I was born and raised in Eureka, about a mile from the church itself actually. I have been going to Mount Nelson Baptist Church my entire life. My mother has been a member here for years and she was coming before I was born and after I was born I started coming with her. So, needless to say, I grew up in this church, and these people are my family. I got saved around the age of 7 when Pastor David Walker was here. I remember walking the aisle with one of my friends because I was afraid to go by myself. I understood that I was a sinner and that I need Jesus to save me from hell and give me eternal life. After I got saved at such a young and started to grow up, I started to drift away from God during my middle school and early high school years. I got plugged in with the wrong crowd and started doing stupid things like drinking and going to parties I didn’t need to be at. But all through those years my parents insisted that I keep going to church, so even through the times when my life looked like I didn’t want anything to do with God, He was still there. Eventually, God humbled me during high school to really see what it meant to be saved and live a life for Christ. I rededicated my life to Him when I was a junior in High School. I was actually asked to preach a youth service one Sunday morning, although I was very reluctant at doing it, I did it any ways. I felt God laying it on my heart that I needed to become a Pastor that day when I got done preaching, but I felt like that was way out of my league, so I resisted the call God had for me for about two years. Eventually, I was asked to help out leading our youth group during my first year of college. I felt like this was God trying to pull me in, so I resisted that too, but eventually I gave in and started leading youth every other Wednesday. This went on for about a year until we went to camp with the youth that summer. We were at Fort Caswell, on Oak Island, North Carolina, and it was the last night of camp, and for years I had felt like God was calling me to be a Pastor, but I just didn’t feel like I could do it, but they extended a call to people who felt like they were called into the Ministry and I walked forward. From that day on I accepted the fact that God wanted to use me in the Ministry some way. I was very blessed to have a great Pastor and mentor during this time, Pastor Jack Sauls. He helped be me find a school so that I could further my education. I attended Southeastern Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina for three years. It was the only time I have ever lived outside of Eureka. I am so thankful for the blessing of being able to study at Southeastern, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. After graduating with a degree in Christian Studies, with a Minor in Theology, I worked at First Baptist Church, Snow Hill, North Carolina, part time. But I am proud to say that I am back in my home church working full time as the Youth Pastor, and I love it. I could not ask for a better church to work at. God has blessed me so much throughout my life. Not only did he lead and guide me in the Ministry, but he also led me to my wonderful wife! She is such a blessing to me and has been there for me so many times. We got married October 12, 2013. My life has been blessed beyond belief. God has always been there for me and I am so thankful for the salvation that He has graciously given me through Jesus Christ! I love Him and I love serving Him!!