God, in His sovereign grace, called me to salvation at a young age. I grew up in the church where I heard the good news of Jesus Christ. I repented of my sins and placed faith in Christ alone for my salvation. I was baptized shortly after making a profession of faith and began growing in my walk with Christ as a young boy. I began discerning a call to ministry in my later teenage years, and by seeking godly counsel and opportunities to serve as I could in my local church, that calling became confirmed in my life. I also began pursuing theological studies in both college and seminary to prepare me for future ministry.
Senior Pastor, Second Baptist Church,
Mount Vernon, IL; 2017-Present
Student Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church,
Amarillo, TX; 2013-2017
Pastoral Assistant, Trinity Baptist
Church, Amarillo, TX; 2011-2013
Student Pastor, Houston Northwest
Church, Houston, TX; 2010-2011
Graduate Assistant, Southwestern
Baptist Seminary, Fort Worth, TX;
2009-2010
DMin, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; in progress
MDiv, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; 2011
BA, Wayland Baptist University; 2005
Ordained to the ministry in 2007,
and licensed to the ministry in 2000.
Joshua has been married to Lauren since March 2008. They have four children: Lincoln (2010), Molly (2013), Caroline
(2015), and Abraham (2017).
The mission of the church is to multiply and make mature disciples of Jesus from all nations through the proclamation of the gospel and for the glory of God. This mission is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit through faithful evangelism, preaching and teaching of the whole counsel of God’s Word, and through prayer so that the church is built up and equipped for ministry. It is through the local church, as its members live life together in unity, love, fellowship, and the exercising of their spiritual gifts that the church’s mission is accomplished and God’s kingdom purposes are advanced.
I believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. This gospel is the only message that can reconcile sinners to a holy God who are separated from Him because of their sin. This same gospel also has implications for the entirety of the Christian life. It is the gospel that also fuels the believer’s worship and sanctification by empowering them for good works, and sending them out into a lost world to proclaim this good news to their neighbors and to the nations.
I preach expositionally, seeking to make the main point of the biblical text the main point of the sermon. I am committed to preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word, verse-by-verse, while also addressing topical issues as the need arises within the church.
I believe preaching and teaching should be “God-centered” and deeply theological. The Bible is God’s self-revelation and is focused on Him and His glory; therefore, an emphasis on doctrine grounds the church in who God is, deeper worship, and genuine application.
I desire spiritual authenticity through daily Scripture reading, prayer, and communion with God. I want to model the spiritual disciplines for both my family and the church I help to lead by walking in fellowship with Christ and grow deeper in my devotion to Him.
I want to be intentional in making disciples through evangelizing neighbors and friends, building relationships with unbelievers in my community, and seeking, through one-to-one relationships, to develop mature followers of Jesus who will, in turn, make other disciples.
I want the church to be serious about the Great Commission and seeing the gospel go to the ends of the earth through giving financially, going on short-term trips, and supporting oversees long-term mission efforts in various places around the world.
I affirm in their entirety the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Abstract of Principles, the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and the Nashville Statement on Sexuality.
