Worship

As a pastor, I believe the purpose of worship is to bring people into genuine contact with Christ. For me, this begins long before the service starts with the preparation of my own heart. That means renouncing sin, yielding fully to the work of the Holy Spirit, and seeking God's presence in prayer and humility. It is from that place of spiritual readiness that I find the strength and clarity to boldly proclaim the Word of God and point the hearts of my congregation toward their Savior.

Practically, this calling demands more than good intentions; it requires giving God my very best. That includes being intentional with every element of the worship service and paying close attention to detail, not for the sake of performance, but out of reverence. Every moment of the service should be crafted to draw people nearer to Jesus. When we approach worship this way, I believe God honors it and works through it to change lives.

Psalm 96:9

Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

— 1 Corinthians 2:2

When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

— Malachi 1:8

As a pastor, facilitating a meaningful worship experience for others means that worship must begin in my heart: set apart in holiness (Psalm 96:9), centered on Christ alone (1 Corinthians 2:2), and offered with reverent excellence (Malachi 1:8). As I prepare for each service, my aim is to lead with spiritual integrity and intentionality so that every moment draws people into an authentic encounter with Jesus.

Worship can be experienced in many places. One of my favorite places to participate in worship is around a campfire with my church family. This photo shows a group from my Ardmore church closing the Sabbath together.

Our youth are the future of the church. Because I believe this, I enjoy investing time in training up the next generation to lead us in worship through the preaching of the word. Here is a young man that I worked with for Pathfinder Sabbath in Ardmore back in 2022.

In the Bible we find the early church gathering for united prayer. I personally believe that united prayer is one of the most important aspects of any worship experience. Earlier this year I had the opportunity enter into worship through the power of united prayer during an anointing service in the home of one of my elders.

To me, beautiful sacred music is a powerful way to lift hearts up to Jesus. Here I am with my family participating in worship through song while hosting Fountainview Academy for our local community at the Goddard Center in Ardmore in December of 2024.