Cardinal Baptist Church
Ruther Glen, Virginia 22546
804-994-2208

• Education: 2005 M.Div, Southeastern Baptist Seminary, Wake Forest, NC 1982 M.A., Vocal Pedagogy, The Ohio State Univ., Columbus 1980 B.A., Church Music, Mt. Vernon Nazarene College (now Univ.) 1976 Diploma, Wilson High School, Youngstown, OH (The place is now only a hole in ground, does that mean something?)
• Experience: From 1982 to 2004 (except 84-86) I served three churches as full-time associate pastor, focusing on music. In the late 90s I sensed a call to a more pastoral ministry, and commuted to seminary for a little over three years. Cardinal is the smallest church I have served and the site of my first (hoefully last) pastorate.
• Comment to those looking at my sermons: Feel free to use anything posted here in any way you’d like.
• Sermon or series that made a difference: I remember preachers better than what they said inside a particular hour. Some of the most memorable are Doug Boquist (brother), Stephen Rummage (seminary prof), Adrian Rogers, Paige Patterson (both great Southern Baptists). Memorable preachers I have only heard but never met include R. G. Lee and Vance Havner.
• One of my favorite illustrations: One church I served was in a building program while I preached from Galatians. The building had little more than footers and a few plumbing drains in place. I said the only way we could see the building was to consult the drawings and blueprints. When the building is complete, however, the need for blueprints and drawings all but disappear. In the same way, Jesus is the completion of the Old Testament and Jewish observances. Why look at the blueprint when you can walk in the building?
• Family: Yvonne and I were married in 1983, and are the proud parents of Patricia (1988) and Elizabeth (1990). Both girls are active in the church fellowship and are pursuing college degrees. When I’m not doing something in ministry, I enjoy hanging out with family, preferably at a Barnes and Noble sucking down some Starbucks.
• What my parents think of my sermons: Unfortunately, they were both in heaven when I started preaching regularly. In the few times they heard me teach or preach, they seemed to enjoy it.
• What my spouse (really) thinks of my sermons: At the end of (just about) every service, she joins me at the exit to say good-bye to folks. Before anyone comes by, she gives me a peck on the cheek and whispers "Awesome!" Could it get any better than that?
• Best advice given to me about preaching: Be yourself, but be your best self. (Stephen Rummage)
• Books that have had an impact: The Bible (well, DUH), Baptists and the Bible (Bush & Nettles), Power In the Pulpit (Vines & Shaddix), The Story of Christianity (2 vols, Justo Gonzalez). I’ve also greatly enjoyed just about everything written by Tom Clancy and John Grisham, both are excellent story-tellers.
• Hobbies: Reading, computers, coffee, hanging out, correcting my daughters’ lexical ambiguities (they’re really good sports).
• If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: Life goes by a lot faster than you think, and you have no knowledge or control of when it will end. Make peace with God now!
• Something funny that happened while preaching: I just asked one of my daughters what they remembered, and she said, "I can’t think of anything, you must be a boring pastor."
• What I want on my tombstone: Wow, that was quick!