Since leaving RTS Orlando, I have been blessed to have begun the work of pastoral ministry at Grace Bible Church in Oxford, Mississippi. I have been serving here focusing on the areas of youth and college ministry, as well as the educational ministry of the church. The elders and staff pastors have been gracious as they continue to lead me in wisdom and understanding how to serve the church of Jesus Christ.
The church has been an ideal place for me to grow and learn, applying much of what I learned at RTS Orlando in the context of real ministry. Sometimes it is even surprising how the deep theological subjects discussed in a class, or the side conversation with a professor, or the small language nuance picked up in study has come back to impact the way I counseled, taught, or discipled members in our church.
In today’s world and culture, where false narratives of human flourishing and false gospels abound, it is necessary for the ministers of the gospel to be equipped to identify false teaching, where it has made inroads in our lives and teaching, and to offer a more compelling vision for life lived according to the word of God. I can confidently say I would be ill-equipped for this task without the ministry of the professors, staff, and students at RTS Orlando. I trust that as I plan to teach God’s Word to his church and shepherd his flock for the rest of my life that the three years I spent at RTS Orlando will only continue feel more important and impactful as they do presently.