Secret Lifelong Ambition / Desire -To see all my children and grandchildren come to a saving knowledge of Christ and become Kingdom servants.

How I came to Know the Lord - I grew up in a family of alcoholics, with much physical and emotional abuse. I joined the US Navy Reserve at age 16, was promoted to Petty Officer at 18 and left home shortly thereafter whereupon I entered the US Army as a Private. I served in Germany and while there I married a German girl, had three children and was given a direct commission by Congress as a LT in the Intelligence Service. After my first tour of combat duty, I returned home and shortly thereafter was abandoned by my first wife. I was promoted to Major after five years commissioned service and I met Charlotte (God’s choice) on a blind date. I proposed six days later and married her shortly thereafter. I was sent back to Vietnam, serving with the Agency for International Development. While there our two girls were kidnapped.  I returned home and rescued them from that situation and then turned to the Army for help. A Captain gave me a New Testament on 18 November 1971 and told me to read the book of John. I was desperate and found Christ in a Saigon motel room on 25 November 1971….and I haven’t been the same since!

How I got here - I graduated with a BS in Information Systems from the University of Maryland, learned two foreign languages (German and Polish), graduated with an MBA (Economics) from the University of Kansas, graduated with a MS (Military Arts/Science and Computer Driven Decision Making) from USA Command and Staff College. I am currently enrolled as a Doctoral Candidate at Trinity Theological Seminary, Evansville, IN. I was a lay Army Command Chaplain during 1978 – 1981 and 1984 – 1989 and presented the Gospel across America and Germany during 1974 – 1989. Pastor Jim called me up in August 2001 and asked if I wanted to work for the Lord at FBC, so after a weekend of prayer, I showed up at FBC and have been following Christ around ever since. Still haven’t figured out all those lofty concepts and nifty spiritual lingo. Trying to determine how long ‘interim’ equates to…..sure hope it’s about ten or more years.

Ministry Area Dream - To implement a Growth, Retention and Multiplication Procedure (GRAMP) vision that intentionally reaches into the community to bring folks into the fellowship of believers, engenders a warm family climate that makes folks want to stay and serve the Lord here and reach untold numbers of the unchurched through an aggressive, highly efficient church planting thrust locally and around the world. God can do anything!