Occupation: I am the pastor at The Newtown Bible Church, on Sugar Street.

Family: My wife, Trish, and I have three daughters. Ellie is 8 years old, Bethany is 6, and Brooke is 4 years old.

Pets: We have a German shepherd named Shiloh, just over a year old. He has helped us to meet many neighbors! He’s the sweetest dog, though.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We’ve been here three years, as of July.

What do you like to do in your free time? I don’t have a lot of free time. We’ve had so much going on at the church. When I do have time, I just try to help my wife at home. I love to spend time with my girls. We do “Daddy time” or “Daddy errands,” and I do stuff around the house, like hanging shelves, or I’m chasing my dog around the neighborhood. We entertain a lot of guests. I do like to read when I have some down time.

Do you have a favorite book? I read a variety of things, and lots of theology and Bible literature. I just finished reading Evangelical Spirituality by James Gordon and When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper. On the docket is The Minister and His Greek New Testament. I love the writing of John Calvin, John Edwards, and John MacArthur.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? When we travel, we spend time with our families. So we go to California to see my wife’s side of the family, and down to North Carolina to visit my family. Although, this October we plan to go to Disney World. I grew up in Florida, so I know not to go in winter.

What is the best thing about Newtown? We love the people. The town seems to be a postcard of New England. The flagpole is an oddity, but kind of neat. We enjoy the small town — we came here from Los Angeles — and we love the seasons.

Do you have a hero? I have many heroes. From one perspective, I would say all of the genuine Christians suffering around the world. Those who have demonstrated faithfulness in their lives and to the scripture are the ones who most influence me. Historically, it would be John Calvin and John Edwards. The list could go on. The hallmark for me, of a hero, is men who with their lives, have been faithful to Christ, to the end.

Do you have a personal philosophy? I would say, for ministry it would be 2 Timothy, 2:15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” In general, I think it is First Corinthians, 4:1: “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.”

What makes you happiest? You might expect this, coming from a Christian: What makes me happiest in my own personal life is seeing God bear fruit from his world in my life and the lives of those to whom I minister. Everything else is superficial, counterfeit.