our team, in their own words

I was born and raised in the Toledo area near Lake Erie, the second of 6 children and enjoyed exploring the many fields, marshes, and woods in our area.  

Mary Ann and I were High School sweethearts.  We were married in 1971.  We were young and ill equipped to be married, but actually how many people do you know who were ready to be married.  The first few years of our marriage we were not yet Christians, then in January of 1974, we came into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in midst of the “Jesus Movement”.  Our conversion was radical but God did not wave a “magic wand” over us and give us instant marriage success, but God did begin to change us individually and in relationship with one another and over the next 10 years He built a solid foundation for a godly marriage. I can gratefully say that today we are a team both in marriage and ministry.  People have asked us over the years; “With such a rough start how did you do it?”  Our answer is always without a doubt – God’s Mercy! 

I went to St. Francis High School and graduated from the University of Toledo with a B. E. in Applied Science and Human Performance.  After coming into faith in Jesus Christ I attended the Toledo Bible College and also took an array of home study Bible courses.    

My gifting lies in the area of teaching and pastoral care while Mary Ann’s is in the area of encouragement and leadership. Over the years we have served by leading or being a part of a ministry team participating in retreats, conferences, seminars, and workshops dealing with such topics as marriage, manhood, womanhood, pastoral care, church leadership, inner healing, dysfunctional families, gift and ministry discovery, personality traits, and basic discipleship – growing in Christ. 

We were part of the founding leadership team of Grace Church, Toledo, in 1977.  We founded Grace Community Church in the early 90’s which I still Pastor today. 

I was a team member with Pastoral Care Ministries with Leanne Payne (an Inner Healing ministry) for 25 years ministering in dozens of conferences both nationally and internationally.   We have served with McLean Ministries from NC for 10 years, also an inner healing ministry.  I have also had a few mission experiences.  I have had the privilege of ministering in Mexico primarily in the cities of Tijuana, Tecate, and Tepic.  I have also served in India for a month teaching in villages and showing seminarians how to lead small groups.  I have also been in the Brazilian Amazon on a fresh water well drilling expedition.  

I enjoy ministering in the local church watching people grow in Christ.  I love to see the “lights go on” when the Holy Spirit reveals truth to an individual through the ministry of the Word.  I am so encouraged when an individual experiences freedom in an area of life because of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  To see someone embrace their forgiveness or extend it to another is so rewarding.  I am so grateful to the Lord as people find freedom in Jesus Christ from past sins, hurts, and traumas in the areas of our physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and sexual  well being.  There is such hope, healing, and freedom that can be found in Christ.  This type of healing and freedom is a normal part of the pastoral care of the church.  I figure if He could take someone like me, as messed up as I was, and give me freedom to experience a good life then He can heal anyone.  No one is beyond hope.  He certainly makes “beauty out of ashes.”