Hello I am: Chris

What is on your ipod right now?
Bob Dylan - "Another Side of Bob Dylan"
Dave Brubeck Quartet - "Time Out"
Derek Webb - "Mockingbird"
George Jones - "Very Best Of:"
John Coltrane - "Coltrane's Sound"
Shane and Shane - "Pages"

What book has spiritually influenced you the most?
When I read Blue Like Jazz two summers ago I was struggling to find my identity as a believer.  I knew that Christ should be my foundation and the Word should be my nourishment, but I felt like everywhere I looked there were Christians trying to follow some unwritten code or law.  Donald Miller's work really brought me back to realizing Christ saves us from our transgressions of an obsolete law and it gave me great hope that there are churches that still believe and preach that.

Do you follow college sports? Who is your team?
Unfortunately I go to UNT, which is consistently terrible at all sports.  I'm one of the only people in my family that didn't go to Texas A&M; needless to say, the Aggies are in my blood and I watch or listen to every game on the radio.

Have you ever won an award?
 Funny story - I actually won 8th Grade Singer of the Year my 7th grade year of choir.  I also won "Best Smile" in my senior yearbook, probably because my girlfriend was on the yearbook staff at the time.

How long have you been a Christian?
Well, I grew up in Church and always believed in Jesus, but I don't think I became a "Christian" until high school, when I was old enough to recognize how sin affected me and allow Christ to cleanse me of it.

Why do you go to Restoration?
I moved back to Texas a little over a year ago and was really looking and praying for a church home.  I met Jed this summer at a young adult bible study at Christ Church and he told me about where the Lord was leading him as a pastor and his call to plant a church.  Over the next week the Holy Spirit moved in me and spoke to me. It was a no-brainer - I was in. 

What are you involved with at Restoration?
During the earliest stages I acted as an interim worship leader until we found a permanant music minister.  Since then I have been helping with the A/V for service and plan on joining the new prayer team.

Hello We are: Kate and Dustin

Do you follow college sports? Who is your team?
We both graduated from Texas Tech University so our team is the Red Raiders! However Dustin is a much more avid sports fan than I am! While I, of course, always hope that Tech wins, Dustin is the one who actually watches every game and really gets into it.

What is your favorite movie? How many times have you seen it?
My favorite movie is either Good Will Hunting or Juno. I have probably seen Good Will Hunting about a dozen times and Juno four times. Dustin’s favorite movie is Braveheart. As far as how many times he’s seen it, he says it’s too many times to count…but enough that he can quote the entire thing!

Are you a morning person or a night person?
We are both definitely night people. Neither of us are very happy campers first thing in the morning. Perhaps one of the hardest adjustments of parenthood has been the loss of the option to sleep in!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid Dustin dreamed of becoming a doctor or an architect. (He is now a graphic designer and loves it.) I pretty much always dreamed of just being a mom. (Now, after six years of teaching art in public schools, I am now fulfilling my dream as a stay-at-home-mom.)

How long have you been a Christian?
We both were raised in strong Christian homes, so we have been believers from a very early age. It’s hard for either of us to remember a time when we did not believe. However, we both can remember a point in life where our simple belief became a more daily act of faith. For Dustin, his deeper relationship with Christ began around the age of eleven. For me, that more meaningful, solid relationship developed when I was twenty.

Why do you go to Restoration?
Dustin and I have both known Jed and Stacy for years. Dustin first met them when they volunteered to work with his high school church youth group. I got to know them in college when Jed was my college minister. We have been blessed to be a part of their ministries here in the Dallas area and could not be more excited to be a part of this new adventure at Restoration. Jed and Stacy are incredibly generous and genuine people, and they have a true passion for the Lord and for His people. We go to Restoration because we believe that God has given them a vision to reach people through a new and unique worship environment. We have already been touched by the Restoration community, and we can’t wait to see how new relationships are developed and lives are changed as this church grows.

What are you involved with at Restoration?
Dustin has primarily been involved through providing design services for the church. I have helped with the children’s ministry and also hope to help with hospitality and outreach. We are both also looking forward to becoming involved in a small group in the future.