How did you meet your wife?

Fallon and I met in college in a pretty unique way. Both of us had captured each others attention but had never actually met. Simultaneously, we both had friends who were trying to set us up to meet, but both Fallon and I declined multiple times because we thought they were trying to hook us up with other people, and we weren't interested in meeting anyone besides each other... It wasn't for another three weeks until we actually caved and got setup with the very person we had been meaning to meet in the first place; each other.

Who liked who first?

She liked me first. She doesn't agree with that, but I'll talk her into it one of these days. No doubt about it, though, the first time I saw her, I was captivated, that’s for sure.

When did you become a Christian?

I gave my brokenness to Jesus in a real way at a Miles Ahead Crusade here in San Diego when I was in 8th grade. It was in my freshman year of high school that I committed my whole life to him while at Summer Camp.

What drew you to becoming a pastor?

I think it was a culmination of many factors, seared in my mind was the impact that both Miles and the summer camp speaker had in my life. Also continuing to understand my own gifts and strengths narrowed my calling even more. At the end of the day I want to be true to who it is that God has made me to be. Today that person is a pastor, tomorrow it might be something different. I just want to be obedient to his leading, wherever or whatever that may be.

What drew you to becoming a pastor to 18- to 25-year-olds?

It came from a very sacred place: my own family. Both my brothers were in the 18-29 demographic when I started to be drawn to ministry. They were both church-burnt in their own unique ways and were having a hard time finding a correlation between the love of Jesus that we had heard so much of as kids, and the open arms of the church, which seemed to not have a place for them when they were in their darkest seasons as young adults. I wanted to not just help them connect those dots, but any other young person who was experiencing the same disconnect.

What have you learned about the struggles of that age group?

Young adults are notorious consumers, both of material goods and spiritual goods. Unfortunately, it's the material goods that always seem to be the fix or fulfillment we are looking for when ultimately those things will only satisfy for a season. And it's more than physical goods. We often try to make relationships our savior, careers our identity and successes our legacy. Jesus should be all those things. Unfortunately our brokenness often fools us to think that Jesus only needs to be an after-thought instead of the only thought.

What does the next generation of Church look like in your opinion?

I recently read a quote by Brian Houston, pastor of the famed Australian church Hillsong, which really resonated with me:

"I see a Church so compassionate that people are drawn from impossible situations into a loving and friendly circle of hope, where answers are found and acceptance is given.

I see a people so Kingdom-minded that they will count whatever the cost and pay whatever the price to see revival sweep this land.

I see a Church whose head is Jesus, whose help is the Holy Spirit and whose focus is the Great Commission."

Why is art such a focus of your ministry?

I am fortunate to come from a very creative family. Musicians, engineers, artists and writers all come before me. I don't think I can do anything without some sort of creative slant, it's just a part of how God made me. When it comes to the arts and ministry, I have a theory that I've been working out for some years while here at the Rock. Here it goes: Many things about what we believe are absolute, that is, there is no room for alteration, modification or manipulation. They are what they are. Creatives often have a challenging time with things that are absolute, mainly because anything that a creative produces can (and often does) get altered along the way of its creation; Always open for interpretation, always able to be changed. This is a clash of realities, that which is absolute, and that which is subjective. As I continue to connect with people who are yet to know God, I find that art is a medium which all start out equal. It makes a level playing field, where each person, both the believer and skeptic have authority to speak. From that place, we trust the truth of the Gospel to do its work. Breathing life into the conversation and the environment. Ministry is never about proving who's right and whose wrong, but about recognizing truth when it's present. God tells us that if we look for Him, we will find him. Art is a vehicle which allows both the skeptic and believer, the subjective and absolute to exist in the same room as we discover God and His unique will for each of us.

You named your son, Bravery. What’s the story behind that particular name?

Fear. It's a posture nobody enjoys and very few people admit to being in. While in the process of trying to have children, Fallon and I were backed into fears corner when we were unable to get pregnant. As scripture reminds us, fear is not of The Lord. And even more promising, that the victory is with those who call upon Jesus as their Lord. After a year and several months, Fallon finally got pregnant. But long before that joyful day, God instilled in us that fear is not a character trait he wants his children to wrestle with, instead, to hand over willingly to Him. So when naming our first-born son, the definition of the word Bravery seemed to ring true; Intolerant of Fear. It doesn't mean we still don't have seasons where fear is real in our lives, it just means we are standing on the truth that we need not tolerate it because of the victory we have in Jesus.