointed out what I was doing was a sin. My heart broke the same way that it had leapt for joy when I realized I wanted Jesus. I then went around telling everybody else who was doing the same stuff I was doing, “Do you know you’re sinning?” Needless to say I lost all my friends. It was kind of a dark time, but that was when I actually started walked and learning and growing in my faith.

I came to Christ Chapel after relocating to Fort Worth. I was at a networking event and asked a friend if she had a church suggestion. She said, “You’ve got to go to Christ Chapel!” So I went … and I’ve yet to go to any other church in Fort Worth! I ended up as a Fifth+Sixth intern because when my oldest daughter started in Fifth+Sixth, I volunteered to help however I could. That first year I was a small group leader and volunteer wherever they needed me. Then Joel approached me about being an intern and I thought, “Aren’t I a little old for that position?” Joel assured me that I would be a great fit and truly, I get giddy serving as an intern. I love planning the events, mentoring girls, doing stage designs and getting activities ready.

I am married to Kris and have two girls, Audrey and Lauren. I love to go to coffee shops, read – it’s a family pastime, really — and see the latest plays and musicals.

I didn’t grow up a believer, but came to know Jesus in my early 20s after I started going to church with my then boyfriend (now husband), Brit. We found Christ Chapel after looking for a church where we could connect and fit as a family. To be honest, I wasn’t sure that I’d like a video church, but we loved our first Sunday at the West Campus and have been here ever since.

I love our group in Life Stage 1 – the team is full of sweet, supportive, helpful people and it’s a new experience being surrounded by believers at work. I love serving and helping others and I’m excited to be a part of the team.

My husband, Brit, and I have been married for 12 years. We have four kids, Johnny, Gracie, Maddox and Marlee, which means I do everything kids in my free time … but when I have the opportunity, I also love to work out and be outdoors.

My dad was in the military, and I grew up moving around all the time. We’d attend church every weekend, but my faith became more about the rules you were supposed to follow rather than a passionate relationship. A big part of my story is my parents’ divorce, which happened during my senior year of high school. Though that experience rocked my world, it allowed me, along with getting involved in a great college ministry at Texas Tech, me to explore my faith and make it my own. Being involved in the college ministry turned my life around. God captured my heart my sophomore year of college after being around people who love Jesus. Once I got serious about Jesus and recommitted my life, I was forever changed. I’ve since watched God take me one step at a time — first, it was changing my degree, then it was going off to seminary and working for a church in Colorado, and finally bringing me to Christ Chapel in 2018.

I have enjoyed being on staff at the west campus. I worked in the high school for my first two years and have been in the 5-8th ministry ever since. My family feels at home here, and I want to extend that same sentiment to other families as well. I have two sons and a daughter. My wife and I are glad to be growing our family here as we continue to do ministry at the west campus. I have a big heart for helping students take the next step in their faith journey.

I love being active and outside, especially playing all kinds of sports. (Not that I’m good at all of them, but I like the relational aspect of doing something fun together.) When I’m not at work, I’m playing around with my kids or eating some kind of sweet treat. I’d like to think of myself as a sort of dessert connoisseur — people who know me often tease me about my fixation on high-quality desserts.

When I was really young, I don’t know why but I started asking my mom questions about Jesus and church. We didn’t go to church and she wasn’t a believer so she decided that if she wanted to know what to tell me, she should start reading the Bible. Soon after we started going to church. She became a believer and from then on I grew up in the church. I came to Christ at age 8 and since then it’s been a growing process.

I’ve always felt called towards some form of ministry, specifically youth and middle schoolers. I first followed that into teaching in the public school system, keeping up my connections with people in ministry and dreaming of “maybe one day” ministry could become a full-time vocation. Kevin Libick, who was my D-Now leader in eighth grade, reached out to let me know there was an opening. My wife and I prayed about it, fell in love with the opportunity and felt it was the right time for the change. I love being in Middle School Ministry because it’s such a fun age. Middle schoolers are old enough to have real conversations, yet young enough that they don’t feel like they’re too cool for you. They’re figuring out who they are, but they’re still impressionable. Plus, they’re fun and energetic!

I’m born and raised in Fort Worth. My wife, Kristin, and I have been married for eight years (we met in youth ministry, forever securing the special place that youth ministry has in my heart) and we have two little girls, Felicity and Alexandra.

I grew up in a Christian home with great parents as examples of how to live out God’s love. Because my parents were in the military, I moved 10+ times, and it wasn’t until 7th grade, in the chaos of change, that I came to know God and have a personal relationship with Him.

I went to the University of Arkansas for college, where I met my best friend, and post-grad she started attending Christ Chapel. After months of her telling me about the community at CCBC and how God was working there, a position opened as the 5th-8th Girls Director, and I eagerly applied.

I moved to Fort Worth most recently from Athens, GA, where I was working at a college ministry at UGA. God’s kindness to me through my move has been unfathomable as I’ve been welcomed to Fort Worth and Burleson with open arms, kindness and so much love.

When I’m not hanging out with awesome 5th-8th graders, I love to walk with my miniature schnauzer, Mia, travel, be outdoors, and spend time with my friends!

I grew up in the church from a very young age. In fact, my first memories of childhood are sitting in the choir with my grandma. I came to know the Lord in the fifth grade, but it was when my parents separated and got a divorce in my junior year of high school that my faith became my own. The experience made me reevaluate some things in my life and that’s when the transition from my faith being my parents’ to being my own happened.

In my downtime, I love to read, watch sports (especially college football and the NBA) and spend quality time with my family.

I don’t remember exactly when I trusted Christ, but I remember going to church when I was in elementary school and adults sharing the love of Christ with me. My faith really came alive in 7th grade when my middle school pastor started pouring into me and teaching me how to follow Jesus. That’s part of why I love sharing Christ with teens so I can do the same for others.

I moved to Fort Worth in 1998 when I came to TCU. Even though I worked and attended other churches, I was aware of the reputation of Christ Chapel as a church that teaches the truth and loves people well. Because of that I was excited when I came on staff 8 years ago as the Middle School Pastor. It’s my life’s calling to help teens find their joy and identity in Jesus and to help other leaders do the same.

My wife, Kara, and I have been married since 2002. We met at TCU and got married just out of college. This past year we welcomed our little boy Knox into the world. We love traveling and trying hole-in-the wall restaurants. When I’m not hanging out with my family or students you can find me reading, running or attempting to play my banjo.

I came to know Jesus in elementary school. My parents are both super strong believers and my mom worked for our church.

I started going to Christ Chapel when I was a sophomore at TCU and got plugged into College Ministry. When I graduated and was looking for jobs, my mentor put me in contact with Ryan Hamon and I’ve been interning with Middle School Ministry ever since.

I’m originally from New Mexico and my family still lives there. I have two sisters, love to read books and ride my bike.

Looking back my childhood, I say I grew up around the church but not really in the church. I had a small group leader in 7^th grade who was faithful to share the Word with me weekly and pray for me daily. In 8^th grade, my parents divorced, leading me down a road of hurt and unknown. Throughout the few years following the divorce, I placed my identity in sports, what I could achieve, and what my parents, teachers, coaches thought of me. I experienced newfound joy and hope in 10^th grade when I gave my life to the Lord.

The end of high school and my years in college were spent making my faith my own. My time in college is marked by the two ministries the Lord so kindly let me be a part of. First College and Pine Cove. Through my time in both ministries, I recognized my sufficiency is completely and fully in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, 12:9-10). The Lord used these places and the people there to continually remind me of His faithfulness (Deuteronomy 8) and allow me to catch a glimpse of what it means to be spent for the Gospel (2 Timothy 4:6).

In April of 2022, I completed the Pine Cove Forge. The Forge allowed me to spend a year developing a faith worth following, dig into the truths of Scripture, and recognize who the Lord is calling me to be. Through the program, I heard Matt Lantz teach and learned about his involvement in creating the Forge and his current role at Christ Chapel. Through other connections between Pine Cove and Christ Chapel, I was encouraged to apply for the 5-8 Girls Director position at the West Campus.

I am expectant for the Lord to use MSM for His glory and not our own!

Growing up, I was always in the church. I knew all the Bible stories and knew all the answers to Bible Trivia. However, to me, God was just a scary judge in the sky looking over me making sure I didn’t do anything wrong. In 7^th grade, I went to my church’s youth retreat and had a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit. I was convicted of my sin, and I put my faith in Jesus for the first time. After this experience, everything at church started to make sense to me. We sing to God because He is real, He deserves the praise, and He loves us! This is when I started my relationship with God Himself.

I continued to grow in my faith and in leadership throughout high school and college. I knew that the Lord called me to vocational ministry. I desire to dedicate my life to serving Christ’s Church. I once had a mentor tell me that I needed to. “Study God’s Word and teach to other people” and this is how I would summarize my call to ministry.

I studied Philosophy at Dallas Baptist University, and I am currently working on getting my ThM (Master’s in Theology) from Dallas Theological Seminary. I am deeply passionate about using what I learn from theology and philosophy and applying it in a local church context.

I am married to my wife Briana, who is my best friend, and we have been married since May 2021. We have an orange tabby cat named Sammy. For fun, I like to watch Dallas Sports (Cowboys, Mavericks, and Rangers), go to coffee shops, listen to music, and watch an embarrassing amount of YouTube.

God blessed me with a wonderful family that loved me so well. At a young age my heart was sensitive to the gospel and I accepted my sinfulness and need for a Savior. It has been a continued struggle in my life to make more of Him and less of me, but God gives me grace every day to give Him the glory and not myself.

Middle School is such a formidable age. This age group is special to me because it was at this age that I became a Christian. These years can set a new trajectory for their lives. We are excited to start laying a foundation of Jesus, community, growth, and mission.

My wife and I met in 7th grade, I “asked her out” in a Home Economics classroom that same year. We ended up being prom king and queen together in High School. 11 years later from the first day we met I asked her to marry me in that same Home Economics classroom. Opposites must attract because I love to hike, camp, and run and my wife loves puzzles, Pinterest, and cooking. We have three kiddos and a pup: Theodore, Ruth, Walter, and Dundee.