After graduating DTS, I began serving as the Missions Director in January 2010 at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, TX. My primary ministry focus was mobilizing our congregation to be the church outside the four walls—serving locally, nationally, and internationally. We call it, “taking hope to the world.” Through this position, God opened the door for short-term mission opportunities in Ghana, Haiti, Nigeria, Honduras, and Uganda.
Biblical and theological literacy, trained leaders, and healthy churches are the greatest needs of Christianity in Uganda. In 2019, my wife, Marchelle, and I answered God’s call to trust Him fully and follow Him to a place of greater service and usefulness. We have served as missionaries in Uganda since January 2022. I am on the teaching staff at the Western Uganda Baptist Theological College in the Kasese District. Marchelle mentors many young ladies enrolled there. She is also a part of the Women’s Ministry and a contributor to the Children’s Ministry at our church in Kasese. Teaching truth and loving well are foundational to our fulfilling the mission of our discipleship ministry.
God has provided us with the awesome privilege and opportunity of pouring into the lives of the young men and women who attend our Bible college. These millennials are passionate and eager to learn God’s Word, understand theology, and gain practical ministry skills to fulfill the Great Commission through their local churches. We thoroughly enjoy spending time with the students, both formally and informally. Church and youth seminars and conferences have also provided opportunities for us to teach truth and love well. We call this aspect of our discipleship ministry, “equipping the saints.” Our goal is to empower and challenge the attendees to live out the fundamentals of the Christian faith in every area of their lives, to the glory of God.
It is truly a blessing to see Rev. Andreas Lubono, who is in his late 90s, attend training seminars with his Bible, notepad, and pencil. “Mzee,” as he is respectfully called, helped start our Bible College over thirty years ago. He is a great example of a lifelong learner and a great encourager to us.
My matriculation at DTS was primarily through the Houston Extension. For me, this was a time of great camaraderie that included learning with my fellow students and developing my understanding of the Scriptures, theology, and ministry. I still remember well my first winter session at the Dallas campus. When I walked into Turpin Library, I was in awe; I felt like I had died and gone to heaven!
It was wonderful to sit under the teaching of Bible scholars such as Ken Hanna, John Hannah, Oscar Lopez, John Hilber, Willie Bolden, Aubrey Malphurs, Glenn Kreider, John Grassmick, Tracy Howard, Steve Sullivan, Jeff Bingham, Buist Fanning, Charles Baylis, Mark Bailey, and Mark Young. They have left an eternal impact on my life and ministry.
There is nothing more valuable than an education. Not only did I get information at DTS, but I learned how to think for myself. The formal theological training I received at DTS is the foundation of what I do today.