About

Hi, there, I’m John, or Pastor John, Dr. John, Mr. John, PJ, Daddy, John-Boy or Johnny, depending on who's talking. I’m Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church living in Lakeland, Florida, between Tampa and Orlando. I am a Christ follower, husband of one, father of three, pastor for many, and die-hard Florida Gators football fan. My passion is helping people live a life of faith, hope, and love no matter what life's circumstances may be. I live out that passion at my church, in my community, and throughout the world. I have been a leader of leaders in the Tampa Bay area, in three previous churches in Florida, Tennessee, and Ohio, as well as in teaching done at seminaries in Russia and Madagascar. I did undergraduate studies at the University of Florida (did I mention I like the Gators), a master's at Princeton Seminary, and earned a doctorate at Fuller Seminary. My wife and I are runners often training for a half-marathons.