When introducing myself I sometimes like to tell people I am an All-American, but what I mean doesn't have anything to do with sports. I've spent about half of my life in North America and the rest of it in Central and South America, so I've lived in all three Americas. I was a missionary kid in southern Peru and then I returned to the same place as a missionary after getting some preparation at George Fox University and Azusa Pacific University's Haggard School of Theology. The Central America part of my life was time I spent in San Jose, Costa Rica, for language study.

With our three children—Forrest, Rebekah, and William—my wife, Tami, and I returned to the United States in June of 2002 after 15 years of missionary service. We live in Newberg, Oregon. I pastor Tigard Community Friends Church. I also serve on the Evangelical Friends Mission Board and clerk the Board of Global Outreach for Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends. My recent travels have included visits to Mexico, Russia, and North Africa.