In 1977, I graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. in English Education. Rather than doing things the easy way (college-seminary-church ministry), I raised my own salary and worked four years with high school students through Youth for Christ. Then I signed up for seven years of character-building in the Marine Corps, serving as a Flight Officer (navigator) in the RF-4 Phantom (reconnaissance aircraft).

After leaving active duty, I enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, receiving a Masters of Divinity in 1992. I worked my way through seminary as a reservist, flying in the fighter version of the F-4 Phantom. Over the next 14 years, I served three SBC churches, as well as the Baptist Association for the Panama City area. Last October, I retired from the Reserves, having spent most of 2003 in Kuwait and Iraq.

This May, First Baptist Church called me as Associate Pastor for Youth and Worship. As the Lord tells us in Ephesians 4:12, my responsibility is to train believers for the work of ministry, so that TOGETHER we can "Magnify the King and Multiply the Kingdom."

Gloria and I began the process to adopt Diamond (now 13) in 1995, and Molley (11) was born the next year. Our hobbies are softball, piano, horses and visiting the big mouse in Orlando. I plan to get my own hobbies when Diamond and Molley move out.