Meet the Middle School Leaders

Their story

I grew up in Texas and Georgia with very little understanding of what it meant to follow Jesus. I went to church occasionally, but I thought being a good person, doing well in school and sports, and being accepted by my friends were what made me valuable. I especially wanted to be successful in basketball and baseball and to have the approval of others. But even when I got the attention and acceptance I wanted, I still felt empty. During my freshman year of high school, some friends invited me on a church spring break trip. I went because I wanted to spend time with my friends, but God had a much greater purpose for me. One night, a youth pastor explained that my sin had separated me from a holy God, but that Jesus died and rose again to make a way for me to be forgiven and have a relationship with God. For the first time, I understood that I couldn’t earn God’s love by being good or by being the best. I needed Jesus. That night, I repented of my sin and put my faith in Christ.

Since that night, God has continued to patiently grow me. I haven’t always followed Him perfectly, and there have been times when I cared more about what other people thought than what God wanted. But God never stopped pursuing me. As I grew older, He taught me that my identity isn’t found in basketball, success, being popular, or even being a good person. My identity is found in Jesus Christ. He has also taught me how to love and lead my family and how to serve others through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today, I am incredibly grateful that God has allowed me to serve as a deacon and disciple middle school students. My prayer is that each of you will understand that you don’t have to be the best, be popular, or earn God’s love. Jesus loves you, He gave His life for you, and your true identity can be found in Him. My story is ultimately not about what I have done for God, but about what God has done for me. I pray that my testimony brings glory to Him.

Their story

When I was in elementary school, my teacher gave us a little square piece of fabric. She began to tell us a story, but only told us the beginning. The next day, she gave us another square of fabric in a different color, repeated the beginning of the story, and told us the second part. This continued every day for a week. Then she stapled our “book” together and said that we should practice telling the story to ourselves. I LOVED my little book and would tell the story to myself over and over. One day, it dawned on me that the story was real, not just a story, and I believed every word. The story was the gospel! I understood that I was a sinner, that Jesus had died on the cross for me even though I did not deserve to be saved, and that I should repent of my sins every day. I wanted to live a life that honored God.

Today, when I have a question or a problem, I turn to His Word, pray for wisdom, and listen to our pastors. I see Him in every part of my life, even when doing things that are not fun, like cleaning up a messy kitchen! I work on having a good attitude and being thankful for everything, including the food and the kitchen that He has provided. It is so humbling to think that He saved me, especially when I did nothing to deserve it.

Their story

I was raised in a home where we were at church anytime the doors were open, but for a long time, I equated salvation with how good of a person I could be. As I began to see my own sin and finitude more clearly, the Lord showed me my desperate need for a Savior and that I could never earn salvation through my own works. I still find myself tempted to rely on my own works rather than rest fully in Christ, but I’m thankful for how the Lord has continued to work in me through the process of sanctification. Shades Mountain has been such a blessing to me over the last year and I’m pumped for the opportunity to show the love of Christ to these students!

Their story

I was raised in a Christian household where weekly rhythms of church and prayer were consistently present in my household for as long as I can remember. However, it wasn't until high school—during the pandemic when I was suddenly more lonely than I'd ever been before—that I began to take my faith seriously. The Lord met me in that season, and I began to understand my faith as my own. The Lord continued pursuing me throughout high school, guiding me through tough seasons of loneliness and loss, and I went to college at Alabama expecting to be involved in church from day one. After stumbling through my first semester, I found a church home at Calvary Baptist, where my love for the Lord and zeal for His kingdom truly took off. I got plugged into a small group, eventually led that small group, and I learned what it looked like to live in Christian community. As I step into this next season of life as a middle school volunteer and, soon, a husband, I'm excited to see how the Lord uses my life for His glory. Jesus is Lord.

Their story

I grew up as a pastor’s kid and came to faith in Christ at a young age. I always had a desire to work in the church, specifically with children and began serving in children’s ministry starting in high school. That is also when I began working at our summer day camp as a counselor. After graduating high school, I went to Southeastern Bible College here in town and began to intern in the student ministries at SMCC.

As the years went on, my responsibilities at the church began to increase and I eventually became the Youth Pastor as well as the director of Camp Adventure. It was at our camp that I met my wife, Kristin. We were married a short time later at SMCC, and she began to become a valuable ministry partner who I have had the honor of serving alongside ever since.

In 2011, I transitioned from student ministries to children’s and middle school ministry where I have been serving ever since.

Their story

I grew up in church but just knew about God. I knew all the stories. I loved following rules and was depending on my own self righteousness. I was living for the praise of man and my identity was in my own performance. When in college, I began to develop a real relationship with Him and understand Jesus as Lord of my life. I understand the depth of my sin and my need for a Savior. I was baptized in my 20s here at SMCC. Then in my late 20s, I finally developed a love for God’s word and read it regularly out of delight and no longer obligation and began to see how being in true intimate relationship with Jesus changed me. My identify became Christ’s and I was able to rest in the work Jesus had fully done for me. Jesus has pursued me, held me close, kept me, and continued to carry me through all the many challenging parts of this sanctification process of life. I love working with middle school girls and getting to see them grow in their walks.

Their story

I grew up in a Christian home and was saved when I was 8 after hearing a member at my church give his testimony. He had terminal cancer and shared how God had worked in his life and was there with him through every stage. After hearing this I decided to give my life to Christ, because I knew that I was not deserving of God’s love but He sent His Son to die for our sins so we can have a relationship with Him.

Since then I have seen God move in my own life. My dad left when I was 15 and it left me and my family hurting, but God provided every step of the way. My mom, sisters, and I all grew closer to each other and I grew closer to the Lord learning to depend on Him. I learned God’s plan is better than our own. We cannot save ourselves and we continually fall short but God offered a way. And with the Holy Spirit and time in the Word and prayer we can strive to be more like Christ.

Today I enjoy volunteering in middle school and pouring into the kids the way I had so many people do for me growing up. I love hearing their questions and it challenges me to continue to deepen my own understanding of scripture. I am grateful to get to do this with my wife, Leah, and grow closer to God together while serving.

Their story

The Lord saved me at a young age. I understood God was perfect and holy and the fact that I was far from it. I knew I was a sinner in need of a savior and there was nothing I could do on my own to fix that. I knew that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because He lived a sinless life and died on the cross to save me from my sin. The Lord allowed me to understand the Gospel and I was so grateful for the grace of God. I wanted to submit my life to Him and to honor Him with the way I chose to live my life.

I have had the blessing of growing up at this church and sitting under solid biblical teaching week after week. I have had Godly mentors who have poured into me, discipled me, and spoken truth over me through various seasons of life. I have seen the Lord direct my path and often lead me places that I didn’t initially want to go, but in hindsight have been able to see His plan and how He works all things for good. I cannot imagine going through life without the knowledge that God has a plan for me and already knows everything that will happen. I can trust Him and seek to understand His will for me by spending time in the Word and in prayer.

Serving in middle school has been such a blessing as I was once a middle schooler in this exact ministry and sat under Jonathan’s teaching. It was a formative time in my life and I am grateful to now be able to invest in younger girls in the same way that older women have invested in me throughout my life. Being challenged to facilitate Biblical discussion each week has helped me gain a deeper understanding of Scripture and helped keep me accountable to continually prioritize my relationship with the Lord and grow in my faith.