Travis is gospel-centered in all areas of his ministry, from preaching, mission development, to calls to action. In speaking about diversity, he does not pursue it because it is a good thing to do, but because it’s the gospel thing to do. Relationally, I have found that Travis is willing to take the extra step in strengthening our bonds in Christ. For example, in the course of the search process, there were necessary and challenging discussions between the candidate and committee, and afterwards he would show us that we are still brothers and sisters in Christ.

Saint Paul urges, “We preach Christ and him crucified”. Mere exegesis does not serve to bring a text to life, but a holy imagination. I was gripped by the way Travis was evidently gripped by the Passover motif in Exodus. Travis energetically preached beyond the story to set forth the Savior. He seems to get right that grand important truth that Christ is ensconced in all the Scriptures. I look forward to see how God will use him to forge our congregation.

There are so many great things I could say about Travis, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll just say two: one is that, in his sermons — as well as in our conversations during the interview process — I have found his expression and exposition of the gospel to be both nourishing and worship-fueling. As a congregant, that excites me. And as a staff member, one of my first reactions to our interviews was the thought, “I would love to work with Travis.” He is a gifted communicator who has the unique ability of cultivating big-picture vision while being very aware of the practical, organizational steps required in bringing about that vision.

Over the time we have had to get to know Travis, his personality is one of friendliness, caring, dedication to family and someone who enjoys good humor. Along with the gift of solid preaching, he has displayed the attributes of wisdom, temperance, being a good listener with the ability to offer guidance and having a strong sense of God's providence.

For me, capacity and thoughtfulness are two characteristics of Travis Drake that have emerged over the many months we have spent with him in his candidacy. Though an achiever, I was struck recently when he described working on ‘stillness.’ In his words: ‘I’m trying to practice stillness… no need for God or me to say anything… just being still with God... sometimes in a museum in front of a beautiful work of art.’

In the CTK pastor profile we state that we need someone "who does not shy away from pushing us out of our comfort zone when needed." In my discussions with Travis as a PSC member and as a Session member, I have felt pastored by him, and felt pushed by him to consider how I personally and our church collectively could reach our community better and witness to those who don't know Jesus. Little things, like how we might explain concepts in the service better, and big things, like how we might become more welcoming, how we as shepherds might care for the church and the staff better are rolling around in my mind as I engage with Travis. I am looking forward to working with him as a congregant and elder for years to come.

I had the pleasure of doing Travis's initial "deep dive" - I was quickly struck by how well he fit our profile, and I was personally moved by his Christ-centered preaching. There are many great things I could say about Travis, but one thing that stands out to me is his thoughtfulness and sensitivity about the experience of women in PCA churches. He highly values the female perspective and truly cares about women flourishing and receiving care in the church - this was apparent not only in his responses to interview questions, but also in his marriage, his preaching, and even the way he interacted with the women on the committee.

The thing that first drew me to Travis is his preaching. I find it clear, accessible, engaging, and unwaveringly Christ-centered. Getting to know him more I’ve come to appreciate his heart for the gospel and how it speaks to not just our hearts, but to the myriad of weighty challenges we and our community face in our particular time and place. Travis also has a tender and empathetic heart for those that are suffering and in need of counsel, and is well-equipped and eager to lovingly listen and apply the gospel. I could go on and on about what a great fit I believe Travis is to be the Senior Pastor of Christ the King, and I can’t wait for you to get to know Travis and Esther and the boys and to see for yourself!

Having had the privilege of getting to know Travis and his family over the last few months, I became increasingly impressed by his maturity, gravitas, and thoughtfulness, despite his relatively young age. Possibly shaped by his own experience with suffering, he weaves these traits into his sermons, which I often found to be deep and moving. With Travis I think CTK will have a new pastor who will not only engage our minds and hearts on Sunday morning, but who will show our congregation how to be more outward focused, care for those on the margins of society, and speak into the often complex cultural context we find ourselves in.