My vision is to see disciples of Jesus Christ become devoted members of the local church, who are being shaped by the cross and have hearts burning for the Word of Christ. I strive to do so—as a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the sovereign grace of God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit—through Christ-centered preaching, Spirit-filled prayer, personal discipling relationships, and patience. Those are my priorities for pastoral ministry.

Our lives are shaped by the images that surround us. Each one sends a different message about life—what it means to be a “real” man or woman, what a “satisfying” relationship is like, what success looks like, or how “good” parents act, just to name a few. In a real way, we become the images we behold. At the heart of the gospel lies the message that we look to all the wrong things in life. We allow all kinds of images to shape us that, instead of breathing life into us, steal it away. So, how do we find that illusory real life? The Scriptures tell us that real life is found in the gospel: through an image of death—the cross of Jesus Christ.

In other words, if we want to live, our lives must be shaped by the cross. This is why “cruciformity” ought to be our way to life; this is why my vision is to see believers being shaped by the cross of Christ.