John doesn't look much different than the high school students he's helping to shape. At first glance, you wouldn't dream that he was born as long ago as November 12, 1976. He's married to his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Angel, and they have two great kids: Spencer and Zachary.

He was raised and spent much of his life in Ohio, but has also lived in Georgia, Kentucky, and Missouri, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Theology from Baptist Bible College.

John's spiritual gifts of leadership and teaching, his strengths of imagination and creativity, and his love for God and for teens are all reasons he was picked for his job. He has also worked in other churches in teen ministry and as administrative pastor, and has learned from experience some of what a church should look and act like (and should not). He's excited about being at Blue Ridge, “a church that strives to be just like the church in Acts 2,” and working with an awesome team of people who love God and love teens.

His hobbies are sports of all kinds – but especially soccer (both playing and watching), photography and computers, and some of his favorite things are: Outback's Aussie Cheese Fries, The Princess Bride, Panera Bread, Purpose Driven Life, Starbucks Coffee, Courageous Leadership, Nehemiah (because he was a radical leader of his time), and Proverbs 19:27 (CEV): "If you stop learning, you will forget what you already know."

John loves hearing God's voice, learning something new, doing life with friends and family, watching his boys grow up, Kentucky Wildcats basketball, and March Madness.

Caution: he is a neat freak, his blood runs blue (KY Wildcats) and even though he's from Ohio, his description of a buckeye is “a worthless nut.”

jharney@blue-ridge.org
434.525.7481 ext 107