From the Marketplace to Ministry

I spent the first half of my working life in the graphic arts and design business, launching my own print shop, Durra Ink, in 1993. After a successful run in the marketplace, God had other plans.

The call was clear: Leave your nets. Leave self-employment, move my family an hour north of beautiful San Diego—America’s Finest City—and build a church.

Wow. Life was good. We were three years into a brand-new home, the business was thriving, and we were doing well financially. At the time, leaving all of that was one of the hardest decisions of my life. I was trading the comfort and security of the marketplace for the uncertainty of ministry.

On paper, it made no sense. But in the Kingdom, it meant everything.

Now, 26 years later, the church has grown into a thriving congregation with a $4.5 million property and an average Sunday worship attendance of approximately 475. Looking back, the struggle to leave my nets was worth it all.

Today, I give what I’ve learned back to the Kingdom through leadership, church growth, mentoring, podcasting, speaking, and writing. With three books and more on my heart, I’m enjoying the overflow of what God has done—and using it to help others move forward.

I left my nets to build His Kingdom. I’d do it all over again.