Patrick, Diane, Brian, Brendan, Emma and Aiden Murphy

I have been involved in youth ministry since 1984. I grew up going to the Catholic church with my mom and sister. Although I was consistent in my church attendance and went through all of the rituals, I was ignorant of the fact that I needed to make a personal decision to trust Christ as my Savior. Finally, in the 8th grade I made friends with a classmate who was a believer. Through the influence of my friend, his family and the new youth pastor at their church, I came to trust Christ.

During the summer between my junior and senior years in high school, my youth pastor (Rocky Wyatt) challenged me to get even more serious with my walk. He challenged me to think seriously about where my life was and where it was going. It was the next afternoon, as I went to a quiet place with my Bible and opened it up to Psalm 73, that I knew I needed to submit my whole life to Christ and let Him have total control. A few month's later, while being discipled by Rocky, I felt confident that the Lord was leading me into youth ministry.

My wonderful wife is Diane and we have three boys, Patrick, Brendan, Aiden, and a girl, Emma. I serve as the Lead Pastor of Living Grace Community Church in Bakersfield, California where we have lived since 1996.

Some of my favorite verses are found in Psalm 73: 26-28 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

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