JT-Director of LifeGroups
FAMILY: God has blessed me with the most incredible wife. Evanne and I were married in 1986. Evanne works for Washington University School of Medicine at the Genome Center. She has been there 15 years. We have two fantastic boys, Anthony 20, and Ben who is 18. Anthony works full time and pursues his passion of playing and writing music. Ben is a senior at Rockwood Summit and is actively seeking out colleges.
EDUCATION: I graduated from high school in 1983. I immediately went into the US Army Military Police Corp. where I served for six years. I took numerous college classes as I could at different duty stations. I have also attended Washington University.
HOW I CAME TO WEST HILLS: Seventeen years ago, Evanne and I had just moved to St. Louis. We had sworn off legalistic, conservative churches that were more concerned about how you looked or what you did than they did about your life and walk with Jesus. We were immediately welcomed here and after just one visit, we knew West Hills was home. We love the people and what God does here through Gary's teaching of the Word and the unselfish lives that are lived out here daily.
SCRIPTURE: "And I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
FOOD: Well, you name and I probably love it. However ethnic food would be my favorite. My wife is Greek so that tops the list. I also enjoy Thai and most Asian food. I love German food (stationed there for 2 years) and my all time favorite dish, my final request on death row; hands down....spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and salad and a Diet Coke with ice in a glass.
BOOKS: The Bible (no kidding), Messy Spirituality and Dangerous Wonders by Mike Yaconelli, Servant Evangelism by Steve Sjogren, most anything by RC Sproul, Works of CS Lewis, and I also enjoy James Patterson and Tom Clancy.
MUSIC: While I do love worship music, Christ Tomlin, Charlie Hall, Matt Adams, Matt Reddmen and others. And Contemporary Christian music, David Crowder, Jeff Deyo, Ten Shekel Shirt, Rich Mullins and many more. I have to share my true love of music and that is Jazz. Everything from Louis Armstrong to Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, David "Fathead" Newman, The Yellowjackets, The Rippingtons, and my favorite....Spyro Gyra along with many, many more. I also love the tunes of the 60's & 70's.
QUOTES:
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else" C S Lewis
"Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spirituality is not about perfection; it is about connection. The way of spiritual life begins where we are now in the mess of our lives. Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws but because we let go of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God the one who is present in the tangledness of our lives. Spirituality is not about being fixed, it is about God's being present in the mess of our unfixedness." Mike Yaconelli; Messy Spirituality