Staff Member since 2019
Starkville Campus Director
Personally speaking:
I grew up in rural Mississippi, Bachelor: Industrial and Systems Engineering (Mississippi State University). In 2010, I started my Masters at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. After completing my M.Div. in Missions, my family moved to East Asia in 2013. I worked there as an English teacher through a missions organization for 4 years. In 2017, we moved back to the States and began serving the church in southeast Missouri through college discipleship and pastoring a small church. My wife, Amanda, and I have been married since 2009 and have three children.
Getting to know Daniel
Q: When/how did you become involved with Lightbearers?
A: I found out about Lightbearers in 2017 and was excited about the ministry’s potential impact at Mississippi State. When a friend made me aware of the staffing needs in Starkville, I was interested to see what role I might be able to play in this dynamic ministry.
Q: What excites you most about the Lightbearers vision?
A: Everything! Discipleship, in depth teaching on scripture and theology, strengthening the local church, living in community, and supporting international church growth. The fact that all of this is happening through college students is even more amazing. Christians in college are an often overlooked gift in the church, and I can’t believe it’s my job to spend with them studying the Bible and navigating life together.
Q: What has been the most influential book you've read this past year and why?
A: I’ve been reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship again. It’s such a valuable commentary on the Christian church. Bonhoeffer saw the damage that “cheap grace” and “thin belief” was having on not just churches, but families and society as well. Even though it seems costly, our belief must be life changing–in ourselves and those around us.
Q: How do you like to spend your time when you're not working?
A: Lots of fmaily time these days! I spend a lot of time goofing off with my boys: riding bikes, playing video games, talking about Pokemon, etc. But if I’m eating carry-out while watching the Office with my wife, or reading quietly at a coffee shop with a good friend, that’s when I’m living the dream.