Hey there blog reader. If you’re here, I’m guessing you might want to know a little more about the blog and the guy behind it. Lucky for you, I (JR Rozko) am aim to please.
Lifeasmission. The name of the blog stems from my conviction that life and mission are really inseparable – or at least they should be. As a missional follower of Jesus, the life I lead is my participation in God’s mission in the world and participation in that mission is my life. On that count, you won’t find me discriminating over what I post on. I write about everything from having bad days, to major life events, to deep reflections on theological matters. I post pictures, videos, poetry, and prose. It’s all part of the lifeasmission journey for me and the more people contribute, the better that journey is.
Here’s a bit of my background, just to give you a sense of where I’m coming from.
Personal Background
I grew up in Northeast Ohio. Though I was raised with Christian morals and values, knowing and following Jesus didn’t become the center of my life until I was a sophomore in high school – through the ministry of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
As a soccer player and campus ministry leader, the four years I spent at Malone University in Canton, OH were some of my fondest and most formative years.
On July 5, 2009, much to the dismay of every other guy ever, Amy Mae Garrington chose me as her husband (wedding site). Sorry fellas! We live in Elgin, outside of Chicago.
Amy works for International Teams here in Elgin and we are a part of a missional church community called Life on the Vine.
Our first daughter, Aubrianna Mae, was born in June of 2011.
Educational & Vocational Background
I have spent a good number of years as a pastor to students and young adults at a handful of different kinds of churches - RiverTree Christian Church, San Marino Community Church, and Living Hope to name a few.
As a graduate student, I got to study under and alongside some amazing people at Fuller Theological Seminary as I tried to get a handle on a missiology of Western culture – what it means for Christians and the Church if we seek to operate with a missionary perspective and skill-set.
I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work in theological education as an academic advisor for Fuller’s Master of Arts in Global Leadership program, as Adjunct Instructor of Church & Contemporary Culture for Fuller, and as Associate Director of Institutional Advancement for Northern Seminary.
Both independently (series of posts here) and in partnership with the ministry of 3DM, I have written and presented on issues of theological education from a missional perspective (video & paper available @ thefutureoftheologicaleducation.com)
I am conducting doctoral research as a part of a cohort focused on Anabaptist Perspectives in Missional Ecclesiology through Fuller Theological Seminary’s DMiss program and serve as Director of Operations & Advancement for the Missio Alliance, an initiative that aims to provide a place for theological dialogue, training, and the creation of resources to help pastors and other Christian leaders navigate present and future missional challenges.
Gratuitous Family Picture 
