MEET PASTORAL RESIDENT RYAN

My wife, Jamie, and I are so privileged to raise our awesome sons, Sid and Ollie in Yorkville. Jamie (from Plano) and I (from Yorkville) grew up together in high school, and God has carried us through every high and low ever since. His faithfulness, grace, and love have marked our lives for over 20 years.

Our family loves doing anything active together! You can usually catch us playing wiffleball in the yard, practicing jiu-jitsu on the mat, or skiing on a lake. God’s creation reveals so much about His love, and we love being outside in it all year round.

As a confused 18-year-old without a clear plan for my future, I volunteered with disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. With no cell service and 90-degree days of physical labor, I met Jesus on a cold church floor in Bogalusa, Louisiana, and came home forever changed. Just a year later, my dad was diagnosed with a devastating brain cancer, leading to a difficult 18-month battle before he went home to be with the Lord. Those pivotal years taught me to anchor my hope in Jesus, as God began prompting my heart toward a calling in ministry.

In 2007, I started college at Aurora University to make a difference in young people's lives. I began teaching and coaching at Yorkville High School in 2011 and have been in the classroom ever since. In 2018, God opened a unique door for me to serve as a youth pastor while continuing to teach; beginning my journey in bi-vocational ministry. Wanting to deepen that calling, I completed my Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute in 2025. Our family transitioned to VBC in the summer of 2026, and we are thrilled to be serving with all of you in this community. 

I am so humbled to be "spare change in God’s pocket," ready to be used however He sees fit. Jamie and I are beyond excited to walk alongside our church family, seek the lost, and shine the light of Jesus.