The letters after the name simply tell you that I can stay in school for long periods of time, pass tests and write papers. They do not actually say much about me as a Christian, as a man, or as a husband, nor do those letters reveal anything about the truth of what I teach or my character. However, they are useful for marketing and promotion so others, especially those with more wordly views of credentials, can know that I have some qualifications as the world measures qualifications. My complete resume can be reached through the link at the left. While I do not think a great many of the things in it are important for ministry purposes, it may be considered useful for those who would like a glimpse of the professional me. Also, if anything in there will help churches persuade others to come to special services or events, then I have no hesitation in using things that are True to guide others to God's Truth.

Among the things that recommend me more than my resume, I think, are that I read the Bible every day, gleaning God's Truth constantly, despite the number of times I've read it cover to cover. My habit is to read one translation completely through, then, when I'm done, start on another. When in doubt as to the meaning of a passage, I reference the other translations and online resources to explore the Greek or Hebrew texts. My preferred online resource is the Blue Letter Bible.

I also pray every day. Among my consistent prayers is that God might invade my identity and my life at every level, that the Holy Spirit might lead me to bullseye righteousness and Truth in not only my actions, but in my emotions, my thinking, my choices, my relationships, the principles by which I live my life and my walk with Him.

My service to the Church has included serving as an Adult Sunday School Teacher, Youth Preacher, Youth Sunday School Teacher, Junior High Sunday School Teacher, and other roles at my previous churches. I worked as a janitor alongside my wife at our old church. I am a martial arts teacher, with discussions that are often deeply spiritual as part of the lessons in the Christian martial art called Guardian Kempo. (All the ancient masters believed religion and philosophy were important for character development, and I agree, except that I teach Christian Truth rather than eastern beliefs. Because the art itself is Christian, there are no conflicts of belief at higher levels as are often found with Eastern arts taught by Christians.)

There is an old story of a martial arts master who learned the hard way that what he was teaching was wrong. One of his top students ended up in the hospital, and it wasn't until then that he and his top assistant really put what they taught to the test. They discovered that much of what they had taught others for years would not work in a real fight. Imagine what that instructor felt like when he discovered that his teaching had given false confidence to students for years. That story illustrates the importance of getting my martial arts instruction right, changing anything I find that should be changed, but it also illustrates a much more important point. What I teach spiritually must also be right, and it must work not only when life cooperates, but when life and this world crash headlong into us

Thus I teach, believe and live out the foundational principle "Reality is More Important Than Anything I Believe." I seek God's Truth above all. I try to encourage others to do the same. I also believe "All Principles Must Be Consistently Applied," which is a fundamental test of a principle. If a principle is properly understood and defined, then it will apply consistently all the time. Otherwise it is more likely a justification, rationalization or, possibly, simply understood incompletely.

Both foundational principles guide my relationship with God. After all, billions of people around the world believe they follow "God," but the Truth of who God is and what God expects is more important than the sincerity of their faith. Therefore, it is also more important than the sincerity of my faith. God is who God is. The Rules are what the Rule are. Truth is Truth. In each case, it is important for me to seek the Truth, try my best to understand it, and when it can help others, it is part of my stewardship to pass those lessons on to others.

Agathos Ministries is a ministry I feel called to lead. There are plenty of conventional churches aimed at conventional people who want conventional Christian lives. Agathos is not conventional. We do thing differently. We come to the Bible with the problems that have been epidemic in conventional Christianity with the assumption that God is a Genius. He doesn't make stupid rookie mistake. It's amazing what you can find when you just assume that God's Answers must be the right answers - which means if "God's answers" are not working - it must not be God's Anger. Look again! When you do, you find some amazing things....

Ph.D. in Christian Martial Arts (half physical education, half Bible) from Great Plains Baptist College, South Dakota

J.D. (Law Degree) from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, CA. Practiced Law from 1992 to 2000.

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from San Diego State University.