Pastor Justin

Testimony

Growing up, church wasn’t a regular part of my life. After my parents divorced when I was young, I spent around 10-11 years living with my mom. We would attend church occasionally, but it was never a consistent activity.

During middle school, I moved between my mom and dad’s homes several times before eventually deciding to live with my dad. It was during these years that I started attending a local church with some friends. At first, the experience felt completely foreign to me. We would go to mid-week youth services, have a meal, play games, sing worship songs, and hear lessons about God.

The church had an evangelism ministry called FAITH, where teams of three would go out into the community and share the gospel with people who had visited the church. One evening, a FAITH team showed up at my door. I was home alone, and we talked on the front porch. It was that night that I accepted Christ as my Savior.

From that moment on, everything changed. I had an overwhelming desire to be part of the church and its community. Anytime the doors were open or there was an event, I was there.

In high school, I started serving on the worship team, teaching myself piano using music theory I learned in school band. Coming from a musically talented family on my dad's side, I quickly grew in this role. By my senior year, I was leading worship in our youth ministry.

After high school, I began attending another church and got involved in the youth ministry as an intern. For several years, I led worship, planned events, and began preaching. In 2016, the church’s worship minister was called to a new ministry, and I stepped into the role of interim worship leader. Not long after, I felt called to full-time vocational ministry as the youth pastor. For a year, I balanced both roles, serving as both the youth pastor and worship leader.

I continued as the youth pastor until December 2023, where I was responsible for student discipleship, events, budgeting, and leading a team of volunteers. During this time, I also served as the Pastor of Education, overseeing all the curriculum for Sunday school, life groups, and retreats, while ensuring doctrinal accuracy across all ministries.

My journey into ministry has been gradual, but every step has been marked by God’s guidance and blessing. I’ve affirmed my calling through the mentorship of leaders who have been instrumental in my spiritual development. Additionally, with my background in information technology, I’ve been able to integrate technology into ministry in innovative ways, including managing church networks, live streaming, and audio-visual needs.

I am eager to continue serving God’s people, equipping the church, and advancing the kingdom.