Josh’s Testimony
I’m sure God was working on my heart before I was 10 years old, but that is when I first truly remember hearing and thinking about the Gospel.
I don’t remember an exact sermon, but I know I came to believe that I was a sinner and needed forgiveness, from our pastor’s preaching, from the lessons in Sunday School, and from my parents' newfound faith in Christ.
I learned and came to believe that Christ died for my sins, by taking the wrath of God in my place. Then Christ was raised to life, which resulted in the defeat of death and sin.
I was then baptized, which signifies dying to my old self and rising out of the water in new life with Christ.
My life before Christ was characterized by selfishness, pride, and anxiety. After trusting in Christ as my God, Savior, and King, I thought of others before myself, became humbler, and entrusted Christ with my burdens.
Over the course of my life, I was involved in the local church, was taught the Scriptures, and was shown how to live out what I learned in the Scriptures.
I am still growing in Christian maturity and ever dependent on the same God, Savior, and King that I entrusted my life with almost 20 years ago.
Josh’s Vision for Ministry
To declare the whole counsel of God, so that others will glorify God and follow Him in obedience, becoming mature men and women of faith. Maturity in Christ is manifested by wisdom, good works, the fruit of the Spirit, and the ability to reproduce the learning experience to others.
Ministry is hard, it takes time, effort, early mornings and late nights, but it is worth every second because God's glory is worth it and is something I desire to do with my whole heart and life. Being given the opportunity to spend as much time as I can growing in a deeper relationship with God and helping others do the same is the best opportunity in the world. I believe the Lord has gifted and qualified me to teach and pastor His church, which has also been confirmed by others in His church.
I am a servant-leader who focuses on training and teaching others to build them up for the work of the ministry. I want to encourage others to use their gifts that God has given them and give them opportunities to exercise their gifts. I believe that God has blessed and gifted me with the skills, desires, and biblical qualifications to shepherd His church by the power of the Holy Spirit through leading, serving, and equipping the Body of Christ for the work of the ministry.
Getting to know Josh
Josh grew up attending the local church, going to public school, and playing team sports (baseball, soccer, swim).
Josh and his wife, Rachael, have three children, Eloise, Leland, and Theo.
Josh and his family moved to North Carolina in 2013 for him to attend Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Wake Forest, where he received a Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies: New Testament.
He enjoys spending time with his kids, date night with his wife, reading, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, and playing disc golf.
Before coming to Union Chapel, Josh has served as a youth pastor, small group leader, and pastoral intern.
He has also worked many years serving tables at local restaurants, as well as order filling and forklift driving at a distribution center for a few years.
Resources
As I am seeking to rightly divide the word of truth and declare it to God's people, I seek to depend on the Lord during my sermon preparation and study the text devotionally, seeking to apply it to my own life. I also seek to work with the original languages of the Bible and learn from those who have gone before me.
— Gospel of Matthew Resources here.
— 1 Samuel Resources here.