NorthStar Church Blog

 

⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

Philippians 2:8 (ESV)

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TO THE POINT OF DEATH

 

We sat in the parking lot at the end of a crushed-shell driveway. I felt nervous — like my first time at NorthStar. Two cars sat in front of a tiny cinderblock building. The sign had blown away in a previous hurricane.

As we went in, two things became apparent. First, we were the only white people there — not a surprise, given that the church was there to serve the local Bahamian population. But more surprising was how tiny it was. I mean, it was about the size of our small group. Our family of four almost doubled the congregation. There were a few fishermen, a doctor, and Mama June, who was the oldest woman in the town.

Later that day, Pastor Kirk and his wife invited us to their home. The entire house was a single room — for the two of them and their daughter — with no AC. Yet they had cooked us an enormous meal: barbecue chicken, peas and rice, mac and cheese, potato salad. They even sent us home with enough leftovers to last a week.

Kirk wanted to show my sons a large boa he had killed that morning. As we walked down the street, he told me that he was aware of how small the church was, but that as long as he was doing the will of God and being obedient, nothing else mattered. He asked me what my church was like back in Atlanta.

“Oh, well, it’s large. There’s a band with drums, and the pastor likes to talk about baseball a lot. I think we have around three thousand members.”

He stopped walking. “Three thousand?”

I stopped as well, worried I had offended him. But he smiled as my boys found the snake and said, “Praise God.”

As we work for the Lord, Christ Himself instructs us to stay humble. When I think of humility, the first person who comes to mind is Pastor Kirk. The size of your mission does not matter. Your reward in heaven does not have a per-person multiplier. The real question is this: Are you being obedient to the unique call Jesus has placed on your life?

And as you follow in obedience, I’d like to add one more thought: you follow an all-good God. If God calls you to the stands before the masses or to the trenches in the remote, His plan for you is good. Not easy. Not convenient. But when we follow our God, we’re following the anchor of goodness — and obedience to a good God is worth it every single time.

 

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Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.

 

 

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 

Philippians 2:2 (ESV)

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BEING OF ONE MIND

 

“Help!!”

The distinctive shriek of a twelve-year-old stopped me mid-sentence with my wife. I ran to the kitchen as my son desperately tried to open the glass door, but the doorknob wouldn’t turn. When I finally got it open, two fists came in — dripping with blood. My mind raced.

“I tried to open a coconut with a knife.”

I knew he needed stitches — and the only hospital was three hours away, on the opposite end of the island.

Eventually, he was bandaged up, and we were making the long drive home. My mind went back to those people in suits from yesterday. I had only packed T-shirts — not even a collared shirt — and one of our desires was to attend a church during our summer in Eleuthera. That was when I saw the bluest, prettiest water I had ever seen, and I pulled over.

We stood at the top of a cliff, marveling at the ocean, when I saw a man in a wide-brimmed fishing hat standing above a pool of water. I asked if he had caught anything, to which he raised a hand indicating “five.” My son and I scrambled down the rocks to the pool with five fish.

I began to talk to him — mostly about bait and fish species. And then I felt an uncomfortable question I knew I had to ask.

“Maybe you can help me. My family and I are here for the summer and wanted to attend a church. We forgot to pack nice clothes. Do you know somewhere we could go dressed like this?”

He looked at me curiously, as if I had said something strange.

“Yes, I know a place. Liberty Baptist Church.”

“Liberty Baptist Church? And I can go there dressed just like this?”

“Yes… in fact, I’ll invite you as my personal guest.”

“Wow. That would be fantastic. Thank you.”

He grinned and shook my hand. “My pleasure. By the way, I’m the pastor.”

You can show up to NorthStar wearing just about anything — I’ve even worn a UGA shirt and felt welcomed! But we could just as easily be wearing suits, and I think we’d get along much the same. What God seems to care about in His church isn’t necessarily what we wear but how we think and act. There isn’t one standard in Kennesaw and another when you’re away. It’s about “being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” On the same page, with the same love.

I am rarely an outsider when it comes to church. NorthStar has been home for me since 2008. But if I were back seeking — back as an unbeliever — the way I was treated on that rocky cliff would have gone a long way toward me choosing to enter any church’s doors. May we never forget what it feels like to be lost, so that others may one day never have to be.

 

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Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.

 

 

⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)

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EVERY KNEE WILL BOW

 

“We are lost.”

I struggled to maintain my lane on the Queen’s Highway — a right-handed vehicle on a left-handed road full of potholes. There was no internet, much to our surprise, to guide us to our rental on an island that stretched five hours from tip to tip.

“I found a map!”
“Great, what does it say?”
“Well… it’s plastic, and has a bunch of red flags with white stripes.”

I slowed down as we entered another small town. Local Bahamians, dressed in pressed suits and Sunday dresses, crossed from the turquoise Gulf to the deep-blue Atlantic side of the island. As I stopped to let them pass, I realized I didn’t just lack directions to our house — I lacked directions for much of anything here.

Before the trip, I had checked Google Maps. There were pins but no details — stores with no names, churches with no photos, reviews, or websites. It was different here.

We eventually found our way with nothing more than inaccurate VRBO directions and a plastic snorkel map — and we got a flavor of the island. Honking means “hello,” not what it means in Atlanta. Gas is almost always pumped for you, and $7.49 a gallon is a deal. There are two sides to the island: the Gulf side is white, warm, and shallow — think small yellowtail snapper. The Atlantic side is deep, cold, and dark blue — think huge blue marlin. And the dialect has certain unique features, like “three,” which I always heard as “tree.”

But one thing was the same: there were people at many churches, worshiping the same God I knew back home. Not everyone, but there were knees bowed to the name of Jesus.

As you embark on this new week, remember that all over the Earth, people are worshiping the same awesome God that you do. And more importantly, He is everywhere you go. No matter the cell service, God is always “full bars” wherever you are — and one day, every knee will bow to Him.

 

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Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.

 

 

“I thank my God in all my remeberance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of you partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ…And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,”

Philippians 1:3-6, 9 (NLT)

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THANKFUL FOR WHAT’S TO COME

 

As I began to grow more deeply curious about the things of faith and sought a deeper understanding of Scripture and its meaning in my life, I turned to pastors of note who could help simplify the complex things of God and make them digestible for my mind.

Recently, two of the men I grew to admire deeply have gone home to be with the Lord: John MacArthur and Voddie Baucham. My heart ached each time I read the news of their passing, but I immediately thought of how neither would want lament at such news—for they have gone to the very place we all seek to be!

Baucham even said exactly how he wanted people to respond to the news of his death in a message he once delivered:
“You are going to hear a rumor one day that Voddie Baucham is no more. Don’t you believe it! Don’t you believe it! Don’t you believe it—because though I die, I will rise with Christ. It will not be the end of me, because Christ is raised, and I too will be raised with Christ.”

I am thankful for the ministry and lives of these men. I am also thankful for NorthStar. For while men like Baucham and MacArthur helped guide a curious mind, it has been people like Mike Linch who have walked with me in other ways.

This past Friday, October 3, would’ve been my daughter Roselyn’s 12th birthday. Our firstborn, she was diagnosed late in the pregnancy with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia and lived for 22 days, all under the care of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The night she passed was the hardest day of my life. As Deanna and I left the hospital, my phone rang—it was Mike Linch. We spoke briefly, but the phrase he said that I will never forget was: “You aren’t going to go through this alone.”

Those words proved true. As a grateful member of this congregation, I can say they have helped shape the last 12 years in so many positive ways for us. Today we have two healthy boys, and both are so excited about the future opportunities that await with the changes on our church campus.

So let us give thanks for all the new and exciting opportunities ahead, and pray for our church leaders as they aim to grow our influence in the community. We are thankful for all God has done, and we wait in eager anticipation for all He will do!

 

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Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

 

 

“I thank my God in all my remeberance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of you partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ…And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,”

Philippians 1:3-6, 9 (NLT)

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DISAPPOINTMENTS HAVE TO BE

 

I have a wide range of musical interests. I originally started playing the bass guitar when I was 15 years old because my buddies and I were going to be rock stars. I still have a penchant for loud and fast music, but over time I developed an array of other interests including folk, country, jazz, funk—you name it.

I love to listen to the music itself, always gauging how I might approach playing the bass to a song, often paying less attention to the lyrics. In the early 2000s, I discovered a band called The Avett Brothers that writes beautiful music—but even better lyrics. Their down-to-earth yet poetic approach forced me to truly hear the words.

They have one song called “Living of Love” where they sing about all aspects of love, and even about the importance of love in the uncertainties of life. One of the verses goes like this:

Say, yes, we live uncertainty, and disappointments have to be
And every day, we might be facing more
And, yes, we live in desperate times, with faded words and shaky rhymes
There’s only one thing worth hoping for
With Lucifer beneath you, and God above, if either one of them asks you what you’re living of,
Say Love. Say, for me, Love.

We all experience disappointments in life, and in those moments it is harder to be grateful for the things we do have. Sometimes we get unpleasant or scary news from a doctor, or we find out our position has been eliminated, or we face any number of trials in a given day. Perhaps in those moments we can shift our thoughts toward love and gratitude, remembering the things we have before us because of God.

We read the beginning of Philippians this past Sunday, where the apostle Paul demonstrates how to be gracious from a prison cell, facing tremendous uncertainty about his earthly future. In chapter 4, Paul famously says:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:4–7)

The key for the Christian is the persistent discipline of remembering our loving Creator and seeking His guidance above all else. Paul exemplifies courageous faith in the face of danger, writing: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

So yes, disappointments have to be. But don’t forget where your help comes from in your times of need.

 

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Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

 

 

“I thank my God in all my remeberance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of you partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ…And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,”

Philippians 1:3-6, 9 (NLT)

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LETTER 310

 

Rayner Unwin was an English publisher, serving as the chairman of the publishing company George Allen & Unwin, founded by his father, Sir Stanley Unwin.

In 1936, the company was considering a manuscript written for a youthful audience. The senior Unwin believed in allowing children to read manuscripts before agreeing to publish them, as a way to gauge their potential for success. In this instance, he decided that his 10-year-old son Rayner was the man for the job and asked him to read it.

This manuscript in particular was from an unknown author, but Rayner immediately fell in love with it. In his written review to his father, Rayner highlighted the mythical landscape built by the author—featuring goblins, dragons, and wizards—saying, “With the help of maps, this book needs no illustrations and should appeal to all children aged 5 to 9.”

So, with the encouragement of his son, Stanley published the book, titled The Hobbit, which became a success and brought author J. R. R. Tolkien his first major recognition. Tolkien and the younger Unwin went on to develop a unique friendship, with Rayner eventually becoming a primary source of feedback for Tolkien’s later series, The Lord of the Rings.

Years later, Rayner, now the chairman of the company, had a daughter named Camilla who came home with an interesting school assignment. She ended up writing a letter to her father’s friend, Tolkien, seeking an answer to the question: “What is the purpose of life?”

A weighty question for anyone to answer, Tolkien took his time to respond to young Camilla but ultimately produced a beautifully written letter, known as “Letter 310” in the published Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, which highlights his correspondence with various people over the years. In that response, Tolkien posed deeply rich philosophical ideas around God and expressed his belief that true purpose can only exist through faith in Him.

Tolkien then wrote:
“So it may be said that the chief purpose of life, for any one of us, is to increase, according to our capacity, our knowledge of God by all means we have, and to be moved by it to praise and thanks.”

We discussed thankfulness on different levels this past Sunday, and according to the famed author, our purpose for living is to be in constant praise and worship of our Creator, devoting everything we have to showing praise and thanks. What a beautifully humbling sentiment!

We each have much to be thankful for, so let us show it in praise to the only One worthy of it—making it our chief purpose today.

 

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Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

 

 

“I thank my God in all my remeberance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of you partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ…And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,”

Philippians 1:3-6, 9 (NLT)

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INTENTIONAL THANKS

 

You might not know it from the persistent Southern heat, but fall is upon us—college football, pumpkin-spiced everything, chili—all the things that come with it. It also means Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

Thanksgiving is a day in modern times when Americans come together to celebrate the majesty of football and turkey, two things you probably immediately thought of when considering the holiday. It also gives us an opportunity to settle down and intentionally reposition our thoughts to be grateful for the blessings we have, and to reflect on them with thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving has its roots in colonial feasts in Plymouth, and it is mentioned by George Washington, yet it did not become an official U.S. holiday until 1863, in the throes of the Civil War.

In addition to the emotional and political tumult of the war, it robbed our nation of over 620,000 souls. Those lives were lost on battlefields all over our country, including some just down the road from our church at Kennesaw Mountain.

President Abraham Lincoln was known for his oratory prowess and ability to remain thoughtful and humble even amidst the most dire of circumstances. It was Lincoln, at the urging of editor and author Sarah Josepha Hale, who sought to make the day a permanent mainstay for the country. He did so hoping to encourage a measure of unity in a war-torn nation ravaged by battle.

In the middle of a relentlessly bloody war, our 16th president believed that intentional thankfulness could be a unifying force.

This past Sunday, we discussed Philippians and focused on different aspects of thankfulness. The letter was written by the apostle Paul, a man who—like Lincoln—was intimately familiar with pain and suffering. In fact, the letter was written while he was in a Roman jail cell.

The apostle expresses thanks to the people of Philippi amidst his suffering, setting a clear example for us to follow. If our focus is on Jesus Christ and we have a gracious heart, then we can be nothing short of thankful for every breath that fills our lungs.

Paul goes on to say in verses 12–13:
“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”

In the midst of great trial, Paul helps us refocus on what matters most—doing all we do for Christ, even when imprisoned. So, whether today you face joyous sunshine or a perilous storm, do so with a grateful heart, remembering that all we do is for Christ!

 

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Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

 

 

“I thank my God in all my remeberance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of you partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ…And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,”

Philippians 1:3-6, 9 (NLT)

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GRATEFULLY LOOKING AHEAD

 

Truly great athletes often have an aspirational drive that is baffling to regular people. People like Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and Kobe Bryant all had an insatiable drive to be the best.

In addition to winning countless games and championships, players like this also eventually get selected to the Hall of Fame in their respective sports. I used to love watching the videos of former NFL Hall of Fame CEO David Baker when he would “knock on the door” of former players over Super Bowl weekend. That knock would set off an eruption of joy from those inside as they knew good news was coming.

Baker would address the players in an interesting way—by thanking them not only for all they had done for the game but also for all they were going to do—before officially welcoming them to the Hall of Fame. I always liked the idea behind this: while your achievements up to this point led you here, there is still work to be done now that you are here.

This past Sunday, we got to celebrate as a church family our renovations. The upgrades to the Compass building and the new additions are an answered prayer for many and provide us as a church family with an incredible opportunity to grow NorthStar’s impact and reach in the community.

It would, of course, be appropriate to overflow with gratitude and joy, marveling at what God has done for us! Famed pastor and theologian Charles Spurgeon once put it like this:

“Has the Lord been gracious to you and inclined His ear to the voice of your prayer? Then thank Him as long as you live. Let the ripe fruit fall upon the fertile soil from which it drew its life. Do not fail to sing in praise of Him who has answered your prayer and has given you the desire of your heart.”

So yes, we should be glad! But in the spirit of David Baker, we have reached a wonderful moment—with more work yet to do. So, absorb this welcome-home party and be grateful for how far the Lord has brought us and all He has accomplished. But as you think and pray about this new physical footprint, be hopeful and intentional about asking the Lord to increase and grow His spiritual footprint in our community!

 

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Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

 

 

19 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. 20 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 21 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. 22 When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) 27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

Acts 11:19-30

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WE NEED EACH OTHER

 

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Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

 

19 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. 20 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 21 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. 22 When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) 27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

Acts 11:19-30

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ARE YOU LIVING ON MISSION?

 

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Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!