"Calling is where a great passion meets a great need."

Mrs Ethel is a 91 year old woman who, as a toddler, attended the outdoor Sunday School class that in a few years became the Presbyterian Church of Boatswain Bay. She was holding my hands and telling me the story of those days over 80 years ago and how God has grown his church. In the past 45 years Grand Cayman has gone from the undeveloped “Island that Time Forgot” to a global leader in fiance and tourism. Mrs Ethel lived the first 45 years of her life before even electricity was available in her district and as she is telling me this story, still holding my hands, she walks me past a group of teenagers who are huddled around an iPad-like device.
Caymanian culture changed so dramatically in such a small amount of time that a generational divide has occurred which threatens the health of the church and the future of the Island. Older generations no longer understand the Island's young people (and we always fear what we do not understand) and the younger generations feel largely abandoned and disenfranchised and want nothing to do with the older generations or their traditions (including church).
Grand Cayman is largest of the three Cayman Islands, a overseas territory of the UK in the Caribbean sea 227 miles south of Cuba.
The churches of Grand Cayman have, through various influences, have drifted towards moralism ("good people go to heaven") and some even directly into overt legalisism ("You must obey these specific rules to get into heaven"). Sin is understood primarily as a force from the outside and a growing teenager's responsibility is to keep it at bay. However, growing up a person discovers that there is actually already sin inside their hearts and are implicitly confronted with only two options 1) hide it and continue being a good boy or girl or 2) give up entirely. For the first time in the nation's history a generation is openly walking away from the church and the only responses to the legalism of the culture are alcoholism and desires to flee the Island.
The only true cure is the Gospel ("Salvation by grace alone through faith alone"). Boatswain Bay PCA loves the Gospel in profound ways and, in order to stand out as a congregation is “seeking to be the least religious church on the island.” They love their youth, but are unsure of how to minister to them; the parents default to the schools to teach 'em and the church to set 'em straight. No Caymanian church that ministers primarily to natives has ever had a Youth Pastor on staff.
Will you partner with me to send me as Grand Cayman's first?

My MTW field work will span a two year commitment in Cayman (at which point we will evaluate if I should continue there or not) and so, while I will spend a large percentage of my time ministering directly to their church and islands young people, my biggest ministry objective is to work with the older generations to better equip them to be a church that loves Caymanian youths well. If I leave after two years our prayer is that I might leave behind something that will sustain them for their future.
I have been called by the church to be their Youth Pastor (TE) and approved as a missionary by the PCA's sending organization MTW. I have been fully ordained in the local presbytery of my church in Illinois. To be an MTW missionary I need to raise not only my salary but the whole operating budget of the church's Youth Ministry. The church is located in the most economically depressed part of the island, has the least wealthy congregants, and is engaged in ministry to the homeless and needy. They can not afford to fully compensate their senior pastor (who is, therefore, also MTW). So it is good that they can spend what ever money they do have most directly on their own church and to local mercy ministry. Meet with me to hear more about the Island's situation and needs!
For now I will be support raising. To start a Youth Ministry where there was none before requires funds and I believe that my team is helping me do it as cost effective as possible. I anticipate spending most of my time in the St. Louis area, the Philadelphia area, and hopefully also in south Florida. You may donate through this website - I am so grateful for that, but I also really want to make partners with those who will be supporting me. If it is possible I hope to meet with you personally and hope to be setting up presentations in local churches as well. You will hear stories of God's work in this church and will be given regular prayer requests and receive not only my newsletters but newsletters of my Missionary Organization to hear about life on the ground in places around the globe! In Cayman, we have big dreams for such a little island and we can't do it alone, will you partner with me in this work?
I have been called by the church to be their Youth Pastor (TE) and approved as a missionary by the PCA's sending organization MTW. I have been fully ordained in the local presbytery of my church in Illinois. To be an MTW missionary I need to raise not only my salary but the whole operating budget of the church's Youth Ministry. The church is located in the most economically depressed part of the island, has the least wealthy congregants, and is engaged in ministry to the homeless and needy. They can not afford to fully compensate their senior pastor (who is, therefore, also MTW). So it is good that they can spend what ever money they do have most directly on their own church and to local mercy ministry. Meet with me to hear more about the Island's situation and needs!
For now I will be support raising. To start a Youth Ministry where there was none before requires funds and I believe that my team is helping me do it as cost effective as possible. I anticipate spending most of my time in the St. Louis area, the Philadelphia area, and hopefully also in south Florida. You may donate through this website - I am so grateful for that, but I also really want to make partners with those who will be supporting me. If it is possible I hope to meet with you personally and hope to be setting up presentations in local churches as well. You will hear stories of God's work in this church and will be given regular prayer requests and receive not only my newsletters but newsletters of my Missionary Organization to hear about life on the ground in places around the globe! In Cayman, we have big dreams for such a little island and we can't do it alone, will you partner with me in this work?