The Good Shepherd: Knowing the Shepherd’s Voice

Knowing the Shepherd’s Voice: 

    Hey everyone! If you are new to reading this blog, please check out I wrote last month called The Good Shepherd: Who is the good Shepherd? I felt called by God to share a three-part blog series on how I have seen God as the good shepherd in my life and on our campuses. In John chapter 10:1-18, Jesus teaches this metaphorical parable of a shepherd who looks after his sheep, and Jesus professes the truth that he is the good shepherd. The shepherd knows his sheep. Therefore God knows his people. But how do the sheep know and recognize the shepherd? Here's a video clip to see an example of how the sheep recognize the true shepherd's voice.
    Three people attempt their best to mimic the shepherd's voice to call them over but failed. When they heard the shepherd spoke and called out to his sheep, their heads perked up and moved together towards him. All the sheep can tell by the distinctive tone of the shepherd's voice when he calls out to them. John 10:3-4 says, "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice". We will hear voices from people or in our head that sound like God but those can lead us astray away from him.
     I struggle a few times listening to shame in my head. It tells me lies about myself, like that I'm not good enough and God favors everyone else except me. I learned to confess those thoughts to people who I trust in my life, so they point me back to God and speak the truth about Him and my identity and relationship with him. Hearing the truth from God feels like his hands breaking the tight shackles of lies that I've imprisoned myself with, and getting to feel the fresh air of freedom on my wrist and ankles. Shame is "the thief that comes only to steal and kill and destroy"(John 10:10). When I seek God and continuously listen to Him through scripture and prayer, the better understanding I have to differentiate whose voice I'm hearing and which voice I should be following, like a sheep who knows the shepherd. 
So I want to leave you with these questions to help you think about;

What voice(s) are you hearing that keep you away from God? What truth do you need to hear from God to speak against "the thief"? How can you grow this week hearing from Jesus as the good shepherd?

Good News!!

There is so much good news to share how God is working on our campuses and in my personal life.  
Caitlin and I are ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!! This is an exciting moment. I will soon get to call her my wife. Caitlin is a huge fan and supporter of me and has been since we started dating. I am very encouraged how she still seeks God for guidance and our church body to point her and me in the right direction back to God. I look forward to marrying Caitlin and spend the rest of my life with her and call her my WIFE.

Every week, I set time to do campus outreach at all of the Collin campuses. At the Wylie and McKinney campuses, I brought a whiteboard and a marker and wrote, "Need prayer? I'm a pastor. I got u!!" I sat in the student union building for an hour and a half waiting to see my sign. Students were passing by and saw my sign but didn't acknowledge it. At both campuses, I prayed, "God, whoever needs prayer and is looking for you; I'll wait patiently for that person." God answered my prayer by sending two students toward me! A guy from Mckinney campus asked if I could pray for him for peace and strength to move on after he recently broke up with his ex-girlfriend. And a freshman girl from the Wylie campus was looking for a Christian community and asked me to pray that her biology exam will go well. I got her connected to one of our female staff members to hang out with her. I'm excited for this girl to welcome the girls in this community and believe she will be loved and care for.


Two small groups I'm leading this year are going fantastic! The first photo is my core group of guys that attend at the Plano and Wylie campus. The second photo is my guys that attend the McKinney campus. Please pray for both small groups to continue to be faithful and seek God's heart this semester.

Prayer Request:

  • For our ministry in the future moving forward towards the spring semester.
  • For our core/small groups to grow deep with one another and their relationship with God.
  • Protection and good health for our staff and students from COVID.

Thank you so much for your support and prayers to bring us closer to God!




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