After graduation, I moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana for college at Taylor University, where I studied ministry and psychology. My dorm room was the official UFC viewing lounge.  Every week I would hit all the local video stores to see if a new UFC was available. 

So, we packed up and moved to Las Vegas, NV to help plant a brand new church and be a part of something special and outside of the box! MMA and the UFC was only a secondary though at the time.  We had some friends and family move out and join us.  We were doing ministry and hosting some huge UFC viewing parties.  It was a wild ride of crazy twist and turns.  We had no idea where things were headed, but we knew that we were exactly where we were supposed to be!  We kept working hard and dreaming about what could be.

Then after three years, things changed for us, again...
I attended the UFC Fan Expo here in Vegas and ran into some guys who were doing a MMA ministry called Fight Pastor up in Washington. I was instantly interested. I am one of the biggest MMA fans I know and I love being a pastor! This seemed like a match made in heaven. I knew that every other sport in the US had a chaplaincy program in place.  It seemed logical to me that the fastest growing sport on the planet should have one too and I already lived in the MMA Mecca.  I had to do this and so I got a dialogue with the Fight Pastor guys rolling right away!

Long story short, we immediately got things started.  I started visiting gyms and making connections in the MMA community.  Then, in September of 2010 I met with Craig Gross of Fireproof Ministries (XXX Church, Strip Church, etc.) and told him what I was doing.  He thought it was an amazing idea and helped us take things to the next level.  That is when our one of a kind MMA ministry called FIGHT CHURCH was born and we have been blazing a trail ever since!

We also volunteer at as many local events as possible to serve the MMA community and solidify our position here.  We mostly work in the fighter prep areas distributing gloves/towels/water/ice, wrangling/staging fighters, wrapping hands, corning guys, etc.  This gives us opportunities to pray with fighters we know before or after they compete.  Outside gyms and events, we meet fighters and coaches one-on-one and in small groups for encouragement, accountability, prayer, Bible study, etc.  We make ourselves available, meet people where they are and help in any way we can!

Things are going well for us here in Vegas and people are starting to take notice.  Every week I have people contacting me wanting a FIGHT CHURCH in their town.  So far, we have planted an affiliate ministry in Minnesota and in Corpus Christi, TX.  We have been in talks with interested individuals from north Texas, Wisconsin and Canada.  We have already started making connections and laying groundwork for affiliates in south Florida, Australia, and South Africa.

We have partnered with Dog Boxer, War Worldwide and Sidney Silva BJJ.  FIGHT CHURCH will have office space in their brand new private training facility here in Vegas.  This will provide us with an amazing facility to meet with fighters and coaches one-on-one, as well as, hold regularly scheduled gatherings for prayer and Bible study.  It will be perfect for fundraising opportunities and special events.  It will also be a super cool place to hold a fight themed wedding!