Friday, April 15, 2016

Wes Martin Bio


(Inevitably, the question comes up early about the many pictures of me in a clerical collar, "Are you a high church closet Anglican or a Roman Catholic Priest?" The answer is: the collar has been the right thing for the contexts I've been in. I am sensitive to the fact that it might not be right in all ministry contexts, and while I'll always have some in my closet, it's not something I must wear. The collar is actually a Presbyterian tradition the Roman Catholics borrowed from us. Then we quit wearing them. There was a time in the 20th century most Protestants wore them. I know that in the PCA in particular, there has come to be an association with liberal Protestants wearing clerical collars, but that's not actually how people outside the PCA or even in all other denominations receive them. It's like a police uniform or a doctor's coat. It just tells people why I'm there, which has been useful in some of my ministry contexts.)

Wesley Dean Martin grew up on a small farm outside Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Wes was completely unchurched and thought he knew everything, and so was an angry atheist by 18. Wes went to the University of Oklahoma where he received a Bachelors and Masters of Music; but, more importantly, after a story that involves playing trumpet on cruise ships, C.S. Lewis, multiple hernias, and RUF (Reformed University Fellowship, a college ministry of the PCA) Summer Conference, Wes met Jesus and became a Christian through OURUF when he was 21. Wes also met Kaitlin through OURUF, and after a very rocky start (and a story worth telling), they married in May 2010. Wes and Kaitlin have five kids: Abigail (August 2011), Jerram (February 2013), Ezri (Halloween 2014), and twins Lorelai and Killian (April 2016). While in seminary, Wes worked for the #1 DJ company in St. Louis, Rockstar DJs, while still playing trumpet and serving as the chaplain of the Tower Grove Manor retirement community. Wes graduated cum laude in May of 2015 and is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Wes has served as the RUF Campus Minister at the University of Utah, a solo pastor in Canada, and as a chaplain/counselor for a Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center working with those in need of drug and alcohol rehabilitation, teaching and counseling; while also serving City Presbyterian Church (City Pres, PCA) of Oklahoma City.
Wes currently serves as Assistant Pastor of Heritage Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oklahoma City, OK, and as the Stated Clerk of Hills and Plains Presbytery (PCA).
Wes loves playing complex board games, watching good characters in good stories, reading, and playing trumpet whenever possible. 




Wes Martin Resume and Ministry Data Form (MDF)

Basic History Resume/CV

Detailed Resume/CV

Ministerial Data Form (MDF)
This document is from the denominational office of the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America, which is the Bible-believing, theologically Reformed denomination in which Wes is currently ordained).

Kaitlin and I have received approval from MNA (Mission to North America) Church Planter Assessment in 2020. I'm glad to provide you with that report upon request.

According to the Flourish Renewal Pastor Assessment, "The assessment of your past experience in leading renewal indicates that there is a high degree of potential that you would lead renewal in a local congregation." That report is also available upon request.

Sermons




Some contextual notes: Some of you may see my sermons at Heritage and go "That's what we want." Great! I can do that! No need to read further, I suppose.
In some cases, I may be applying to churches very different from the church I'm currently at. Heritage Pres OKC is a wonderful community of believers comprised of many older or more culturally conservative saints than some of the places I'm applying. That profoundly shapes how I preach for them, and I may come across quite a bit different, more relatable, less formal, more conversational, in a more relaxed or casual church. 
Also, our evening (PM) sermons are expected to be more doctrinal and longer in nature than our morning sermons, so you'll want to see which one you're listening to, because that could also be shaping a sermon you might be listening to.
Please keep this in mind when evaluating my sermons, Thanks! I adjust for my context. For example, I am able to reduce all these sermons to roughly 25 minutes (or less) when I generally adjust/reuse one of them to lead at the Oklahoma Capitol Bible Study each month. I also am far more conversational in my approach and tone when I take these same messages to churches with a different culture or even adapt them for audiences with more non-Christians present.

Philippians 2:9–11 @ Shawnee, OK PCA 2023.7.24

Writing Samples


Writing Sample 2 - Weekly Church Pastoral Letter July 2023


Getting to Know Me...

I have various personality profiles I have been asked to submit to in different settings, all of which are available upon request. For those who know the lingo, here are some of my results to help you get the barest of snapshots of my personality: 

If all this means nothing to you, or you're not sure what it means, don't worry about it! They're categories commonly used by some people, especially business people and church leadership people, who will know what they mean.

My Myers-Briggs preferences are ENFJ, leaning ENFP. 
My Enneagram motivations most closely align with 7, probably 7w8. But I'm often mis-typed as a 3 because I enjoy my work.
My DiSC results indicate that I operate as a high-I, moderately high-D
I probably most closely pastor as a Priest-Prophet, with King being my weakest. I probably most closely think in terms of a Culturalist-Pietist, with Doctrinalist being my least strong trait.

You can view my SOCIAL MEDIA presence at facebook.com/wesleydeanmartin.

Some things to know about me:
  • I love complex board games. You can see our collection here to find out what I mean.
  • I used to be a professional musician and still play trumpet—and I will gladly play for you! But I'm very self-conscious that I don't sound as good as I used to. I played on cruise ships through college.
  • I'm a huge Star Trek fan. I've worked at conventions and met the likes of George Takei, James Doohan, and more.
  • I grew up on a small working farm and cowboyed (though not necessarily very well) in Eastern Oklahoma.
Books that have profoundly shaped me over the years and form the foundation of how I do things
C.S. Lewis—Mere Christianity; Screwtape Letters; The Weight of Glory; The Great Divorce; Chronicles of Narnia; Yours, Jack (A Collection of His Letters)
Tim Keller—Reason for God
Francis Schaefer—How Shall We Then Live
Jerram Barrs—Learning Evangelism from Jesus
Jerram Barrs—The Heart of Evangelism
Zack Eswine—Sensing Jesus
Eugene Peterson—The Pastor
Paul David Tripp—Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands
JRR Tolkien—Lord of the Rings
JK Rowling—Harry Potter
Stephen Covey—7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Teyber—Interpersonal Process in Therapy
Gerald May—Addiction and Grace
Dave Harvey—When Sinner Say “I Do” 
Paul Miller—A Praying Life

Podcasts I (somewhat) regularly listen to
RiverOaks Tulsa (Ricky Jones sermons)
Les Newsom Audio
Allender Center Podcast
You Think About That with Steve Brown
The Moth
This American Life
Timothy Keller sermons
The Place We Find Ourselves with Adam Young
Freakonomics Radio
How to Be a Better Human
TED Radio Hour

And other pictures...

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PROFILES, VIEWS, ETC. PLEASE EMAIL ME AT THE EMAIL PROVIDED IN MY RESUME.






You can download all materials pertaining to Wes here.