I grew up in a small town outside of Peterborough and I don't remember a time in my life where I wasn't involved in church ministry in one way or another. I met my wife while studying at Tyndale, and we've spent the last 7+ years doing ministry together; mostly through Pastoring in the Muskoka area. I was saved at 3, baptised at around 8, circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Oh sorry, no that was mostly Paul's story in Philippians 3. Wonderfully though, through the gracious hand of God working in and through my life over the last 3 or 4 years especially, I can say an enthusiastic "Amen!" to Paul's next line "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ" (Phil. 3:7). I grew up 'doing church' and honestly thought I was great at it. Now in hindsight I can truly appreciate the transformation that has taken place in my life as my understanding and experience of the love of Jesus grows...and changes everything! Funny how hard times, desperate prayer and heartfelt, solid Bible teaching/preaching and study can help do this in us.
In the spring of 2011 I gave in to the tug I had been feeling toward church planting, and began to pray for God to reveal His will for me in this feeling I couldn't shake. Months later I find myself sitting in this office, in London, writing a short bio for an incredible church that has committed to taking the next year to train me to plant a Harvest Bible Chapel in 2013.
What an adventure this life is when we allow ourselves to be shaped and used by our Lord!
And now for some trivia on Shannon:
Quick Take: I think sticking 29 years into that half page bio above was a pretty good "quick take" already :)
Born: Yes, but I don't remember much about it.
Little-known facts about me: Seems like as soon as I post something online here I'd just be undoing the "little known" part and would then be lying to you through a church website
I hope heaven includes: as many people as we can possibly reach out to with this incredible message that Jesus loves us, and became our sin on the cross so that we could take on His righteousness; allowing us to one day step into Heaven...blameless before our Holy God. Incredible! Who cares 'what' else is there, agree?
Things I do not want to live without: Right perspective, priorities and pizza (the 3rd one isn't true, but I grew up mostly in Baptist circles, so my answer doesn't feel complete without a 3rd "P")
I Hope to someday hear: This is a great setup for a typical Sunday School type answer, but here goes. Obviously, "Well done good and faithful servant," is that statement in scripture that is just so incredibly shocking that we could hear it from...Jesus?!?! As in, what did I do...besides accept for myself the benefits of the work that He did for me? That would be awesome to hear, in an unbelievably humbling sort of way. Besides that though I would love to meet Jesus and hear Him ask me to do something with Him, and it doesn't matter what - walk, talk, work, whatever...I just love hear that He wants to be with me.
Most Embarrassing Moment: Preaching 2 Samuel 13 as one of my first sermons. Horrible!!! There were quite a few times during the sermon that I just wanted to be anywhere else, and couldn't figure out how to bring it to a close...so I just kept going, and it kept getting worse. My wife and a few friends still bring it up from time to time.
Most Exciting Moment/Trip: Honestly, the first experience that came to mind was: seeing my daughter Gracie for the first time and being surprised by how quickly I was overwhelmed with emotion and just started crying with pure joy. As for trip: I went to Israel for 10 days in January 2010. That was quite the experience!
Best Childhood Memory: There are a few, but certainly the night I prayed for Jesus to forgive my sins while knelt at the side of my bed, then jumping up and running down the hall to tell my parents what I just did. A clear and wonderful memory.
Passion: Watched it twice, and cried till it hurt both times.
My Family: Is extremely precious to me, and too large to list on here.
My Education: Done quite a few years of schooling, but my greatest education has honestly been life & ministry. I have learned the most during those times that have forced me to admit I am nothing outside of the work of Jesus, and to humbly rely on Him to work in and through me. Interestingly my schooling taught me to feel better equipped, and more prepared...Jesus showed me that without Him, nothing will come of all my greatest efforts :) In case you are actually wondering about my training though I have 4.5 years of undergraduate work through Tyndale (BRE+) and I'm currently a full-time student through Liberty Seminary working on completing a MAR (Biblical studies major) this year. I have also pastored for 3+ years.
High: Not sure, but it reminds me that I'm terrible at "high-fives," for some reason I've always lacked the ability to make my hand connect properly with the one coming at me...really ruins the moment almost every time.
Low: I'm terrible with ending conversations. It never seems to be just as simple as saying "good-bye." The phone is the worst, because there always seems to be like a 3 step process the other person has that I don't know how to fit into, and then can't get back out of without fumbling around. Especially if their process ends with "God bless you" just before they hang up; I feel like I need to say it back to them too, but fast. I have no idea how to do this with sincerity without just sounding like I've quickly echoed them and hung up. I'm sure the other person hangs up and moves on, meanwhile I sit there for a moment wondering how I could have done that better without sounding like that was my first time using the phone.
Purpose: Of my life? To allow God to work in and through me in such a way that I not only become a clearer reflection of the One whose image I bear, but to help my life lift Him up in all that I am, say and do in order that others may also look to Him and experience the saving work of Jesus.