My statement of faith must begin with my introduction to Christianity at an early age. I was blessed to have parents who knew the importance of the church and the congregation of believers. While the seeds of my faith were planted at that time, it would be many years before those seeds sprouted.

During my years in college and law school, my focus was not on my faith, but on studies, friends and my girlfriend (now my wife). While I would attend church services during trips to my hometown, I was essentially absent from the church on other occasions.

After graduating from law school I married my wife and it was at that point that I began attending church regularly again. We became the Junior High youth advisers in our hometown church, and as a result we became much more active in our faith. Not long thereafter we moved to Spartanburg and immediately joined First Presbyterian Church.

A year after joining FPC I joined the Stephen Ministry program and was placed with a permanently disabled care receiver that I saw on a weekly basis for 15 years before his death on April 1, 2013. It was my relationship with him over these past 15 years that taught me more than I had ever known about the love of Jesus Christ and those who follow Him. To watch his family and close friends surround him, and to see not only the effect they had on him, but the effect he had on everyone he touched, was simply amazing. He taught me more about accepting one’s lot in life, and trusting in the love of God, than anyone else.

I have faith in God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. That is not to say I do not have questions of faith when terrible things occur in this world, but in the final analysis I believe all things work out for His purpose.

Man always has been, and continues to be, in a fallen state. Our natural inclination towards sin colors everything we do and think. Our society rewards the sin of man. Thus, it is vitally important for us to remain connected to Christ’s church, His teachings, and most importantly the Bible. I find that when I do not read the Bible, or teachings from the Bible, I am naturally drawn to my old, sinful, way of thinking. On the other hand, when I focus my attention on His teachings, my outlook on life becomes clear and simple, and I am much more relaxed. Surrendering to God what is His, which is essentially everything, relieves the anxieties that result from my need to be in control.

I believe that God is the creator of our universe and that He is the source of all that is good in our world. I also believe that he sent his son Jesus Christ to this world to die for the sins of mankind. God’s true grace is evidenced by the fact that He only requires of us one thing to be saved from our sins – complete faith that the death and resurrection of Jesus was what the Bible says it was, and that is an atonement for our sins.