I have grown up my entire life in the hills of Appalachia. It was here that our family owned a farm and I had the privilege to work alongside generations of hard-working farmers/machinists/laborers. It was also in these mountains that I came to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. It was here that I learned about faith, but I also realized quickly that theological education was sparse. Theological education is actually looked down on and is viewed as "unspiritual". This makes it complicated when a person wants to learn more about the Bible and is even discouraged by believers. Appalachia is also known for its drug and poverty epidemic. Drug overdoses are all too common in our county. We live in a small town that is marked by these drug abuse factors. One doctor in our area has made the comment to me, "The kids in this town are so neglected it brings me to tears." Often kids are raised by grandparents, or aunts and uncles. This drug epidemic is exasperated by the job market in our county, which is sparse. This region is drastically suffering theologically and psychologically. I have always been passionate about theological education, and I believe it is imperative to have a solid foundation in our faith. Though this goes against the stream of our culture, I believe people in rural West Virginia desperately need theological education. This past year I moved to Keyser, WV, less than an hour from my homeplace, where I became a pastor of a small church in these same hills. I have been a part of the biblical counseling program at Southern since 2020, and it has been the most impactful two years of my life for applying the gospel to every area. I am able to apply my theological education to impoverished and psychologically strained areas of our nation. In our town, there are NO biblically faithful counseling organizations. This places Christians in a difficult position if they are struggling to find help. What are they supposed to do? Where are they supposed to go? Who is coming to help? The answer is that God has placed his churches here in rural West Virginia, and they are meant to be the center for Christ-centered, Christ-exalting, biblical counseling (Romans 15:14). This will NOT happen if I am the only one who is trained, so I am committed to training up and sending out new biblical counselors, and training pastors so that everyone may be mature in Christ (Ephesians 4:13). My aim as a pastor is not only to be biblically faithful across the pulpit but also in the personal one-another ministries (the counseling room). My vision is to raise up churches to be God's instrument of redemption in the hills of West Virginia. I am best equipped to do this because I know these people, their struggles, and their temptations. By God's grace, I am also becoming more competent to counsel those God has placed in my charge. By His grace, I desire to present everyone mature in Christ Jesus. Winning this scholarship will continue to support me in this aim. Grace and peace. -Daniel