I was raised in a Christian home and had a faith in Christ until I was about 18. Then I went to college, where I encountered ideas in the classroom and a culture in the dormitory that were hostile to the idea of a living God. I disavowed God and spent the better part of the ensuing decade wandering through wilderness without ever adopting a coherent belief system. Slowly but surely I found my way back to the Lord of my youth – I am thankful for His persistence and mercy. My favorite story in the gospels is the woman at the well – Jesus’ intentionality, the woman’s searching questions, the hope Jesus offers, and her life completely transformed from meeting the Messiah.
Hanging out with my family, learning guitar, being frustrated by chess, and having my heart broken by the New York Mets
A random thing on my bucket list is to hike The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
I grew up in the church, but never read my bible or really knew who Jesus was. I choose to be baptized as a kid but never understood what it meant. A few years ago, through a trial I re-dedicated my life to the Lord, got baptized for real and started reading my bible for the first time and my life changed.
Chess and Rubik’s Cube
To beat Dan Bromsey at chess
Before my call into ministry, I had a hardened heart towards God and was very critical of Christians. Everything changed when I got a wrestling scholarship to California Baptist University. That was when God’s grace began to touch my life. Despite my hardened heart, God met me in my college dorm room in 2010, gave me a second chance, and transformed my heart for Jesus Christ.
Spending time with my family, drinking coffee, watching church sermons, and writing.
I think the craziest/weirdest food I’ve ever eaten is a toss-up between the world’s hottest gummy bear (Lil’ Nitro) or a Kingworm (their teeth add a weird crunch other than that it wouldn’t be weird).
I grew up in the church as a pastor’s kid, but struggled a lot with questions for God after my dad passed away when I was in 8th grade. God was always a part of my life, yet I didn’t want to let Him fully in until college when I found out about His great love. Looking back on my life it is so clear that He sought me out, even in my lowest points, and I want to share how He does that for everyone else!
I love to hangout with my family and friends, whether it’s playing pickleball, video games, or watching the hit 2007 film Surfs Up. I’m also super into coffee, perfecting the art of espresso, and trying out all of the coffee shops in the valley!
The coolest thing on my bucket list is to make it onto the show Big Brother!
I was raised in a bible believing home, and have been going to church for as long as I have memories. I was saved at a Royal Ambassadors camp (very similar to the Awana program) when I was 7 years old. I was baptized not long after that. Christ has always been a huge part of my life, but to be honest, I haven’t always lived up to His standards for me. Time and time again, I have failed and time and time again, He has forgiven and rescued me. God continues to remind me every single day how much He Loves me and has me. Whether it be through major life wins; removing a cyst from my unborn son’s skull, healing my grandson from leukemia, saving me from not one, but two rollover accidents; to just giving me peace when I need it the most…God’s constant and continuous saving love and grace is what I value most in this world. He has given me more than I could ever ask for, and until He calls me home, I will continue to tell that story!
Playing guitar, slowpitch softball, doing anything active with my kids or grandson
Crickets. When the family was in Sedona, we found a little store that had flavored, freeze dried crickets. I can’t lie…the BBQ ones were not that bad.
I was born and raised into a church going Christian family. I lost my way in early adolescence, falling into a life of partying, drug abuse, and sin. I was introduced to the true meaning of following Jesus Christ after being sent away to a Christian, youth, drug rehabilitation program near Ensenada, B.C. MX. After returning home, I soon fell back into the secular world, turning away from the Lord for many years. I lived in sin for almost twenty years, until reaching my spiritual “rock bottom”. In the spring of 2023 I rededicated my life to following our Lord Jesus Christ and surrendering to God’s will in my life. I have three “life verses” that I keep written on my heart. They are Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 3:5-6, and Philippians 4:13.
Cooking, Fishing, Hunting, Recreational Shooting, Running, and more!
The weirdest food I have ever tried is: rattlesnake.
I was raised in a Christian home in Modesto, California, but got away from the Lord in my teens years. I was blessed to meet my wife Debbie at 17, and God used her as a vessel to cause me to realize my need for Christ, in order to be a spiritual leader of our home in the future. Debbie and I gave our lives to Jesus two years later, and then began our public ministry in 1981. We were young, and learned much following God and learning to minister in many areas of the world. We had no idea where God would lead us, but we thank Him for bringing us to Hope City Church and allowing us to serve amazing people. God is good, and we owe all we are to our Lord Jesus Christ who has made all the difference.
I enjoy reading, writing, and motorcycle riding, as three of my favorite hobbies. I also enjoy hiking, bicycle riding and working out at the gym.
The weirdest food I ever ate was fish heads, a delicacy in China. You eat the meat around the eyes with chopsticks. It takes forever to get a bite, and you just have the eyes staring at you as you eat. A group of church leaders took me out to lunch after teaching and ordered a huge plate with fish heads. They said ‘eat, eat,’ but I didn’t know what ‘eat’ meant until they explained it. I don’t look for it at American restaurants.
Growing up, I was part of the Lutheran church and my parents took me to Sunday school on occasion. I mostly went to church on Easter and Christmas. When I was a teenager still in the Lutheran church, I joined the worship team but even though I was doing that, I was still living as part of the world. So, all the things I knew I shouldn’t be doing I was doing regularly. It wasn’t until I met my wife that I started to see who Jesus was and is. In 2013 I was baptized in Christ! I would like to say that my life completely turned around there…but it didn’t, I had a head knowledge of who Jesus was, but not a heart knowledge. It wasn’t until I had my first child that I saw who Jesus truly is; He brought me out of addictions, brought me close to my wife, and blessed me with 2 more beautiful children. I will be honest, there have been many stumbling blocks along the way, but I now see His hand working in my life and I strive everyday to seek Him and do His will.
Softball, wood working, playing/mixing/listening to music, coaching soccer, fixing cars, welding, and serving others
One of my daughters says that my talent is that I make her favorite pancakes
I grew up going to church, it was like a second home to me. Our family was very involved; my parents were Deacons, and we went to all the events, studies and activities the church had. I can remember being in third grade sitting on my stairs at home while my mom was making dinner. She was telling me about salvation, and right there I prayed and gave my life to Christ. I would take my Playskool Tape Recorder/Microphone toy and I would stand on the sidewalk at my grandparents’ house telling everyone who passed by about Jesus. It wasn’t until I was an adult and looked back, that I realized the Lord had laid a solid foundation of faith for me in my
childhood so that when the trials and tribulations came, when my marriage was in shambles and when I had experienced loss through miscarriages, I knew who to run to! It was only through God that I was able to have peace and joy beyond understanding. I was able to grieve and mourn, but not as one who is without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
I like to play board and card games, ride bikes with my kids, play volleyball, make crafts, and go shopping.
Ooo, hard to choose…I have two random things on my bucket list:
1. To go to the 4 Corners, to be in “4 places at one time,”
2. To go to the Crater of Diamonds park in Arkansas, and dig for diamonds and gems!
I was raised in a Christian home, but during my adolescence and young adulthood, I didn’t truly understand the depth of my faith. I went through the motions, but never really lived it or understood how serious it was. I lived selfishly and hurt the people I loved. That all changed thanks to Jesus and His light shining through my inherited grandfather on my husband’s side. I thank God for him every day. My grandpa embodied the qualities of a Godly man. His unwavering faith and longstanding, Christ-centered marriage inspired me. When he prayed with me to accept Jesus, it became a genuine commitment once and for all. It felt like flipping a light
switch, I became a new creation, filled with hope. Now I strive to reflect God’s love in my life to others, Just as I saw His light in my grandfather.
My favorite hobbies are hunting, hiking, and woodworking
I’d love to travel to Alaska and go explore
I grew up in a divorced home without a father figure for most of my life. At the young age of 18, I joined the Marine Corps shortly after 9/11. During a callous time in our nation’s history, I was called upon to serve in Iraq. As a young, married man, my wife (Brooke) and I were blessed with two sons (Austin and Brody). After multiple deployments in the Middle East, I became a misguided young man full of rage who neglected to lead my family. Around the same time, my father lost his battle with depression and took his own life. I found myself in a state of anger against the world, against my marriage, and against God. I soon hit rock bottom and was searching for answers. As I spent years searching and yearning for a father figure, I ultimately found our Father in heaven. God bless my wife, as she has always been the one who has steered me in the right direction. As our marriage was in shambles, she was unwilling to give up and encouraged us to seek the Lord. As we sought Jesus, He drew close to us, transforming our lives and our marriage. We fully committed to Him, were baptized, renewed our vows, and learned to love and serve each other as one flesh. Jesus has been our guide, tutor, Savior, and Lord ever since. Jesus taught us to put off our old selves and to be renewed in the Spirit by Hisgrace and mercy through faith in Him. We now understand that our lives are walking testimonies that serve the purpose of glorifying God. Praise be to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Playing guitar, marksmanship, hunting, Bible study, serving my wife, discipling my sons, and serving the Lord.
Marksmanship. I was a member of the Marine Corps shooting team for several years and competed against the Army, Navy, Air Force, and NRA. I also taught as a Primary Marksmanship Instructor and qualified over 2,500 recruits to a level of marksmanship required to become a U.S. Marine.
I grew up in a Catholic household. We would attend church on Christmas and Easter. My parents got divorced and I did not go to church any more. I always knew that God was who He is, but did not know Him. I met my wife in junior high, but in high school we started to date and she took me to church. I believed and confessed my sins and repented. I have been failing and repenting ever since, but can say that I sin less now. I decided that I wanted to know God more and questioned if Jesus was the only way. I took university religion courses and went to many different types of religious venues. I confirmed to myself that Jesus is the way, the life and the truth. I have been in the hardest of times and the best of times, but God is so good and faithful that he is the one constant that I have. He has placed me in leadership at Hope City. I am so blessed by the leadership that we have around me and I have learned so much from each of them. I am excited to continue to work for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in whatever way we can here at Hope City Church.
Bible study, boating, wake surfing, baseball, softball and working out
I have always wanted to be in the little league world series. My son, Elijah, took me there and hit a game winning hit. Even with all the pride I felt in that moment, it does not even come close to the pride I felt when each of my kids decided to follow Jesus as Lord.
Coming soon…
Coming soon…
Coming soon…
