Jonathan grew up in Columbia, Tennessee, and was baptized into Christ at age eleven by Brother John R. Vaughn of the Graymere church of Christ.  Jonathan graduated from Columbia Academy in 1999, and then attended David Lipscomb University, where he graduated in 2003 with a BA in Business Management.  Jonathan is a 2007 graduate of the Memphis School of Preaching, and worked with the Cordova church of Christ while in school.  In his free time, Jonathan enjoys University of Alabama football, watching movies, reading, playing basketball, and traveling.

 

While in college, Jonathan fell in love with foreign mission work.  The reason for this passion was that he never felt more needed in the work of the church than he did when on the foreign mission field.  He first worked on a medical/evangelistic campaign in Caldera, Panama in 2001, then in Boquete, Panama in 2002, and in Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica in 2003.  By 2003, the one thing that was evident was that he did not want to spend the rest of his life working in secular business, but wanted to dedicate his life to the Lord’s business, which is preaching the Word of God. 

 

Jonathan received an opportunity in the summer of 2003 to tag along with Jack Farber, a missionary in Latin America.  The plan was to spend five weeks in Peru, two weeks in Nicaragua, and two weeks in Panama.  While in Peru, Jonathan determined that he wanted to preach the Word of God for the rest of his life.  At the time, there were 28 million souls in Peru, but only some 10 faithful congregations of the Lord’s church.  It was here in Lima, Peru that Jonathan met Gema Espinoza, the daughter of Rodolfo and Eliana Espinoza, two dedicated Christian workers.

 

Upon returning to the states at the end of the summer, Jonathan had one more semester of college work to complete.  Two days after graduation, he was on a plane to Lima, Peru, where he would stay for three months working with Brother Rodolfo and the church there.  In early 2004, Jonathan began praying for the Lord to give him an opportunity to enter full-time work in the mission work of the church.  In March 2004, Jonathan received the invitation to come work with Latin American Missions, which is a work overseen by the elders of the Forrest Park church of Christ in Valdosta, GA.

 

Following moving to Valdosta, assisting in more campaigns in El Salvador, Peru, Nicaragua, and Panama, Jonathan packed his things and moved to Lima, Peru.  Jonathan and Gema had become engaged in June 2004, and planned to be married in December.  Jonathan and Gema were married on December 9, 2004 in Lima, Peru.  Jonathan and Gema lived and worked with the church in Peru until July 2005.  During this time, Jonathan and Gema realized the need for more Bible education, and decided that the Memphis School of Preaching would be the best place to study.   

 

Gema grew up in Lima, Peru, and was baptized into Christ at age thirteen by Rodolfo Espinoza of the iglesia de Cristo in San Juan de Miraflores.  Gema graduated from Bertrand Russell High School in 2001, and then began studying Nutrition and Dietetics at the Universidad Feminina del Segrado Corazon in Lima, Peru.  Gema is now in her Sophomore year at Valdosta State University, majoring Psychology.  In her free time, Gema enjoys exercising, antique shopping, traveling, and collecting souvenirs from her travels.

 

Jonathan and Gema live in Valdosta, GA, and work full-time under the Forrest Park church in their Latin American mission efforts.  Jonathan and Gema look forward to a life of preaching and teaching the saving Gospel of Christ.