A bit of my story…
I grew up in a Christian family in SW Portland. We were a part of churches on and off growing up but faith began to become real to me in middle school. A big part of that was a key leader in our church who led the youth and worship ministry of our church. When I began to raise my voice in songs of praise to God my knowledge of him became more than just ideas, it became a deeply moving experience. That youth leader encouraged me to learn to play guitar and loaned me an old acoustic. I learned all three chords needed to play most of the songs we sang and by early high school I began leading other students in worship. Many things have changed over the 30 years since that time but leading others in worship through song is on a short list of what has been consistent.
I married my wife Beth in Portland in 1997 and, after an 18 month sojourn in St. Louis, we moved to Seattle, WA to be a part of a small church plant called Mars Hill Church. At the time it was about 200 people meeting in a rented space. I got involved leading worship and about a year later became the first worship pastor at the church. God changed my life through Mars Hill in more ways than I can count as I gave half my 20's and all my 30's in service to that church. The church was both a profound work of God and a deeply flawed work of human ambition and I'm still learning both positive and negative lessons from it, things I never want to stop doing and things I never want to repeat.
In 2011 my family and I left Seattle and moved back to Portland, OR to plant Mars Hill Church Portland where I served as Lead Pastor. After Mars Hill ended in 2014 we became an independent church called Redeemer Church where I served as Teaching Pastor. In August of 2018 Redeemer Church merged with another local church called Door of Hope where I served as Associate and then Executive Pastor of Staff & Ministries. After 23+ years of local church leadership I'm taking a break for a season to focus on some projects that have been on the "back burner" of my life for many years. I'm starting this consulting ministry, recording music, developing a podcast, guest preaching and worship leading.
If you know much about the world of church leadership or any of the church experiences I referenced above, you know that there has been a lot of pain, difficulty and drama between the lines of my story. But through it all, actually because of it all, I still love Jesus more than ever. I've been failed by many people and I have failed many myself but there is still no one more worthy of hope, trust and praise than Jesus. I still believe in His church as his embodied presence in the world, with all its beauty and disfunction. And in light of it all, more than ever, I am deeply moved when I gather together with God's people and we raise our voices to sing of His glory and faithfulness. I hope that I might be able to be of some help to you and your church as we all continue to discern what it looks like to worship God along the path he leads us.