First, a bit about my life experience and educational background.
I finished high school in Seattle, WA where my father eventually retired after 23 years in the U.S. Army. I had long dreamed of becoming a research biologist, so I enrolled in the University of Montana (Missoula) in the hope that I might work with one of my childhood heroes, Dr. John Craighead.
Many of my youthful dreams were realized in those years, and I eventually graduated with a B.S degree in Wildlife Biology (’76). My time in Missoula became a fertile field for my young Christian faith, largely through the influence of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and my staff-leader, Marv
Anderson. It was also where I met my wife, Terry.
It occurred to me that, while I was busy fulfilling my own plans for my life, I had never asked the Lord Jesus what He might want to do with me.
To make a long story short, I eventually sensed that Christ was calling me into Christian ministry. After graduation, I joined Inter-Varsity staff and moved to Salt Lake City, UT. Terry and I lived there for 4 years as I helped to develop communities of Christian students at the University of Utah and Brigham Young University.
In 1981 I began to study for my M.Div. degree (’85) at Regent College in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Living just south of the border in Blaine, WA, I commuted to my classes, became deeply involved in a local church, and developed lifetime friendships with several families that Terry and I continue to visit whenever we can.
As a life-long student and habitual bookworm, I believed the Lord was calling me to pursue doctoral work overseas. God paved the way for my growing family to move to Aberdeen, Scotland where I completed my Ph.D. (’88) in New Testament at King’s College, University of Aberdeen. There it was a privilege for me to study with a man I greatly admired, Prof. I. H. Marshall.
While living in Scotland, I continued to explore ministry opportunities by preaching in local churches, volunteering for pastoral visitation in my local parish, and speaking at Inter-Varsity conferences throughout the country.
Much to my surprise, the Christian Reformed Church we had attended years before in Salt Lake City, asked me to join their pastoral staff. Eventually, I would become the pastor of this church (’88-’97), which would rename itself Mountain Springs Community Church.
In 1997 I was offered a teaching position in the Religion Department at Calvin College, a private liberal arts school in Grand Rapids, where I taught New Testament and Biblical Theology for 18 years.
Now retired, I am enjoying my life in NW Montana where the Lord has blessed us with a log cabin in the woods. I continue to write and research, while indulging my passions for falconry and riding my custom Harley-Davidson chopper as fast as the speed limit allows.
Why is my blog called HumanityRenewed?
As a Christian, I believe that all human beings — regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or skin color — are created as the Image of God.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I believe that the life, death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus of Nazareth reveals, for all who are willing to watch, listen and learn, God’s original intentions for humanity: to live in intimacy and obedience with our Creator; to worship him and to fulfill his purposes for us as unique bearers of the Divine Image.
It is impossible for us to realize God’s plan for our existence apart from Jesus Christ. In Christ my humanity is redeemed, renewed and enabled to help others discover the renewing power of Jesus for themselves.