AXiS Backstory Pt. 1

I'm gonna do it! I'm finally going to tell everyone about AXiS! Go visit AXiS' website. Ok, there you go. That is all you need to know.

But seriously, you will know a lot about AXiS by visiting the website. I'm gonna share with you the history and motivation for the creation of AXiS...

I consider myself to have been a pretty apathetic teenager. Yes, I was involved in the teen leadership team in my church youth group, and I always had a job. But, all I really cared about when I was between the ages of 14 and 18 was basketball, having fun, and finding a girlfriend. I found a girlfriend (whom I eventually married), finished my basketball career and had a lot of fun in the process of progressing from 14 to 18 years of age.

My life drastically changed the summer that my parents made me and paid for me to attend Summit Ministries @ Bryan College right after I turned 18. At Summit I learned that I had not effectively thought about my faith and why I believed what I believed. I learned that I didn't know much, and I learned that there were a lot of intelligent Christians (my age and older) doing a lot of cool things out there. I always believed in Jesus, but was never really motivated to live like He existed. My first time attending Summit began the process that is still continuing to this day of learning to love Christ and make a difference for him in this world.

I attended Summit in Manitou Springs again the following summer when I was 19. I then went on staff every consecutive summer afterwards through 2004 at the Summit @ Bryan College. In the middle of these summer stints as a staff member at Summit I attended the Focus on the Family Institute as a 21 year old college junior. By this time, learning to understand how to have a consistent Biblical Christian worldview became a real part of my life. Being able to hear from amazing Christian leaders speak on the topic of worldview in relation to all of life became a regular part of my summers. Then by attending the Focus Institute in the fall of 2002, I was able to spend a full semester of intensive training to solidify my faith. I was able to integrate my worldview knowledge with how I would effectively raise a family and practically be a Godly leader.

With these tools in my belt, I was a month from graduating college in 2004 prepared to go to law school. God had a different idea for me. I was always interested in the idea of the Bryan College Worldview Team, and then I found out that they were hiring a new Associate Director for the team. After much prayer, I made the decision to completely change the trajectory of my life and apply to teach worldviews to high school students instead of getting a degree in law. That is what I did for the next year of my life. During this year with the Worldview Team I learned that I thoroughly enjoy the topic of worldview and I also love encouraging students to think and love God with their actions.

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...