Raised in Texas, Jared grew up being taught the Scriptures as part of the church. But it wasn’t until he was about 12 years old that he started to come to grips with what it really means to be a Christian. At a time when he was feeling hopeless, inadequate and fearful, his mother gently and simply led him into prayer to ask Jesus to help him, to forgive his sin and to be Lord of his life.

Jared was still a young teenager when he first felt God calling him to full-time gospel ministry. While at a youth camp, he felt stirred as he read the story of God speaking to Moses from the burning bush. As a young man Jared was discipled by a number of pastors who showed him what it really means to shepherd the people of God.

Jared’s years of ministry experience in the time since have helped to inform Gospel Shaped Worship, which reflects his passionate belief that the gospel should be at the center of all that a church does.