Publications/Research

The Fuller Youth Institute published an article I wrote that addresses the need for spiritual and emotional care for our ministry leaders, and youth pastor’s in particular. Here is a link to the article -Facing our Losses: Leaders learning to grieve.

The Thrive Center published an article that I wrote on educators/pastors that work with youth. It addresses the expectations, hopes, and dreams for growth that youth workers desire to see in their students.

Research Credit & Acknowledgement in Growing Young: 6 Essential Strategies to help young people discover and love your church by Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin

Research Credit & Acknowledgement in the Journal of Youth Ministry: We are Family; What Multicultural Youth Ministry Research Reveals about Leadership Dynamics, Multi-Diversity, and Immigrant Narratives by Mary R. Glenn, Tyler S. Greenway, Kara E. Powell, Jennifer A. Guerra Aldana, and Brad Griffin

Where God has lead me thus far…

Associate Pastor for Mission and Outreach                                                              06/01/22 - Current
Glendale Presbyterian Church                                                                                                
 Austin, TX
Responsible for the mission and outreach initiatives of the church. Duties include supervising multiple staff members, preaching, sacraments, pastoral counseling, weddings and funerals, pastoral care, worship planning, leading Bible studies and teaching Sunday School classes.

Family Ministries Pastor                                                                                                             10/18/15 – 05/25/22
Glendale Presbyterian Church                                                                                                 
Glendale, CA
Minister to the youth and families of the church. Responsible for congregational care and supporting the growth and spiritual formation of the congregation.

Clinical Pastoral Education, Student 2 Units                                                                              09/01/20 – 5/21/21
Cedars Sinai Hospital                                                                                                                        
West Hollywood, CA
Providing spiritual and emotional support to hospital patients in the context of learning through the CPE program.  I have completed two units of CPE.

 

Commissioned Ruling Elder 1/1/2017 - 05/25/22
Glendale Presbyterian Church
Glendale, CA
Assisting the Teaching Elder in pastoral duties including worship leadership, the sacraments, funerals, and other duties as assigned.

 

Immersion Associate                                                                                                                  6/8/2015 - 05/25/22
Cities Together                                                                                                                            
Los Angeles, CA
Guiding groups of people on a walking tour of Los Angeles.  The purpose of the tour is to equip people with exegetical tools and insights that may bring them to a theological understanding of how God is at work in the city. The hope is that the groups not only realize and respond to God’s work in the city but also take those exegetical tools regarding space and place back with them to their home towns/cities.

Fuller Youth Institute                                                                                                                3/10/17 to 4/4/18
Research Assistant                                                                                                                   
      Pasadena, CA
Worked on a research project (MCYM). MCYM is studying how thriving multicultural churches conduct their youth and family ministries.  I am engaged in making site visits, writing reports on those visits, and further research methods.


Media Services Associate                                                                                                            08/2012 – 8/2015
Fuller Theological Seminary                                                                                                       
Pasadena, CA
Provided classroom technical assistance to Fuller’s staff while working as a full-time student on my MDiv.

Fuller Youth Institute                                                                                                                   5/2014 to 11/2014
Research Assistant                                                                                                                    
     Pasadena, CA
Worked on a research project (CYEP). CYEP is studying which church practices bolster the faith journeys of adolescent students in such a way that their faith grows as they move beyond their middle and high school years.

 

High School Director 08/2007 to 08/2012
Roswell Presbyterian Church Roswell, GA
Responsible for programs for all high school students including discipleship, student outreach, leader recruiting, leader training, equipping, camps, mission trips, annual retreats, and weekly teaching. Weekly involvement in worship planning. Worked with the Family Ministry Counsel and youth elders to pray, plan, and generally support the families of our church. Held parent/student conversations to promote a healthy spiritual element in the life of the family.