I am privileged to be the Pastor at The Red Brick Church in Stillman Valley, IL (near Rockford, IL). 

As a pastor, I enjoy working with all ages. It is a special blessing to see so many youth and children at our church each week.

I am the author of:

Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds (Crossway)

When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search: Biblical Principles and Practices to Guide Your Search (Believer’s Lifesystem) (Moody)

Bound Together: How We Are Tied to Others in Good and Bad Choices (Zondervan)

My education includes a BA in chemistry from Central College (Pella, IA) and an MBA from the University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, IA).  In a former life I worked in product development in medical diagnostics for Bayer.  After leaving the corporate world, I graduated from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree.

I later received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary having completed the preaching track under Haddon Robinson.  My doctoral thesis led to my book When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search.

I grew up on a farm in the Great State of Iowa near Keosauqua. You can read why I call my blog, “A Brick in the Valley,” here. My wife, Jamie, and I have  four children (Allison — married to Alex, Christopher — married to Meredith, Benjamin, and Mary Beth).

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