Biography:I grew up in a non-Christian home in Vancouver, Washington. As a high school senior, I started attending Hillcrest Church of the Nazarene where I gave my life to Christ. I spent my freshman year of college at Clark Community College in Vancouver, Washington. I enrolled at NNU my sophomore year. I graduated from NNU with a Philosophy and Religion degree three years later. Thirteen days after graduation I married my wife, Shelly. Two weeks later we moved to Spokane, Washington where I was the youth pastor at Spokane First Church of the Nazarene for a little over two years. After this I attended Nazarene Theological Seminary. Upon graduating from NTS three years later, we moved to Denver, Colorado where I enrolled in a Ph.D. program in theology at Iliff School of theology and University of Denver. Shortly after this, I was called to be the lead pastor at the Golden, Colorado Church of the Nazarene where I was the lead pastor for 21 years. I have taught part-time at NNU since 2003. I became full-time faculty at NNU Fall 2010.

I am married to my wife, Shelly. We have two adult children and a two-year-old granddaughter.

What is your favorite thing about working at NNU? I love being with students (they give me hope) and working with my colleagues (they stretch me to reach toward my God-given gifts and graces).

Share a few facts about your specific area(s) of expertise that you bring to the classroom: My 23 years as a youth pastor and lead pastor deeply shape how I teach. I have also traveled to Africa for over 20 years to teach and develop compassionate ministry projects, such as supporting agricultural projects, digging wells, helping girls go to school, educating women for nursing and other medical roles and building and maintaining a medical clinic in northern Ghana. All of these experience impact what and how I teach.

Share a few pieces of information that represent your teaching experience and why you love working with students: I love teaching college and graduate students as they are inherently curious and have a passion to make a difference in the world for Christ.