I was not born into a Christian home. My dad was a pro football player and my mom faded from the Christian faith she knew as a kid. When she met my dad, who was not a believer, she was not practicing the faith. During my early years and into my teens I moved around a lot as my dad played and then coached NFL teams around the country, including the Bears – twice. There were times when my mom would get involved in a church and take me and my sister, but moving around so much was not conducive to a steady Christian church experience.
By the time I got to middle school I had lost any desire to attend church and my mother didn’t force the issue. This held true through my high school years as well. I do recall being touched by a Billy Graham movie when I was in 5th or 6th grade, but I did not respond to the gospel at that time. In high school I considered myself to be a good student/athlete and a good guy; however, this was just a veneer. Truth be told, I was a wretch underneath – selfish, mean to my little sister, dishonoring to my parents, a drunkard at times, addicted to my dad’s pornography, a liar, etc. Yet I thought myself a good person into my college years.
For my sophomore year I attended Marshall University in West Virginia. There I studied business and economics. I was also about 15 miles from my dad’s brother, Uncle Bob. In God’s sovereign plan I came under his Christian influence. He talked to me about my sin [and his] and our need for Christ. This happened over the course of several months in the fall of 1979. On December 2nd I attended church with my uncle and his family and there I heard many of the same things he talked to me about. During the service God began to convict me of my sin and my need for Christ. He opened my heart to the gospel, I believed and began my Christian journey that day. I was born December 1st, 1959. I was born again December 2nd, 1979. Praise God!
The next year I transferred to Wheaton College and finished my business & economics degree, but God called me to the ministry. During my senior year I worked as a student pastor at College Church in Wheaton. I graduated college in 1983, moved home to Denver and worked for a year. Then I attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL for 3+ years earning a MDiv. In 1986 I sought ministerial standing with the 4Cs and became a chaplain candidate in the U.S. Air Force. The year following my graduation from Trinity in 1987 I was ordained by College Church in Wheaton and in the 4Cs. I also became a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves in 1989.
I married my amazing wife Priscilla in 1992. We have five children whom we have tried to raise in the Christian faith.