Bryan Sloan
Elder and Preaching Pastor
WHO are you?
My name is Bryan Sloan. I’ve been married to Joy, my high school sweet heart since 2003. We still have 5 kids in our home; one through adoption via Burundi. (Tucker, Jaxson, Avery, Mason, and Samuel) If I’m not spending time playing games or adventuring outdoors with my family, I'm likely on my mountain bike!
WHAT do you do?
I am one of the elders and the preaching pastor at The Fields Church. We planted The Fields in 2010 along with a small group of believers who wanted to step out in faith and live out the Gospel in more tangible ways. My main focus is to shepherd our church through the ministry of the word and prayer in hopes of being a healthy church in the world. I do this through weekly preaching at our Sunday morning worship gathering as well as serving with our team of elders, deacons, and other volunteers to fulfill our mission as a church.
WHERE did you come from?
I grew up in Arlington, TX my whole life. Most of my memories happened right here in this city. In fact, I played tball and baseball at the YMCA our church partners with and meets at! My first time to live outside of Arlington was while I was at school at Texas A&M University (Whoop ’03). I studied Zoology and business for several years, but in September 2001 it was clear that God was calling me to serve His church. I graduated in May of 2003, started working at Lamar Baptist in Arlington in June, married Joy in July, and started seminary at Southwestern in August. I was privileged to be the Student Pastor at Lamar for 8 years. That is where I learned so much about God, the church, pastoring, marriage, parenting, and myself. In 2010 God began stirring my heart to step out in faith and planting another healthy church in the city. Lamar Baptist sent us out to plant The Fields Church in 2010 and we are so grateful to God for all he has done in and through this local church!
WHEN were you saved?
Both of my parents were Christians by time I was a young kid so I grew up hearing the Gospel in a Christian home. At an early age God opened my eyes to see that I had sinned against Him and needed His forgiveness. One day while I was riding in the car with my dad, I asked him if I could be saved. He immediately pulled the car over and helped me outwardly confess my inward faith in Jesus through a prayer. I knew then that I was forgiven by the grace of God. However, like many others, I doubted my salvation at times, lived a double life, strayed from what I knew was the truth, and ultimately lived for myself instead of God. Thankfully, God got ahold of me through simple, regular, faithful discipleship in the local church. I realized then that Gospel centered discipleship was the key to my own spiritual growth as well as my ability to impact others with the Gospel.
HOW has the Gospel impacted you recently?
I think I've become even more convinced that the church really is God's plan A for reaching the world and the mission of the church is to be sent into the world. We are to be a distinct people, set apart, yet sent out into the world to show and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who have yet to believe. The church is commissioned to make disciples of Jesus Christ, not just make this life better, because there is something worse than death and something better than life coming.
WHY are you at The Fields?
The Fields Church was born out of a conviction to plant a healthy church and be sent out weekly to take the Gospel to the world, not expecting the world to come to the church building. Not only have we enjoyed our season at The Fields, but we have loved watching others enjoy their season at The Fields too. We are at The Fields because we want more people to encounter Christ and his church in a real way in a healthy church.
My prayer for The Fields is that we would continue to be a healthy and united church with the cross at the center, Christ as our cornerstone, and the church as our commission.