My Story

I have come to see my life as an urban missionary on a pilgrimage.  A journey of faith which will eventually lead to a sacred place called heaven. This journey is seldom geographic, but one marked by relationships. The primary relationship on this journey is with Christ, who adds wonderful dimensions and nuances to relationships of spouse, family, friends and neighbors.

My pilgrimage has involved being a railroad engineer, seminary student, a racial reconciliation task force member, police chaplain, urban missionary, mentor and coach, as well as a husband, father and grandfather; and once upon a time conventional church pastor.  In August 2003 God led me into more organic/missional church forms and expressions where I revel  in a relational journey of connecting with the triune Godhead, family, and friends on multiple levels.

Married to the love of my life forty-three years with four grown children and eleven grandchildren.

In August of 2003 we planted Epic Wineskins, a small network of what many refer to as house churches in the Portland/Vancouver area of the Pacific Northwest.

In 2005 I received a Doctor of Ministry degree from George Fox University in Leadership in the Emerging Culture.

In 2008 I began what I refer to as Missional Learning Communities.  A gathering of 12 to 18 people who meet for 12-13 weeks discussing what it means to live a missional lifestyle in our North American context.

Our journey faith often takes us to some unpredictable and surprising places that stretch us to the limits of our endurance.  That was the case in December 2008 when I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon-cancer.  This journey involved eight months of intense chemotherapy and all it’s side effects.  During this time Linda and I experienced first hand what is to be carried along on the prayers of God’s people as we learned first hand that God is able to do immeasurably more than we have the capacity to imagine or understand. God was gracious and we have been rejoicing since August 2009 in his deliverance from this terrible disease.

One the my greatest joys is teaching a weekly Bible study for the men at City Team Ministries, a shelter and recovery center for those seeking deliverance from drugs and alcohol addiction. This is one of those ministries where I receive so much more than I give.  I’ve found that my pilgrimage has been richer because of these men.  They have taught me much more than I’ve taught them.

Unity within the body of Christ, racial reconciliation, and  community development within urban settings are currently  high on my list of interests.

My passion is coaching and mentoring others in new missional initiatives, church plants and kingdom adventures as I continue to learn what it means to simply follow Jesus and guide others along the same path.

I continue to anticipate God’s wonderful blessings on this pilgrimage with Him, my family, friends and neighbors.

MY CURRENT SIGNPOST ON THIS  JOURNEY

The Word became flesh and blood
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.

John 1:14 (The Message)