Rory
Rory and his lovely wife, Shannon, at the Grizzly Giant. Strange place that.
I’m a Hoosier born and raised in Ft. Wayne, IN. My family of 4 moved once…across town. I left “The Crossroads of America” for school in Virginia for four years and then was relocated for what I hoped would be a short stay in Arkansas. Almost 10 years later I’m still here and have loved every moment of embracing becoming an Arkansan: I drive a pickup, own a shotgun, and refer to the Hogs with the pronouns “us” and “we” in conversation so I think I’m getting there.
To up my qualification as a native Arkansan I also married a Little Rock girl in 2008. After some touch and go of a national job search this year, Shannon and I landed right here in Little Rock where we always were, having been graciously hired on to help start this ministry of 501 here at Fellowship Bible Church. We are so excited about staying here both because of what it means to us as a family and because of what we see God doing amongst us here in the city of Little Rock.
My excitement to have the opportunity to be employed to tell people about Jesus here in Arkansas starts with the story of how He intervened to reach down and save me. Growing up in Indiana, God was incredibly gracious to both my family and me in drawing all of us to Christ. Both of my parents grew up in very religious (one Methodist, one Catholic) homes that were in fact filled with ceremony but devoid of a real saving faith in Christ alone and His position as Lord. Though my parents both thought that religion was very important in raising my brother and I, they obviously had nothing more to offer their children than what had been given to them. As I grew up into my middle school years things began to become very difficult for me as I became more insecure in myself and rebellious to my parents. In desperation my parents sent me to a Christian sports camp in Branson, MO called Kanakuk that a friend had recommended to them. It was there that I first saw in my counselors the consistent and full holding forth of the gospel both in what was said and how they lived. Though I know I did not really understand the gospel at the time I can still remember the Holy Spirit’s tug on my little eleven year old heart that I NEEDED Jesus. My counselor led me to Christ the last night of camp, and my parents were very frightened the next morning to hear that I had Christ “in my heart”. Wanting to find out what kind of cult they had enrolled their son in, they started asking questions, and it was through this seeking that they both came to cling to Christ as well. From there God was so faithful to our new little Christian family: my younger brother followed us quickly to faith, and each of us were blessed as God put person after person in our lives to encourage us and foster our growth in faith. Our growth together spiritually as a family through the rest of my middle school and high school years was the foundation of the growth in Christ God did in me. I’m excited to be here in Little Rock as God builds another family of faith that will be used to build us up into Christ, and draw people that do not know about Jesus to be part of that family in following Him. Here we go!
Pop Quiz:
1) Most Formative Moment of your life (other than coming to know Jesus)
On my way to Biology freshman year of High School realizing that I could stop worrying about what others thought and be myself. God had made me me, and if He was pretty pleased with what He’d done I ought to be too.
2) Favorite Jr. High fashion statement you wish you could resurrect\
Umbro “single ply” athletic shorts
3) Aspect of God’s character most endearing to you.
His faithfulness: no matter how bleak or how bland He never has, nor never will, take leave of me.
4) Best Childhood Cartoon and why.
GI Joe: Perfect day for me as a kid would have been to shoot a bazooka at some robots, drive a Cobra H.I.S.S., and then jump out of an airplane just before it exploded, all before dinner.
5) All time greatest jam for a High School Dance
Rob Bass and DJ Easy Rock: “It Takes 2”4 sho’