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Jon Hessel

Background

  • Education
    2003- BS in Religious Education w/ Youth Ministry Concentration (Missouri Baptist University) 2008- Master of Divinity (Covenant Theological Seminary)
  • Family
    My beautiful wife and best friend, Lisa, our handsome son, Kaden, and our energetic Boston Terrier, Stella.

Questions

  • What is your favorite bible verse?
    Coming from a background of works-based salvation, a verse that really struck me when I started studying Scripture was Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." This is one of the verses that really helped me to understand that my salvation is not based on what I have done, what I do, or what I dont do, but on the what Christ has done for me on the cross.
  • How long have you been at The Journey?
    We have been at The Journey since the launch of West County, but had attended the Hanley Road service (when it was the only campus) while we were students.
  • What ministry are you involved in?
    At West County I have the privilege of being involved with leading and serving the various Sunday morning ministry team leaders and the deacons. I also serve as the campus director for community groups at west county, in addition to leading a community group of great folks from WC with Lisa.
  • What is hard and/or good about serving at The Journey?
    I love having the opportunity to get know so many great people and hear their stories. Being involved with community groups I get to see and hear about how God is using these groups of people to minister to those in their group, as well as those around them. Another good part about serving at The Journey is being able to talk with people about their gifts and passions and figure out what it looks like for them to get connected in serving and leading.

Favorites

  • Foods to grill: Steak, burgers and brats... the essentials of any grilling man's diet
  • Sports to play: Football, baseball, soccer
  • Favorite Cities to Visit: Chicago is a favorite get-away for me and Lisa.

So, Tell Me...

  • Where did you go to high school? Oakville Senior
  • What was your first job? My first job was cutting grass during summer and shoveling snow as a kid... but my first "real" job was working at Champs Sports in South County Mall.
  • How did you meet your spouse? I was working as an admissions counselor at Mobap, so the first time I met Lisa was when she came to our office to meet with our transfer counselor. It just so happened that she took a job in the graduate admissions office, we got to know each other as friends, started riding together to work, and the rest is history.