Family
My wife, Dawn and I have been married for 14 years. We have four daughters ages 11, 7, and 5 and 10mos, and a Foster daughter who is 17. We have lived in West Michigan our whole lives. Our family enjoys being outdoors, sitting by the campfire in the back yard during the summer, and grilling. We also like to camp, and the girls like to go fishing with their Dad.
Hobbies
I enjoy a few hobbies. I love to go hunting in the fall. My favorite is bow hunting whitetail deer. I also enjoy vegetable gardening which I have recently discovered brings me tremendous peace and fulfillment, and it doesn’t make for bad salsa either. When I have more time, I enjoy fishing and hanging out with my extended family here in West Michigan and Northern Michigan.
Education
I am a graduate of Grand Rapids South Christian High School and Calvin College. I have a B.A. degree in Secondary Education with concentrations in English and Political Science. I also have attended Calvin Theological Seminary and a variety of conferences, seminars, and Sonlife training events. I have completed the Commissioned Pastor program through the Zeeland Classis and here at Lighthouse, and through this I am ordained as an elder, serving the church as a commissioned pastor for Youth Ministry.
Passion
My passion and personal mission is to be an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ and a Grateful steward of the gifts He's given to me.
My passion for students and adults is for them to understand their lives in the context of the greater story of God. I desire to see students grow to maturity in loving God and loving others as modeled by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Specifically, I desire to see students and adults worshipping in their own cultural language, expressing themselves in acts of service that bring Glory to God, and using their God-given gifts to find their own ministry in the Kingdom of God.
Ministry Experience
I have been a youth pastor for 13 years. I served at my first church in southern Grand Rapids for 3 years, and I have served in Allendale for the last 9 years. In that time, I have developed middle and high school programs, small group ministries, student leadership programs, outreach ministries including First Priority, and a youth outreach center. I am also active in Young Life and Wyldlife in our community as a volunteer leader. I am a certified presenter for Real World Parenting, a parenting seminar by Youth Specialties, and a Sonlife Ministries graduate.
My View from the Lighthouse!
Lighthouse has been on an incredible journey for the past 9 years. Having experienced some of the worst a congregation can handle, they found themselves humbled and on their knees right where God wanted them to be. Over the last eight years we have sought to follow God into the plan He has for our lives and the ministry here in Allendale.
God has been about some amazing things here at Lighthouse in response to prayer and according to His plan. The student ministry has grown and developed including a worship band and two weekly meetings. We are transitioning from a more traditional Bible Study Club, to an active Student-led Ministry reaching into the community and out to the World. The church is seeking to reach new groups in the community including the Hispanic Community and the College Campus.
I am eager to see what God will do with Lighthouse in the months and years to come. I am glad that God has chosen to allow me to be a part of this movement of His Kingdom.
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