Our Founder

The man behind the ministry…

The Story Behind Unforsaken Ministry

Growing up in a pastor’s home, I had a unique relationship with church. I often felt like I had a drug problem—not the kind you're probably thinking, but I was drug to church every time the doors were open, and sometimes when they weren’t. It felt like my life was sacrificed to the church. After high school, I was done with both church and Jesus. I was ready for a new life, and moving to Troy for college gave me the freedom I thought I wanted.

At first, it was exciting. Drinking, drugging, and partying became my new priorities. What I couldn’t find in church—acceptance, belonging, and purpose—I sought in that new freedom. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that this so-called “freedom” was, in fact, a trap. The more I partied, the more I lost control. I was in a downward spiral that I couldn’t escape, no matter how much I tried to convince myself that I was in control.

The years in college were chaotic. What started as fun turned into a lifestyle that consumed me. I flunked out of Troy, transferred to Auburn, and flunked out of there too. As my addiction deepened, I started selling drugs to maintain my supply. I even adopted an alias, probably saving me from getting arrested more times than I can count. Eventually, I hit rock bottom—no job, no car, and nowhere to live. I couch-surfed, then found empty frat houses during the holidays, just for a roof over my head. It was in this moment that I realized: this couldn’t be my life. I had to make a change.

I called my dad. It was one of the hardest calls I’ve ever made, but he agreed to let me come home—with one condition. I had three months to get my life together: find a job, a car, and a place to live. I knew he meant it, so I worked hard to turn things around. I did get a job, a car, and a place to live—but none of that healed the deeper need I had. I was still chasing the high, still living with the baggage of addiction.

Soon after, I met my wife. We got married and started a family. Having children slowed down my drug use, but it didn’t stop it. In 1991, we had our first child, and in 1993, our second. We started attending church again, but I was still living a double life. I was active in church but had not experienced true transformation. It wasn’t until March of 1995, during a revival service, that God truly got my attention. That night, I ran down the aisle, grabbed a pastor’s hand, and shouted, "I NEED JESUS."

That night, my life changed. I realized that God loved me despite all my mess, and soon after, I surrendered to ministry. My first full-time pastoral role was at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Gordo, Alabama. It was there that I met a man who had struggled with addiction for most of his life. Almost everyone I spoke with told me there was no hope for him, that he couldn’t be saved. But I knew better. If there was no hope for him, then we were all without hope. So I walked alongside him through relapse, recovery, and everything in between.

Through this journey, I discovered faith-based resources that were truly effective in helping those battling addiction. I learned that no one is beyond hope. That one experience led me down a path of ministering to those who felt forsaken, lost, or unlovable. I knew that with Christ, there is always hope.

In April 2022, God allowed me to pursue my heart's desire to minister to those struggling with addiction through Unforsaken Ministry. Three scripture passages helped inspire the name: the woman at the well (John 4), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), and the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Each of these people felt forsaken—lost, broken, and unworthy—until they met Jesus. These stories reminded me that no one is beyond the reach of God’s love and grace.

Although Unforsaken Ministry had been a dream for nearly two decades, it was in 2022 that it truly became a reality. I am humbled and overwhelmed that God is allowing me to share His hope with so many people. It is an honor to walk alongside those who feel hopeless, to remind them that they are never forsaken by God.The story behind Unforsaken Ministry. Growing up in a pastor’s home I had a drug problem. I was drug to church every time the doors were open and sometimes when they weren’t open. I felt as though my life had been sacrificed to the church. Graduating from high school, I’d had enough church and Jesus for a lifetime. Moving to Troy, for college gave me the freedom I had been wanting. It wasn’t long before drinking, drugging and partying was the priority of my life. Where I felt abandoned, rejected and insignificant before moving to Troy, I found all three of those things in this new freedom. I believed this was the life I wanted and that I was in control. Little did I know I was giving up control and it would be many years before I regained control.