Hi, I’m Jerry, and I’m humbled to serve as an elder at Community Church. I currently serve as the elder liaison to our Youth Ministry and Missions Ministry.

Dawn and I have been married for almost 32 years, and we have been part of Community Church for about four years. Before coming to Community Church, we spent more than 25 years at another church, including 13 years serving as an associate pastor. Our daughter, Elizabeth, also began attending Community Church with us and now serves in the nursery and helps with hospitality. When we came to Community Church, we were looking for a place to rest for a while. That rest lasted about two months before we found ourselves getting involved and serving. Apparently, we weren’t very good at resting!

One thing I have learned through many years of ministry is that ministry is something we do together. I have never accepted a calling to pastoral ministry or eldership without Dawn and me first agreeing that it was something God was calling us to do. I believe those callings affect both husband and wife, even when only one of us carries the title.

I have also spent 32 years teaching mathematics in public schools, where I still teach today, and teaching has reinforced something I value deeply in ministry: I love questions. I especially enjoy the questions people sometimes hesitate to ask because they think they should already know the answer or that their question is somehow foolish. I don’t believe there are foolish questions when we are genuinely seeking to understand God’s truth. I enjoy exploring those questions with people and asking how God’s Word applies to our everyday lives. I believe God calls us to know Him, and one of the best ways we come to know Him is through His Word.

I love to read and have a wide range of interests, from the writings of the early church fathers and modern Christian apologetics to fantasy literature—I’ve spent a lot of years in that world. You can’t beat Tolkien, although Robert Jordan gives him a run for his money. I also enjoy building with micro LEGO creations.

People sometimes ask me what I would recommend, and I have a hard time naming one book or podcast. I tend to be more of a research hound—I usually chase a question through a bunch of different sources rather than relying on any single one. So here is what I would actually say: read God’s Word, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to dig deeper. Pick the brains of your pastors and elders—we love questions too. There are many good resources available today, but don’t build your faith on social media. Go to the Word, investigate, and see what Scripture actually says.

For me, Christian ministry is ultimately about relationship and service. I don’t believe Christian ministry is about presenting ourselves as perfect—none of us are. It is about seeking to live faithfully, allowing God to work in our lives so that, with His help, we can increasingly show others what a Christ-centered life looks like. I believe we often have the greatest opportunities to share the Gospel through our actions and our relationships. That is why serving others is so important to me. We serve one another within the church, and then we take that same spirit of service beyond the walls of the church. Missions isn’t just something that happens around the world; it begins in our own backyard.