Frequently Asked Questions

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    What kind of education does Brian have?


    Brian is working to complete his doctorate in pastoral leadership. He graduated seminary with two master’s degrees. His bachelor’s degree is in Sociology with a minor in Mass Communication.

    Doctoral
    SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
    Dissertation Phase
    Doctorate of Ministry
    Concentration: Pastoral Leadership

    Graduate
    DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
    2003 – Master of Arts in Christian Education, Master of Arts in Biblical Studies

    Undergraduate
    TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY – SAN MARCOS
    2000 – Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
    Minor: Mass Communication

    When will Pastor Brian join us at Valley View?

    Our church will vote on ‘view of a call’ Sunday, January 24th in both morning worship services. His exact start date will be in the weeks following congregational confirmation.

    How old is Brian and the rest of his family?


    As of January 2016, Brian is 42, Holly is 39, Julia is 6, and Sam is 4.

  • What is Brian’s life mission?

    Brian’s mission is to spread the gospel and the glory of God by making disciples of Jesus Christ and inspiring missional living. Through preaching, shepherding, and relational evangelism, his goal is to equip and encourage people to become fully committed followers of Christ as they live fully alive and satisfied in Him.

    He longs to meet people where they are, inviting them to see Christ’s love and to experience His life changing grace. He loves to pour into believers, training them to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ and to live on mission for God as they find their unique part in His story. His passion in preaching is to clearly, passionately, and with practical relevance, proclaim the inspired Word of God. He preaches through the Scripture with passion and relevance.

    Brian believes the local church is the primary vehicle God has chosen to bring about His purposes in the world. He uses his gifts of preaching/teaching, shepherding, and leadership to preach the Word, provide vision and leadership to the church, to love and disciple the staff, and to shepherd and mobilize the congregation to fully become all that God is calling us to be.

    What are Brian’s spiritual gifts?


    Brian’s primary gifts are leadership, preaching, and shepherding.

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  • What is Brian’s Philosophy of Ministry?


    Brian believes the ministry of the local church should serve two primary roles: to lovingly gather (John 13:35; Heb. 10:25) and intentionally scatter (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8), both expressions of our greatest purpose to love God and love people (Mark 12:29-31). Believers gather for worship and training. We worship together and are trained to study, know, and apply the principals of Scripture (Ezra 7:10; 2 Tim. 3:16), to use our spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:11-12), and to minister to one another in love (1 Co. 12:12-27; 2 Tim. 2:2). He believes the church’s philosophy of ministry should model the strategy of God through the incarnation (Phil 2:5-11). Believers imitate Christ’s coming to earth by scattering into the community with a focus on being the light in dark places; being intentional about a lifestyle of evangelism and service. We evangelize through intentionally sharing our life with the people God places in our path (Mk. 16:15). We serve by using our gifts, talents, and abilities to minister to the needs of all people (1 Pt. 4:10).

    Further, Brian has a passion to restore the image of God in the home. He believes ministry and spiritual formation begin in the home with the parents serving as the primary faith trainer (Duet. 6:4-9). It is the church’s responsibility to encourage and equip parents to succeed at this task (Eph. 4:12). Secondly, it is the believer’s responsibility to invest in those outside their home, reaching those who have no primary faith trainer or adults who would otherwise not be discipled toward maturity (2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 2:1-8). From children to students, from singles to parents, and from empty nesters to senior adults the church should fully incorporate the entire body into the strategy of making disciples in a relevant and meaningful way.