The format of a website, unfortunately, limits how I can express my faith and it pains me to just delegate it to a separate page because it is woven into every part of my life. I will, nonetheless, talk about my faith with some depth here. In the end, however, I think that the best way to get a sense of my beliefs is to just hang out with me because that better demonstrates what God has done with my life rather than to simply read some words I have written about Him.

The best way to classify me is a born-again Christian. I believe that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead to redeem all of creation from sin. If you were to ask my opinion on the various controversial topics, however, you would find that I am at a point in my life where I am deciding what I believe for myself. I do very much enjoy discussions, though. As for denominations, however, I have not decided on what denomination I will participate in yet.

I grew up in a Plymouth Bretheren church called Hope Bible Fellowship in Seattle, Washington. When I lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania I went to Church of the Saviour which is a non-denominational church. Both churches have a strong emphasis on mission: spreading the gospel through connecting with people outside the church. At Calvin, I was a regular attendee of their daily chapel services and Sunday night LOFT (Living Our Faith Together). My church in Grand Rapids was Ada Bible - a large non-denom church renowned for its preaching. For the time I lived in St. Louis, I went to Southern Baptist church where I enjoyed their tight community. Now that I'm in Raleigh, I go to Crossroads Fellowship, another large non-denom church.

But enough of the boring information. Why in the world do I devote my life to an invisible God? I'm a scientist and a math guy who is devoted to finding solutions and explanations, so why have faith in things I cannot prove? This line of questioning hits my friends quite often and I have a hard time explaining it. You see, we as humans are much more than minds. There's more to life than scientific solutions. My faith in God comes from deep down somewhere which I cannot locate. But I believe it.

I try to see my life the way the apostle Paul did - one as an obedient child of God. I long for the days when I cry out God the way a kid crys to his daddy when he falls on the playground, for example. My Creator and Savior has graced me with gifts throughout my life and it is my duty to obey His commands by cultivating and using those gifts. That means living a life full of righteousness, love, and faith (among many others!). It means a mission-oriented perspective. A life of Christ means being genuine. But these are only a few aspects of the life I strive for.

I realize that this short essay elicits more questions than it answers...and that's okay. It's better to talk to me about this in person anyway.

What this page is supposed to say is that I take my faith very seriously. It is not simply something that I think about every night before I go to bed, or in a quick prayer before meals. My faith in Jesus Christ is something that I try to incorporate into every decision I make. Being a Believer means that you represent Christ Himself; which is both a great privilege and responsibility.

I am quite open with my faith, as one might infer by the fact that I have a section devoted to it on a public website. I highly enjoy answering questions, discussing topics, and just connecting on a deeper level than the "Hi, how are you?" layer. So the next time you see me, feel free to ask questions about my faith. Challenge me - I certainly love talking about my redeemer.

Page last updated: January 25, 2009