My Story
Looking over my life, I am humbled by the clear hand of God that has directed me so carefully into a relationship with himself. It has been both exciting to see firsthand God’s individual care and patience while he has subjectively made himself known to me in and through the events of my life.
I was raised in a traditional Christian home in Northern Ohio. My parent’s consistency in church attendance laid a simple foundation of Bible knowledge and evangelical theology. This gave me the groundwork to slowly step into the arms of God and receive certainty of eternal life at the age of 14 in 1980 (Romans 3:21-26; I Corinthians 1:30; I Peter 1:18-25).
The above process led me to evaluate Christian colleges, which led to an unexpected life change. While touring college campuses I met a young lady who I would later date and eventually marry in the summer of 1990. It was early in our dating life that we discovered that we had not only both given our hearts to Jesus, but that we did so on the same evening of March 16, 1980.... but did not know each other and actually did not meet until four years later. Sarah has been a stable and motivating force in my life, teaching me self-discipline and unconditional love.
Between scholarships, parental support and long work hours I completed both my bachelors and masters degrees from Liberty University and Liberty Theological Seminary. It was there that I felt and understood God’s call on my life to ministry. Through the influence of mature believers, through the personal enjoyment of ministry, and the drastic lack of interest in any other field, my calling was solidified.
The above schooling prepared me well intellectually, but did little for the practical preparation I needed for church ministry, which was given to me at the Wooster Grace Brethren Church in Wooster, Ohio (summer of 1991-summer of 1992). This one-year internship with the Senior Pastor of a congregation of 1,000 taught me and Sarah much about the needed love and patience necessary for the shepherding of people. Many thanks to Pastor Bob Fetterhoff.
Following the completion of my internship, we were led to Phoenix, Arizona and Palmcroft Church. These fifteen years (1992-2007) on a multi- staff ministry team, provided me with valuable experience in overall church ministry, college age ministry, prison ministry, single adult ministry and evangelism. It was at Palmcroft that I became ordained to ministry (1996), as well as complete my Ph.D. in Theology (2005).
Following our 15 years at Palmcroft, we relocated to Verde Community Church, in Cottonwood Arizona, where we served for ten plus years. We enjoyed seeing God work during these years through healthy growth in both the church and the school which I oversaw. Overshadowing all the ministry at Verde was the growth in my life during these years. The Verde family was always kind, grace filled and supportive of us and our family.
August of 2017, at the clear leading of God, we moved back to Phoenix and to Palmcroft Church. I served in a newly created position at Palmcroft as a transitional pastor then as senior pastor. I served in this capacity from 2017-2022. This position was both fulfilling and exciting. Sarah and I prayed during a 6 week leave as to what our next ministry might be. We decided to step down from Palmcroft and spend a season focusing on God alone, healing from the stress and pressures of ministry. The leaders and congregation of Palmcroft have been nothing but kind and supportive in our decision. We pray for them often.
This brief reprieve from full-time ministry was just as refreshing and renewing as we could have imagined. During this time I completed my book, filled an absolutely enjoyable 6 month interim position in Willcox Arizona, and finally accepted the role of senior pastor in a beautiful church south of Pittsburgh, in Washington Pennsylvania.
As we look ahead at ministry and at God's continuous hand upon our lives, we take great solace in knowing that God will faithfully continue guiding us for our own good, and for his own glory. God knows the plans he has for us, plans to succeed and not to harm us (a bit of a Williams paraphrase of Jeremiah 29:11).
