I love the church.

Losing an election for high school president was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

As a 16-year-old, I stepped out of student government at school and into a volunteer leadership position at my church.

My first job was to clean the youth room kitchen. I still remember the smells.

My second job was to create our weekly youth group bulletin. Clip art books, anyone?

Task by task, bulletin by bulletin, I fell in love with my church. With God’s church. With churches like yours.

I love young people.

Maybe it’s not all that surprising that as a college sophomore, I felt God calling me to minister to young people.

For the last 30 years, I’ve dreamed up new ways to help teenagers and young adults searching for identity, belonging, and purpose to realize that no one and nothing satisfies like Jesus.

I like learning about young people, so I’ve completed 26 grades of school. I studied Child and Youth Development at Stanford University and completed my PhD at Fuller Seminary, where I now teach and lead the Fuller Youth Institute.

Along the way, I’ve been a youth pastor at two churches, one of which is still my home church where I now volunteer.

I also married the most Christlike man I know, and every day we are regularly inspired by the learning and laughter that comes from our three teenage children, Nathan, Krista, and Jessica.

I love giving you tools.

In an era that points fingers at Millennials and Gen Z, I create tools that help adults like you extend open arms.

First, I spend lots and lots of time listening to your dreams and dilemmas.

Then I work with world-class scholars to unearth research-based answers to your toughest questions.

Finally, I translate those answers into proven and practical books, seminars, consulting, and online resources that help you move beyond guesswork. That help you feel more confident and sure of yourself as you point young people toward God’s grace, love, and mission.

I get to do all of that work with the unbelievable team at the Fuller Youth Institute at Fuller Seminary. I’ve invested over a decade in helping build a research-based resourcing team from the ground up, all focused on our shared passion for seeing young people unleashed to make a difference.

I believe in young people. I believe in the church. And I believe in you. My ultimate prayer is that together, we will link arms to see teenagers and young adults be changed by Christ to change the world around them.