About the Pastor...
I graduated from East Kentwood High School in 1972, and from Oregon Bible College in 1976.  He has served churches in Front Royal Virginia (Associate Pastor & Youth Leader in two churches simultaneously) from 1976-1978; Little Rock Arkansas from 1978 to 1984, Baton Rouge Louisiana from 1984 to 1991, Macomb Illinois from 1991 to 1994 and Southlawn Church of God in Wyoming since 1994.
I chose to get out of the Pastoral Ministry when I resigned at Baton Rouge, and went back to college  (Western Illinois University) while serving the church at Macomb Illinois.  Although I took classes focusing on Graphic Arts and Design Layout and intended to get into desk-top publishing with a goal of starting my own business, the door opened up to purchase an established business - Woodchip Campground in Byron Center.  It was intention to be able to support myself so that I could do ministry as God led, without the stresses of having to fulfill all the expectations of a paid pastor. 
Oddly enough, I was only out of the Pastoral Ministry for 4 weeks, as doors opened to work with the Southlawn Church of God which was without a Pastor, and had endured a very damaging loss of members.  What I (we) found was that with an outside job (the campground) almost all the "dynamics" of pastoring changed.  Which is the only way I could still be pastoring the same church 25 years later!  The campground gets most of my time and effort, but my passion in life is sharing my beliefs.  If you read the Christmas message on our homepage you'll quickly see what I am referring to. 
Hobbies are playing guitar (and collecting), cars (driving and modifying) and basketball (struggling to compete with guys 25-45 years younger than me!) . 
Claim to fame is family: my beautiful wife of 42 years (!), 3 children and their wonderful spouses, and eleven grandchildren, all living in the Grand Rapids area.