20 months ago I announced that I was Returning to Parish Ministry as Interim Pastor at Advent Lutheran (ELCA). 14 months later that role concluded and I devoted myself to guest and supply preaching.
Now, I am pleased to share that, beginning this week, I will serve as Interim Senior Minister at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in downtown Fort Worth.
Returning to Fort Worth
It is a joy to return to downtown Fort Worth where my wife and I lived until moving to our current home in Arlington in late 2022.
During our years as downtown residents we often walked by First Christian. Additionally, on a few occasions, we attended worship at First Christian.
Reconnecting with the Disciples
My ministry experience started in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Following seminary, I was called to serve at Central Christian Church as an Associate Minister focused on congregational redevelopment. Established in 1863, Central was the oldest continually meeting Protestant church in Dallas, Texas. The use of past tense to describe Central is necessary since the congregation concluded its ministry in 2021 (see Central Christian Church: Concluding 158 Years).
I then moved on to serve First Christian Church in Garland, Texas (established 1875), as an Associate Minister focused on youth ministry and establishing a new worship service.
Introducing First Christian
If you’ve spent much time in downtown Fort Worth, you are likely familiar with the First Christian church campus. Established in 1855, First Christian is the oldest continually operating church in Fort Worth. Members and friends of First Christian have been gathering in the congregation’s current facility on Throckmorton Street at its intersection with W 6th Street since 1915. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and received the Fort Worth Historical and Cultural Landmarks Designation in 2006.
Like many congregations, First Christian grew in membership during the height of Mainline Protestantism in the United States, reaching 3,000 members during the 49-year tenure of Rev. Dr. L. D. Anderson (1912-1961). More recently, First Christian was shepherded for almost 25 years by Rev. Tom Plumbley until his retirement in January 2026.
Today, First Christian is committed to embracing all by loving, serving, and growing disciples downtown. With around 100 gathering each Sunday for worship and many more involved in the life of the church, First Christian continues to nurture vibrant worship, meaningful community, and faithful service in the heart of the city.
Continuing at Hope
I will serve First Christian on a part-time basis while continuing to serve full-time as CEO of White Rock Center of Hope in Dallas. Over the last five years, I have shepherded this faith-based non-profit through a season of unprecedented growth. Today, with the help of more than 1,500 community volunteers Hope provides basic needs (Food Pantry and Clothing Closet) and personalized empowerment (Financial Education and Workforce Training) to more than 14,500 unique neighbors a year.
Hope’s Food Pantry serves as an example of this transformation (see Hope in Action: How the East Dallas Community Provides Food to Neighbors in Need). For a more comprehensive understanding of the growth check out this post.
So What?
I have been in parish ministry for many years serving a total of 10 prior congregations. My last four roles were interim pastoral roles in congregations affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), and United Church of Christ.
I look forward to meeting those who are currently involved in First Christian Church. And, I treasure your prayerful support of my ministry with First Christian.
You are welcome to join us for worship on Sundays at 10:50 a.m. These services are available in the sanctuary and are streamed online. For those attending in person, free parking is available in an adjacent lot or on surrounding streets.