I was fortunate to grow up in a Christian family and we attended the Salvos. I knew from a young age that God had a call on my life (a long time before I ever read Jeremiah 29:13). I know I am alive today and have had opportunities to be used by God in the past because of other’s prayers for me.

As an older teen I was involved in street evangelism ministry, pubs ministry and youth ministry, so getting ‘dirty hands for Jesus’ comes naturally. As I grew in my passion to see young people being saved and having a transformational relationship with Jesus, I came to understand that this often started as we connected and reached out to people on their turf, with their needs or interests.

My wife, Jenny, and I have three children Mikahla, Benjamin, and Nathan. Mikahla and Ben are now married, and we thank God for fantastic daughter and son-in-law.

In 2018, Jenny and I moved to Brisbane leaving our three adult children in our home in Geelong. This was for an unknown amount of time, but I sensed that God wanted to change things from what I could see to what He could see, and I could only sense. God had different plans and changed our plans for work.

I love road trips, cycling, paddling – really anything adventurous that pushes me beyond my limits (and those that might be with me).

I had a light bulb moment in the 80s when I was on a skiing holiday at Mt Buller and was talking to a friend about a passion I had from a young age to do mission work in Africa. He challenged me with the massive need we have at home in Australia for teens and all people to know Jesus’ transformation.

I ended up moving to Geelong in 1989 to take up a Youth and Young Adults role and was also a Chaplain for 10 years and ran a school program for disengaged students for 12 years. His challenge certainly made an impact in my life!

One of my strongest memories of my Mum was her reminding me that God uses us in the simplest act of obedience: a smile, a welcome or a personable approach. God has grown my passion to help people and see them know, grow and thrive in Jesus and God’s radical, transformative love.

The difference between discouragement (defeat) and courage (victory, faith) can be as simple as a smile, a hello, a prayer, a conversation, or a cuppa. I love that Street Teams enables us to get our ‘hands dirty for Jesus’.