Justin was born in Oklahoma City, OK and is a registered American Indian of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. At a very young age, Justin moved with his family to Colorado and grew up in Grand Junction and Colorado Springs, CO. Justin grew up in a home environment where learning biblical truth and practice was just as important as learning Math, English, Reading, Writing, etc. This ultimately led Justin to make a profession of faith in Jesus, and he was baptized at Bookcliff Baptist Church in April of 1996.
Justin had no desire to pastor during his early teen years, but felt God’s call to ministry during summer camp when he was fifteen years old. He surrendered his life to the ministry and felt God calling him to pastor.
Because there were not any conservative Bible colleges in Colorado, Justin relocated to Fort Worth, TX to begin his training at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After his first semester, he was offered an internship with the president of the school. During his ten years at SWBTS he served as an intern, the Director of Hospitality, the Special Assistant to the President, and the Chief of Staff for the President’s Office. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Master of Theological Studies. Additionally, Justin has considered obtaining additional degrees and even hopes to one day get his doctorate. In his own words,
“I desire to be a lifelong student. If I am able, I plan to continue learning well into my eighties!”
Justin met his wife, Kristin, at college in 2006, and they married in June 2008. Soon into their marriage, Kristin developed a chronic condition and they were unable to have children. Finally, after nearly a decade of fruitless medical interventions and treatments, God answered their prayers and blessed them with a son. Just over two years later they welcomed a daughter into their family also. Every day their kids remind them of God’s faithfulness, and the responsibility they have to raise their children to know the truth, and follow Christ.
Justin’s life, ministry, and career paths have led him to serve in various administrative roles and he believes God has equipped him for each role. He notes, “I have been afforded many unique opportunities and positions in my life and, by God’s grace, have been able to succeed–even in positions and fields where I have had no previous experience.”
Throughout Justin’s life and ministry, he had the honor of meeting with scholars, dignitaries, politicians, military heroes, and some of the most influential Christian leaders in our nation. He was selected to attend the World Congress of Families IX with other ‘Emerging Young Leaders’ from other states and nations around the world. He attended the Executive Committee meetings at the Southern Baptist Convention as part of a group of ‘Young SBC Leaders’ hand selected from Southern Baptist seminaries and colleges across the nation. While an administrator at the school, he was fortunate to travel to more than 13 countries around the world—including Cuba, Columbia, Thailand, Germany, Hong Kong, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and various countries in Africa—providing pastoral training and administrative support.
Justin’s approach to leadership and administration is grounded in team building; believing that cultivating skills in communication, interpersonal relationships, and problem solving will enable the success of any team.
In just about every stage of life Justin has taught people the Scripture, striving to help people understand the Bible better. However, recently he has felt God increasing his desire to see future generations trained for the difficult task of ministry and life in our culture. Whether future leaders minister in the secular workplace, as pastors, or as missionaries around the world, all are ministers to a lost world, and all need sound biblical education to fulfill the mission God has for them.
“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” ~2 Timothy 4:2
principal@bookcliffbaptist.org
