sans ms,sans-serif;">Jesse Scifres will be joining our church staff on Monday, February 1st as Associate Pastor of Youth Ministries.
Jesse was born and raised in Morton, Illinois, the pumpkin capital of the world. During his childhood, he loved to play any type of sport, hunt with his dad, or pick on his older sister. Jesse has a great love for Major League Baseball and college basketball. 
He grew up always going to church, thinking he was a good kid. One night after VBS, he prayed to God, believing that he was a sinner and needed Christ as Savior. Even after that prayer, it wasn't until his sophomore year in high school when his beliefs were put into action. At that point, he actively participated in youth group and his study of Scripture. After high school, Jesse was asked by the youth pastor to volunteer with the Jr. High youth group and lead a small group of guys. Each time he helped as a volunteer, Jesse felt compelled to get involved in the lives of those kids and help train them in understanding the Bible and living it out. In doing so, he felt a strong desire to pursue further biblical training.
Right after high school, he attended Illinois Central College for 2 ½ years and obtained an Associates Degree in Science Engineering. He then went to Moody Bible Institute for 3 years and received a Bachelors Degree in Historical Theology. 
After his first few semesters at MBI, Jesse started courting Emily Bruckart and they have been together for almost two years. Jesse proposed November 10, 2009 and they will be getting married March 20, 2010.