I took my first pastoral appointment in the United Methodist Church in 2014, and I currently serve in the Abingdon area as pastor of Washington Chapel and Washington Springs United Methodist Churches and as co-pastor of Emory United Methodist Church. I completed my PhD in New Testament at the University of St Andrews under the supervision of Professor N.T. Wright.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked at the intersection of academic study and local church ministry, with a particular focus on congregations in Appalachia. As my academic research aims towards more creative engagement with the apostle Paul, his letters, and their application, my work in the church seeks to develop more innovative and culturally appropriate expressions of church in an Appalachian context. I have lectured on Paul’s letters, early Christianity, and the relationship between the biblical texts and modern ministry practices in university classrooms, academic conferences, community talks, and church services. If you’re interested in a conversation about speaking engagements or ministry partnerships, I would be glad to connect. Appalachia has something to say, but none of us can say it alone.