God has richly blessed me with an amazing gorgeous wife, along with three beautiful children. Because of Jesus I stand redeemed and have the hope of one day being fully restored. I am amazed that I get to be part of God’s revolutionary story and mission in this world. God is on mission to turn his world “right-side” up given the fact that man, in his sin, has turned it “upside-down.” Thus, my aim in life is to be a believer, husband, father, and pastor who glorifies God in all areas of my life through faithful obedience, in order to project a “movie” trailer of the restorative future believers have in Christ. As God uses me as a conduit for his glory, my prayer is that he will draw people to himself where they get to experience true life in Christ in the here and now.
Bio: I’m a native of Tennessee and have been serving the local church in vocational ministry for almost twenty years mainly as a Lead Pastor replanting and revitalizing churches. I’ve received a B.A. from Union University in Jackson, TN, a MDiv from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, and a PhD in North American Missiology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
I would consider myself a scholar-practitioner who is passionate about mobilizing the church to effectively participate in the Missio-Dei.
I serve as the Lead Pastor at Northland Church in Longwood, FL. Prior to coming to Northland, I served as the Co-Director of the Billy Graham Center and Co-Director of Lausanne North America at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. as well as an adjunct professor at the Wheaton College Graduate School of Ministry, Mission, and Leadership.
Writing is a passion of mine. I have authored The Bible in 52 Weeks for Men as well as Crisis Leadership from a Christian Perspective. My writing have also been featured in Christianity Today and Outreach Magazine.
Hobbies/Enjoyments Include: Golf, working out, anything competitive, eating, desserts, and sipping on good coffee! I am also dabbling in triathlons.
Favorite Movies: Star Wars (all of them), Goonies (can I get a “Hey you guys!”), Miracle (I cry every time tears of joy), and National Treasure 1&2. There are more, but these are a good start.
Favorite Authors/Books: James Davison Hunter (To Change the World)—I based my dissertation on him and this work, Lesslie Newbigin (Gospel in a Pluralist Society), Christopher Wright (The Mission of God), John Piper (Let the Nations be Glad), Michael Goheen (A Light to the Nations), and Tim Keller.
Favorite song: David Crowder, “Come As You Are.”
(One of my) Favorite Bible Verse: Colossians 3:1-4, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Optimistic View of the Future of the Church: There is no denying that the church in North America has been and continues to be marginalized by the greater culture. As a result, the church is trying to find what her posture and stance should be in this rapidly changing environment. Although this culture is rapidly changing, it is a culture that is broken, divided, and fragmented. The condition of the culture presents an opportunity for the church to live and share the “gospel” of Jesus in a way that presents God’s vision for the world, and how he is in the process of enacting that vision to redeem every aspect of our lives, communities, cities, and world. In short, it’s a great time to “be” the church.
Josh Laxton 
150 Comments