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About Me

I am a Masters of Divinity student at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas. After graduation I will pursue ordination in the United Methodist Church. I wish to serve not only in a local church but to work in community organizing. I've traveled to 5 different countries and lived in three different states but I've learned that regardless of who you are, where you're from, or where you're headed, everyone has one thing in common. Everyone thirsts for relationships. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and sharing in their story.

Location:
United States, Dallas, TX
Current organization:
Perkins School of Theology
Current role:
Student
Gender:
Male
Areas of expertise:
Theology, Evangelion, new monasticism
I am:
Activist, Blogger, Change Agent, Christian, Clergy, Concerned citizen, Connector, Public servant, Social entrepreneur, Student
Associations:
United Methodist Church, Christian Community Development Association
Languages:
English, Spanish
My website links:
My Blog
Universities:
Perkins School of Theology, SMU, University of South carolina
TED conferences attended:
TEDActive 2013
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More About Me

I'm passionate about

I'm passionate about working with and living in the margins of society. Poverty is not so much what you don't have but who you don't know.

An idea worth spreading

Here in the United States I feel our neighborhoods have become less and less of a community. I live in a community called the Dietrich Bonhoeffer House in East Dallas where I live with three other guys and we eat, pray, serve, and live together. Through simple acts like praying each morning, opening our dinner table up to those in our community, and spending at least four hours of community service in our immediate neighborhood we have impacted and been impacted by our community. We need more people who are willing to open up their own home as well as enter into the homes of their neighbors. Through these simple acts people can begin to learn more about their own context and find ways to improve it. Perhaps others can also relocate themselves to "rough" areas of town in order to live incarnationally and learn what the actually needs are of the community rather than the perceived needs.

Talk to me about

Cultures, Peru, communities, the church, theology, "your story", poverty, homelessness.

My TED Story

I first heard about TED in my second year of grad school when I applied to be a TEDxSMU Jim and Carole Young fellow. I helped out with TEDxKids at SMU and attended TEDxSMU in 2011. I then spoke at TEDxHilltop (a Salon done on the campus at SMU). In 2012 I then again assisted with TEDxKids @SMU, spoke at the donor and speaker reception, and attended TEDxSMU 2012. Now this year I will be attending TEDActive as a TEDActive Intern representing SMU.

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +0.20 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • +1

    A comment on Talk: Ben Dunlap: The life-long learner

    Jan 20 2013: I'm not sure which is more powerful, the story or the story teller.
  • +1

    A comment on Conversation: Is there anything that a human being can never possibly do?

    Jan 20 2013: One thing I like to say is that you can not die in order to save yourself. I like to pair that with MLK Jr's accredited quote that if you have not found anything worth dying for, then you have not found anything worth living for. Therefore, if you can not die in order to save yourself then living solely for yourself is not a life worth living.

  • A comment on Talk: David Damberger: What happens when an NGO admits failure

    Jan 18 2013: The sad thing about failure is that everyone knows that others have failed and learned from their failures yet we are still ashamed to share them. Sharing failures is not something to be ashamed of. You should not be proud of your failures but you should definitely be proud of the findings. I think this speaks to a deeper level of a need for humility, transparency, and accountability.

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