Who is behind Reformed and Reforming?

The novice developer and maturing writer behind Reformed and Reforming is Jesse Wisnewski.  I come from the stereotypical West Virginian family, a coal miner dad and stay-at-home mom.  Although I grew up implicitly considering myself a Christian (for some undisclosed reason) it wasn’t until December of 2002 – during my senior year at Marshall University – that I first believed in Jesus Christ and began a life of following Him and His teachings (i.e. Orthodox Christianity).

In 2003 I graduated from Marshall University with a B.B.A. in Marketing.  Upon graduating I began working within the banking industry, particularly in the field of employee benefits as a sales representative.  During this time I perceived a strong sense of calling into the pastoral ministry and have been pursuing this track ever since the fall of 2003.

My journey towards pastoral ministry began with my resignation from the bank and subsequent mentoring by a well respected and seasoned Pastor in Cranberry, PA (2004).  While in PA I decided to pursue further training and opted for seminary.  Given the fact that I readily identified myself with Pentecostalism and the Word of Faith Movement, I began my seminary studies at Regent University, jointly enrolled in their Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Arts in Leadership programs.

In December 2005 I married my best friend, Jessica.  Today we’ve been married for nearly 4 years and have 3 children between the ages of 1 to 11. 

While attending Regent University I began to embrace the teachings of Reformed Theology (more below) and my family and I became members at an Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach, VA. 

In December of 2006 we packed our bags and moved back to West Virginia in order to heed the call at an Evangelical Presbyterian Church.  From January of 2007 to April of 2009 I served as the Director of Family and Youth Ministries and ended as the Executive Administrator. 

Currently I am working full-time in Charleston, WV while completing my M.Div. at  Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.  My family and I are now members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in America.  In January 2010 I began pursuing Pastoral Ministry in the Presbyterian Church in America by coming “under the care” of the New River Presbytery. 

For those of you desirous of more, the following should suffice.  I consider myself to be…

Christian – Simply put, I’m a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

Orthodox- In general, and not in all the particulars, I affirm the historic Christian faith which is best summarized in such historical creeds and confessions as the Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, The Canons of Dort, The Westminster Confession of Faith, and The Cambridge Declaration.

Reformed – Stemming from the Protestant Reformation I acknowledge the sovereignty of God over all of life, the doctrines of grace, the Five Solas, and covenantal theology.

Missional- What a vague term, turning in over 1.5 million hits on a Google search.  For me, when I say that I’m missional I’m saying that I intentionally pursue the mission of Jesus Christ (see Matt. 28.18-20) to make disciples of all people by faithfully engaging my culture with the pure, unadulterated gospel.

Continuationist– It is my belief that the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4.7-8; Romans 12) continue today, under the sovereign dispensation of God, and that the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at salvation (not to be mistaken with Pentecostalism).  It is also my belief that each and every single Christian has the responsibility of serving their neighbor (i.e. everyone else) with the grace and gift(s) given to them by God (Romans 12.1-8; 1 Corinthians 12; 1 Peter 4.10-11).  Recently I quit calling myself a charismatic due to its ambiguities and somewhat negative correlation.

Presbyterian- In particular I adhere to a form of church government that relies upon a plurality of elders in overseeing the teaching, mission, discipline, administration of the sacraments, and nurture of the local church body.  Too boot, although created equal in value and dignity (Genesis 1.27), men and women compliment each other through differing roles in marriage and the church.  With this in mind I affirm that only males can serve as ruling or teaching elders within the local congregation (For a summary of complementarianism, go here and here.  If you’re an eager student download for free: Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism)

Ever changing – I’m ever changing into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ, continually forsaking myself and my sin by looking to Him as the fountainhead of all grace in my life’s transformation.

You can contact me by clicking here and connect with me at Facebook, Theologica, or CARM.