Vicar & Planting Priest of Christ the King
In short, Fr Chris is our pastor.1 He is an unworthy recipient of God’s grace through faith, an adopted son of King Jesus, the husband of Jodee, dad to three delightful kids, a father to many sons and daughters in Christ, and a priest in the Anglican Communion.
What is my role?
My role as Vicar of Christ the King Anglican Church is to hold fast to Jesus, proclaim the excellencies of Jesus, faithfully administer the sacraments, pray for those in my care, guide and protect the flock, and be faithful to the Scriptures… and lead others to do the same. I also love teaching my children, playing chess / Super Mario / guitar / pickup soccer games (I love to play), woodworking / building, reading good books, and puzzling with my bride.
What in the world is a “Vicar?”
A Vicar is the priest in charge of an Anglican “mission.” Once a mission becomes fully self-sustaining, then the “mission” becomes a “congregation” (and subsequently, the Vicar would then be appointed as the Rector). At any stage of growth, I am under authority. I receive direction, funding, and spiritual encouragement from my pastor (my Bishop), so that I may stay faithful, do the work of an evangelist, and build our local church into a fully-sustainable and healthy congregation.
But most of all, I’m a father – father of three beloved children with my beautiful bride, Jodee. I’m also a spiritual father to many children (young and old) in the Church. Being a “pastor” all-too-often is more about what you do rather than who you are. I do many things, but mostly, I am a father – not based upon what I do, but based upon what God has done in Christ, once for all.
How did I get here?
I was born and raised in Oklahoma. I became a follower of Jesus at First United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City, married my best friend Jodee in 2006, and served in music and youth ministry in non-denominational churches, all the while working in advertising and web design.
While earning my Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, I served as a deacon in a church plant. After graduating from seminary in 2012, I was ordained as a pastor and served as the Associate Pastor with many wonderful Christ-followers at a Southern Baptist church in South Texas.
Through many trials, dear friendships, along with many happy providences, the Lord led me and my family into the Anglican way. At Christ Church Anglican in Winston-Salem, NC, I was ordained (again) as a deacon and later as a priest, and I had the great joy of serving the beautiful people at Christ Church as the Assistant Rector.
In 2018, through a series of very wonderful events, I became a part of this make-it-up-as-we-go church planting mission in West Virginia, along with several other priests, deacons, and laity from several churches in our diocese. Through much prayer, long-suffering, and hope in God, a core group of Christ-followers in Beckley, WV became Christ the King Anglican Church in 2020. It’s a pretty cool story, and it’s just getting started… won’t you join us?
