Bryan grew up in a Christian home in Pennsylvania, where he came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He tried to walk the fence between the world and the Lord in high school. In college, Bryan was transformed by the Lord through a campus ministry called InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He received his BA in History and Religion from Wake Forest University in 1982. Bryan was accepted as a campus staff minister with InterVarsity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he cut his teeth in full time ministry.

In 1986, Bryan left InterVarsity to pursue his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. After completing his studies, Bryan took his wife, Ann, and their baby daughter to the Philippines to minister through SEND International. After returning from the Philippines, Bryan received his M/Div in 1989.

God called Bryan back to campus ministry at this time at the University of Florida. After four exciting years there, overseeing three growing chapters at UF, plus two new chapters in Jacksonville, Florida, Bryan left InterVarsity for the second time to become associate pastor at Myrtle Grove Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, NC in 1994. There Bryan learned more about ministry within the church. He was given oversight of the small group ministry, the missions department, the evangelism ministry, the men's ministry and the ministry of prayer of this dynamic 1300 member church.

In July, 2000, Bryan brought his family to Trinity Presbyterian Church to pastor a growing church family in Florence, SC. He completed his Doctor of Ministry degree in May, 2001.