Many people have wanted to know why I left Philadelphia and how I became connected with Voice of Hope here in Dallas, Texas.

Well, it all started in a summer session of Greek II at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. I was in class taking a refresher for the upcoming Greek II in the fall. There was a break in the class, and I turned and noticed an older African American male in the back of the class taking notes. I started towards him to share with him that this is a hard class, and maybe he should start with Greek I instead. He accepted my polite gesture and then asked me what I was struggling with in the class. I told him, and he then took me aside and started writing and speaking perfect Greek. I immediately turned to him and asked who he was. He said, “My name is Elliot Greene, and I am a professor here at Westminster.” I said, “No you are not because I know all the professors, and you are not one of them.” He then told me about the WTS Dallas campus (now Redeemer Theological Seminary) and suggested that I come down to Dallas to take Greek with him. I agreed. And the summer of 2002, I came to Dallas.

While here that summer, I stayed with and had a lot of time to talk with Steve Vanderhill, who is now the President of Redeemer Seminary. At that time, he was the Vice President of Westminster Theological Seminary. I shared with him my passion for urban ministry and my ideas for God's people in "the hood."

After completing of Greek I, II, and III (in which I received all A's by the way) I returned to Philadelphia and graduated with a Masters of Arts in Religion and a Masters of Divinity. Soon after, I married a wonderful woman and was working full-time at Northwestern Human Services as a behavioral specialist and mobile therapist for kids, and part-time as the Director of Outreach at the then "8th Street Baptist Church" in Wilmington, Delaware. One month before my first child was born, I got a call from Steve Vanderhill about a job opportunity here in Dallas. It was with a West Dallas ministry called Mercy Street. They wanted me to come and start an urban Bible institute. After the interview with Trey, I went back to Philadelphia, prayed about it, talked it over with my wife, and was led to decline the offer. However, I did inform them that I was still passionate about community transformation and mercy ministries. Trey Hill, the E.D. of Mercy Street, then informed me of the job opportunity at Voice of Hope.

I flew down again to meet with some board members, including a three hour interview with one of them, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I am glad that the Lord blessed me with this opportunity. I really enjoy what I do. I was born to do ministry. I was born to shepherd God’s sheep. Many people do not have jobs that they love. I praise the Lord that I do.