Deacon Nominees

I have attended GracePoint for about 5 years. During the past 3.5 years, I have served as the instructor for the Achievers Sunday School class. During this time, we have discussed the Sermon on the Mount, the Problem of Suffering, Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom, and Death, Dying, & the Afterlife. We are currently studying Christian ethics.

I love teaching adult Sunday school at GracePoint. We have great discussions that enrich all of us. I’ve also seen God working through my wife Kristen’s Grief Share ministry. Both church members and those from the broader community learn skills and strategies for dealing with grief from a Christian perspective. The members that I have gotten to know at GracePoint feel like family. Kristen and I are proud to call GracePoint our church home.

I want to be open to God’s leading in opportunities to serve him. My life’s verse is Proverbs 16:9, “The mind of man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.” On the first half of my Christian walk, I focused on the first part of this verse making short-term and long-term plans. In the second half of my journey, God has taught me to hold my plans more loosely. These days, I find myself meditating on James 4:13-15, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”

I have attended GracePoint since 2022. During my first few years at GracePoint I have helped on Monday morning workdays, helped with several fellowships, participated in the men’s Bible studies, reached out to several men who were having health issues, have hosted (with my wife Barb) a small group last year, have volunteered this year as well, and spoken (again with my wife) at a Young at Heart lunch.

I have seen God at work recently at GracePoint in the men’s Bible studies, personal 1:1 interactions with several other men, service by many “GracePointers” in many ways, and personal calls/visits to me during several health issues that I have experienced since coming to GracePoint.

I did not pursue being a candidate for the Vision Deacon role but rather after being asked to be a candidate, I met with both of our pastors to better understand what the role was and to discuss that my heart really lies outside the walls of the church – i.e. not in a church leadership role. Yes, I have served in the past in church leadership positions at another church, but my heart has been more with others who were either non-believers or struggling believers, so I struggled with saying yes to being on the ballot. After praying, talking to my wife and thinking about it, I decided I would be willing to serve in this capacity because I view the Vision role as one that should be focused not only on internal GracePoint issues but also ministry/activities outside our walls.