Current Ministry Role

Confirmation Pastor at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
Kansas City, MO

Years in Ministry

6-15 Years

Areas of Passion

Youth Ministry, Spiritual Formation, Education

Availability

Short-term (1-3 months) or Episodic

Why Mentoring?

I think about the different pastors, professors, and colleagues who have been influential mentors in my life and ministry, and I would like the opportunity to be that mentor or listening ear for other seminary students and pastors too. I've also found that I learn as much from those I mentor—probably more than what they gain from me!

Impactful Books

Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen - In this text, Nouwen takes readers through the four movements of the sacrament of Holy Communion: Taken, Blessed, Broken, Given. As Pastors, this is the model we are for our congregants and our communities: we are called by God, but we are also often broken and given away. This was a formative book to read early on in my ministry.

The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone - This book enlightened me to a different way of thinking about the suffering of Christ and to those that relate to him as a lynched man of color killed by the authorities in power.

The Godbearing Life by Kenda Creasy Dean - To me, this is the essential text on youth ministry. Through it, I came to see my role as a pastor as one of pointing others to Christ (not being the "Savior" myself) in the vein of John the Baptist.

Contact

[email protected]