I consider myself a servant of the church, uniquely called by God to use my mind for His service. Born and raised in Chicago, I joined the military after college and traveled the world. I became a Christian during my freshman year of college when a dean introduced me to C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity and the Gospel of John. Since then, I’ve been captivated by the person of Jesus Christ. I earned a BA in economics, sociology, and religious studies from North Central College in 2016 and an MDiv from Fuller in 2022. My research focuses on the deconstruction conversation in the West, engaging with topics such as sexuality, politics, technology, pop culture, and human formation. My central question is this: Despite all the reasons to walk away from the church, what compels individuals to cling to Jesus Christ?