I moved to Chanhassen with my family in 1995 to start Westwood Church. Previous to Westwood, I served on staff for 15 years at Wooddale Church where I helped to oversee the strategic plan for starting new churches. In August of 1994, I was invited to lead the new church to be started in Chanhassen. At first I declined. But one weekend that fall my wife, Keri, and I drove through Chanhassen and were struck by the expansive growth in the area and the lack of churches to serve the community. We saw a need for more churches and an opportunity to reach many people with the love of Jesus Christ. More importantly, we had a personal, spiritual experience that cannot be put into words but served as an affirmation that this is what we were to do.
We set aside any concerns we had and let God move us in a chapter of life that has been profoundly challenging and meaningful. We agreed to move forward in faith and start the church that would become Westwood Community Church. In January, 1995, a simple plan was written, a purpose statement was fashioned, and our vision was clarified and communicated to anyone interested in hearing. Since then, we have learned a great deal. We have seen many people come to Christ. We have seen the Church grow beyond our expectations. There is real joy expressed as we meet together.
My primary responsibilities are leadership and preaching. I am surrounded by a cast of gifted staff and lay leadership who serve with a high level of commitment and excellence, who want to give their best to God. I graduated from Bethel Seminary in 1986 and completed a Doctor of Ministry degree at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, CA in 1999. Keri and I anticipate a future for Westwood that will increase the reputation of Jesus Christ in this area and around the world.
