Raised in Long Island, NY, Shawn came to faith in college. Valoreena, who would become his wife, helped lead him to faith. He led campus ministry, youth ministry and worship teams. After graduating from Farmingdale State University (B.A.-Aviation Administration), they moved to Springfield, MO. Shawn earned an MDiv. from AGTS and served in various ministries, including a Messianic congregation. There they had two children, Annabelle and David. Shawn’s involvement with Messianic Judaism sparked controversy within his Jewish family. They decided to hire an anti-missionary to de-program Shawn and bring him back to normative Judaism. After about a dozen debates with the anti-missionary, Shawn and his family planted a Messianic community in Southern California. Shawn earned a DMin. in Messianic Jewish Studies from The King’s University. In 2014, Shawn became the director of education and worship leader at Baruch HaShem Messianic Synagogue. He was later ordained as a rabbi and elder.