Possibility begins with grace

My Story

A professional headshot of a middle-aged man with glasses, wearing a navy suit, white shirt, and patterned tie, smiling against a gray textured background.
Headshot of a middle-aged man with gray hair, glasses, and a beard, wearing a dark suit and tie, smiling against a gray background.

John T. Vance

I am living proof that God still performs miracles.

My story began in deep places of brokenness that culminated in my becoming justice-involved as a teenager. I was lost, but God met me there. He did not just offer me comfort; He initiated a profound transformation of my character.

God rebuilt my life on a new foundation: accountability, service, and integrity.

Through my faith, I learned that true freedom is found in responsibility. God called me away from a chaotic past and into a life of purpose. He gave me a reverence for the law. He helped me to understand that the law is not just a set of rules. It is a tool to protect the vulnerable and uphold the truth.

This spiritual conviction is what drives my professional excellence. It is why I pursued leadership within the Public Defender Agency, why I became an Indiana Registered Paralegal, and why I am dedicated to ethical practices as a J.D. candidate.

I stand as evidence that God restores lives not just for their own sake, but so they can be of service to others. My mission is to steward this opportunity by advocating for justice with the highest standards of competence and compassion.

Brass balance scales, a gavel, and a law book on a wooden table in a law office or courtroom.

My Vision

I believe connection is one of God’s most sacred gifts. It is a language older than words and a bridge stronger than doctrine. It is the only ground I know where healing and truth can stand together.

I didn’t learn this in comfort. I learned it during long seasons without connection. During those times, being seen and heard felt impossible. Slowly, God restored that connection to me. It didn’t happen all at once. It happened steadily, through safe people and the quiet, hard work of reshaping my heart.

This is why I carry a simple conviction: connection must come before correction.

Without it, correction is just noise. But when connection is real, even difficult truths can be spoken without causing shame. I want to create spaces where that kind of honesty is safe, where the first response to tension isn't judgment, but presence.

Real strength isn't just about resilience, or what you’ve survived. It’s about your capacity to sit with what others are carrying without turning away. I know now that compassion without accountability becomes shallow, but accountability without compassion becomes destructive. The ministry I hope to embody stands at the intersection of both: A place where grace makes truth bearable, and truth makes grace transformative.

I want to be a bridge: between generations, between broken systems and the people they overlook, and between those who have found their voice and those still searching for it. Ultimately, I want to be consistently present. Not perfect. Not polished. Present. If I am remembered for anything, let it be that I showed up, offered connection where there was none, and honored the image of God in every life I encountered.