Bryan Jarvis, his wife Shauna, and their son Dylan
The Bryan Jarvis family has now moved to Valdosta from Chickasha, Oklahoma! Both Bryan and Shauna have been very active in his chosen work as "Family Life Minister" for the Southern Oaks Church for the past five years. Before that, Bryan was the youth and family minister in Weatherford, Oklahoma (1994 – 2002). He was born and reared in Indianapolis, Indiana. Shauna is from Hydro, Oklahoma. Bryan is 43 years old and Shauna is 34 years old. Their son, Dylan is a very precocious nine-year-old 4th Grader.
Bryan loves to preach! Shauna enjoys computers, leading ladies groups, and meeting new people! Dylan loves to sing, play basketball, video games, and he likes to invent things.
Converted to Christ while serving in the United States Air Force, Bryan was honorably discharged in 1988 with the rank of Sergeant. Soon after his discharge Bryan entered Oklahoma Christian University to help him prepare for his new-found life in Christ.
Bryan and Shauna, along with Dylan, make a talented team! Bryan’s commendation about his wife is that she "first and foremost is a woman of God, a wife, and a wonderful mother." Shauna describes Bryan as a "good man" who loves people. Bryan and Shauna especially have a passion for lost souls!
The Bryan Jarvis ministry team did not grow up in "christian" homes! Bryan described the neighborhood of his youth as "very similar" to the neighborhood around the Central Avenue building! One of the key questions Shauna had for the elders was, "What is Central Avenue doing to reach-out to the lost in Valdosta?" Both Bryan and Shauna know well what it is like to be "lost" and now “saved” since both of them came to Christ as adults from the lost world!
Bryan is a talented "one-on-one" relationship-building preacher! Shauna has the ability to connect with women of all ages, especially young mothers. This is an evangelistic team with a passion for taking the love of God and the knowledge of Christ to a lost world. The "team approach" fits them well! Many of the references we have received from Bryan and Shauna’s work history speaks of "a good total package", "you really get two-for-one", "cooperative, kind approach", "good workers", and "very committed, dedicated" Christians!
Bryan has a degree from Oklahoma Christian in Communications, while Shauna is a graphic artist with a degree in Graphic Design from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. In addition, Bryan is certified in PREPARE/ENRICH Premarital Assessment Survey. He completed a Masters in Bible and Ministry from Lubbock Christian University. Shauna formerly taught Graphic Design at Canadian Valley Technology Center in Chickasha.
Both Bryan and Shauna are well-trained for ministry. Each complements the other in reaching out to those around them. They have stated a strong desire to "open their home" and their lives to others in service to Christ.
Our new preacher’s ministry objective is simple: to know Christ and make Him known to others! This definition is congruent with ancient Aristotles’s description of effective public speakers: "A good man speaking well"!
Biblical preaching, according to Bryan, is allowing the text to say and do what the text desires to say and do! It is the ability to express the biblical text through a sermon that bridges the chasm between its historical context and the world of the contemporary listeners.
Lovingly, Bryan approaches his work as a minister of God with some timidity and caution. He does not take his task lightly. However, both he and Shauna offer themselves fully to the hallowed service of "speaking and living" for Christ and to use themselves and their efforts to His glory and praise.
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