About Me

Hi, I’m Jovan. I’m a native of San Francisco, California. I came to Christ as a young man. I simply had lost my way: I was a high school dropout, I was in a street gang, and I was a complete mess.

Today I am a Christian, a husband, a father, and a preacher. I began preaching the gospel in my home church in San Francisco, CA, downtown at the Civic Center church of Christ (now the Oceanview church of Christ, Pacifica, California). Here, I developed my emerging love for the Scriptures and realized I had a desire to go into ministry to preach and teach.

I went from teaching the elementary grade Bible class at church, speaking at youth events, and at various opportunities. It was here that I was “bitten” by the “ministry bug.” On paper, though, I shouldn’t be here.

I’m definitely not the worst story ever told, but I believe my experience is an example that no matter where you are from, no matter what you have done, no matter who you are, there is a place for you in the kingdom of God. We’re all welcome to experience God’s grace revealed uniquely in the gospel of Jesus.

Many influences have shaped me. I grew up Roman Catholic, but I left with a lot of doubt and anger. After my conversion, I studied at the Golden Gate Bible Institute, a training school hosted by the Airport church of Christ in South San Francisco, California. Since then, I earned a B.A. in Bible from Freed-Hardeman University (Henderson, TN) and an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from the Talbot School of Theology, Biola (La Mirada, CA).

My research and ministry focus on spiritual formation, male spiritual leadership, Christian and urban apologetics, historical Jesus studies, biblical exegesis, and leadership/mentorship relationships. I have sixteen years of full-time congregational ministry experience. I seek to be useful and share the benefits of my studies with others. Currently, I am the Dean of Students at Faulkner University in Montgomery, AL.