I grew up in a Christian home hearing the gospel and had an understanding of salvation through Christ and not through works at a pretty young age. I stayed plugged in and never strayed too far, but it wasn’t until I got deeply involved with The Salt Company in Cedar Falls during my second year of college that my faith started to become less about me. Salt Company took the understanding I had about the Bible and transformed it to a love for God and a love for others.

Stephen Jones, the Cedar Falls Salt Company director, was a huge part of my walk with Christ. He recommended the residency program, knowing that I wanted to work in full time vocational ministry.

Something interesting about me is that I am a sponsored disc golfer.

I grew up in a loving Christian home but I didn’t begin to follow Jesus until shortly after my Dad passed away suddenly in 2012. In a drastic way, my world was flipped upside down but God used this time to grab ahold of me and help me understand that I was made by God, for God. For the first time in my life, I was awakened to the reality of my sin and the grace of Jesus. God placed people in my life to disciple me and point me to the truths that I had known in my head but had finally become a reality ruling in my heart by God’s grace alone!

I attended Veritas Cedar Rapids' first service on Easter Sunday 2013 in the Chrome Horse. However, I did not land here as my home church until early 2014, after God used a gentle rebuke from a man I respected who encouraged me to land somewhere in community at a local church. After plugging in at Veritas I began to feel called into ministry and God opened up an opportunity to start our Student Ministry. I regularly thank God for guiding Jake, Ryan, and our elder team at the time in allowing me this chance to step out in faith.

I began full-time vocational ministry at Veritas in 2015, just a few days after I married my best friend Kirstin. We now have three boys and we all enjoy a lot of family time together. After six years in Student Ministry, I was given the opportunity to forge a new path in the areas of Equipping and Sending at Veritas and I am grateful for this adventure that I get to be on with our church family! I did not attend a Bible college or seminary prior to joining our staff team. I am thankful, however, that I was able to earn my Masters of Theological Studies through Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary by way of what is now known as the Veritas School of Theology - one of the areas where I get to help people in our church grow in their theological understanding and practical following of Jesus. 

I enjoy a wide variety of things and activities like spending time with my family, cars, home improvement, Ask Pastor John, and personal finance. 

I became a follower of Christ in 2019 during a mission trip to Ukraine. A few months later I started my freshman year at Iowa State where I was introduced to The Salt Company and Cornerstone Church. My faith and understanding of the Gospel grew a lot under the leadership of college staff, and I feel extremely blessed to have been placed in a location so saturated in the Gospel early on in my faith. It was through a college friend that I heard about the opportunity to work at Veritas!

I love traveling and adopting new hobbies. I have a degree in Art and Culture studies, which has made me appreciate the representation of different cultures through art, but ironically I couldn't tell you any factual information about any art piece lol. In my spare time I like to read, go on walks, and be outside!

I grew up in North Dakota in a Christian home. I am the third of five kids. As a kid, I loved sports, music, reading, and just being outside. I was a part of a church in Grand Forks, ND from the time I could remember. I knew a lot about God and his character but I didn't truly understand the gospel and why it would matter to a kid in a small town. Once I reached middle school, I got involved in the youth group at our church. I made friends and had a lot of fun but still didn't get it. I pursued love, acceptance, and fulfillment in all the wrong places.

As a junior in high school, I went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. In the weeks leading up to the trip, the trip itself, and the re-entry into normal life, I heard the gospel clearly preached and saw it lived out. During this time, I saw that my life did not line up with the gospel. I said I believed one thing and lived differently. I saw my need for a Savior outside of myself. I couldn't do enough good things in front of the right people to be liked. After I believed and was baptized, I attended college at Bethlehem College in Minneapolis. I got connected with Veritas and Salt Company after my junior year of college and have loved to continue to grow and be shaped by this community.

Since coming to know Jesus, I have seen God at work in so many ways in my life. He has drawn me away from countless sins and into his grace. He has given me greater patience and love for those around me. May the rest of my life be lived for his glory.

I love to read, cycle, be outside, hike, run, and drink coffee. I also LOVE my black lab, Selah.

I grew up with parents taking us to church every Sunday and serving wherever needed. Unfortunately, during the week, my home life didn’t reflect any kind of faith other than a recited prayer before meals. Through God’s protection and care, I surrounded myself with friends who encouraged me to do the “right” things and were confident in their faith. I also was involved with a church and other Christian programs on the UNI campus.

During my sophomore year of college, my family went through a hard time, and I felt like my whole world was crashing down around me. I knew there had to be more to life than living a “perfect” life or always doing what was expected of me. I had a feeling deep down that I was missing something, looking for something to save me or protect me. After reaching out to friends for help, I got introduced to my now husband, Mark. Shortly after we started dating, Mark asked if we could do a Bible study together. I remember thinking he was crazy. Reading the Bible together when we weren’t at church? Who does that? Little did I know my life was about to change completely. We started our study with Mark asking me questions. I remember not knowing how to answer the questions and feeling completely foolish. He stopped and thought for a few minutes then said, “Let's look at Romans Road.” We worked our way through Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10-18, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9, and Romans 10:13. After praying with Mark that night, I felt relieved, whole, and unexplainable joy and peace. I’m grateful God opened my eyes to see who He is and who I am in Him and that my husband, Mark, was the one to show me my need for Jesus.

In the fall of 2020, we decided to check out Veritas Youth Group because we had known Ian Crosby for a long time. We loved how the staff and leaders loved and cared for our son Asher. Asher was able to serve with tech on Wednesday nights and got to know a lot of godly people. Through our interactions with different staff and members of Veritas, we saw how the people of Veritas served the community well and showed Jesus freely to everyone. We started attending Sunday gatherings in 2021 as a family and have grown in our faith through the teaching, worship, and fellowship here at Veritas. 

Our family loves to travel! We have a goal of being in all 50 states and seeing as many of the capital buildings as possible. Spending time together as a family is one of our favorite things. It doesn’t matter if we are watching the Iowa Hawkeyes play football or basketball, playing games, watching musicals or plays, or driving across the country. We are happiest if we are together. I love cooking, car rides, coffee shops, and caring for people. One thing I desire to do is read more books.

I am so grateful that I can't remember not knowing who Jesus was or hearing truths about the Bible. I grew up the oldest in a family of two girls. My dad served as a pastor for most of my growing up years. It was a wonderful way to grow up. But somewhere in those years, I became the classic story of a girl who lived to please people, to follow the rules, and to work very hard to make sure I was seen that way by those around me. It was an exhausting way to live, and yet I continued to do so well into my adult years. I remember reaching a place in my early years of raising children where I just couldn't do it all in my own strength anymore. Realizing that brought about a kind of despair I had never felt in my life before. It was truly a fork in the road for me as a believer, wrestling with what I really believed about God and how much I really believed God. God in his goodness and faithfulness led me to take a class in which my eyes were opened to the truth that in addition to being saved from all my sins, God has also put me “in Christ.” Because of Jesus’ great sacrifice, I was given the gift of putting on his righteousness instead of depending on my own. The gospel truly became good news to me in a brand new way. A weight was lifted and the freedom I experienced is hard to describe. My obedience to him brought a new kind of joy. I had a greater desire to please him, over people. The things that were important to me began to change. Best of all, none of it depended on me. I could rest in Him to do the work and to be faithful to finish what he started in me.

After attending a church in a different city for many years prior to visiting Veritas, it was time to find a church that was local and that we could serve as a family. We had some trusted friends who were already a part of Veritas and decided to visit. It felt like home right away. We connected immediately with the verse by verse teaching, the culture of discipleship, and great value put on glorifying God in all things.

I was born in Texas but have lived most of my life in Iowa. I married my high school sweetheart, Jim, after graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in Elementary Education. We have five children: Andersen, Reid, Grace, Griffin, and Brooks. I enjoy running, reading, coffee, sunshine, and spending time with friends/family. A “perfect” day would include all of the above! I am so grateful for God’s grace, for his Word, and for his Holy Spirit. I count it such a gift to walk alongside the women of Veritas Church, prizing God and pursuing Jesus together.

I was born and raised in the midwest - spending some time in Illinois and Indiana before my family settled in Indianola, Iowa. I'm very thankful to have grown up with Christian parents who prioritized being active in the church. I remember learning about Jesus at church and from my parents at an early age. I have always struggled with wanting to be good enough for others and measure up to expectations. When I was six, I came to understand that I wasn't good enough and I couldn't measure up and that on my own, I would never be good enough for God. But the good news is that Jesus was good enough and that he made a way for me to be made right with God.

As I went through middle school and high school, I continued to grow in my faith. My junior year of high school, I started serving in our middle school ministry as a small group leader for 6th grade boys. It was through serving there, having multiple conversations with my youth pastor, and a few other experiences, God confirmed my desire to go into full time ministry. I went down to Dallas, Texas to attend Dallas Baptist University and started interning at a church where I would end up working at for the next 6 years. 

In 2014, while in Dallas, a Texas native - Morgan - helped me learn how to country dance and we got married 17 months later. In June of 2018 we moved up to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to work at Veritas. We've since added four kids to our family. 

After missing Texas BBQ for a few years, I have started trying to perfect my own backyard BBQ. When I'm not with the family, you may also see me trying to perfect the world's worst golf swing.

I was born and raised in Mason City, IA by two loving and Christlike parents, and have four siblings, two older and two younger. I accepted Christ as my savior when I was a small child. When I was young, my dad became a pastor at Grace Evangelical Free Church in Mason City IA, a church family that he and my mom have been a part of ever since. 

Although I was saved at a young age, the gospel became tangible to me in late middle school. Even though my parents always made sure I knew that they were proud of me and that I didn’t have to do anything to earn favor with them or with God, I have always struggled with a heart that tries to ‘earn’ everything in life, including the love of my family and God himself. As I got older, however, I became more and more aware of my inability to earn God’s grace and cleanse myself from the sins I knew I struggled with. In late middle school, I discovered two verses that changed my life: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result works, that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). God used these verses to work the gospel grace of God into my stubborn heart. It was freedom beyond explanation to know that because of Christ’s perfect life, death, and resurrection I am justified in God’s sight, even of my deepest sins and mistakes. 

Since then God has slowly worked his sanctifying grace in my life through his Spirit and gave me a passion for ministry, so that others could know the grace and freedom I experienced in Christ. After graduating High School I attended Moody Bible Institute where I received a B.A. in Biblical Studies with Music Emphasis, married my wonderful wife Selena, and moved to Coralville IA, where we are currently living. I am incredibly excited to be serving at Veritas Church, and for all that God will continue to teach me here as I learn how to become a better minister of the gospel of Christ! 

Reading is my absolute favorite hobby! I believe that God has so much to teach his church through the many men and women who have come before us and have walked the Christian life faithfully. The books that have had the deepest impact on my life are What is Reformed Theology by R.C. Sproul, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman, Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund, The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Perlelandraby C.S. Lewis.

I also enjoy going on hikes with my wife, watching great films, and playing games with friends. 

God called me to himself at a summer camp before my freshman year of high school. He impressed on me that I was not good enough, that I could never be good enough, and that he loved me and I needed to depend on him. I began doing tech for my student ministry that same summer. Fast forward to college, I was attending The Salt Company at Cornerstone in Ames. Through The Salt Company my relationship with Jesus grew significantly. When it was announced that they were planting a church at the University of Iowa, I wasn’t interested at all. I thought it was great, but I had a scholarship that I would lose if I transferred. There was going to be an informational meeting about it coming up before Salt one night. That night, I was sitting in my dorm room with nothing to do before Salt, and God impressed on me the interest to go to the meeting. At the meeting. Mark and Clint mentioned that they needed production techs. I felt like that was God telling me that I needed to go, that I didn’t have a choice. I decided to help plant Veritas Iowa City that night. That decision has directly led to where I am now. In Iowa City, I finished my degree, and met (and married) my wife, Liz. God is constantly reminding me that I am unable to depend on myself, and that I need to lean on Him.

When Veritas Iowa City started talking about planting a service in Cedar Rapids, my wife and I felt like God was calling us there. We commuted to Veritas Cedar Rapids for a few years before I was able to find a job in the area, then a couple more years before we were able to finally move here. We’ve loved being a part of the Veritas family, and being able to raise our four kids here.

I’m a huge nerd. In my free time, I enjoy superhero movies, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and video games. I also enjoy baking, building things, and being with my family.

I was the second baby born to my parents within one year. God blessed me, along with my older and younger sisters, with parents who loved God and shared the gospel with us. I grew up in western Michigan, which was flush with Christian churches. We attended the Christian Reformed Church where our family served regularly. I thought everyone knew Jesus, and missionaries were for far away places. God worked in me to understand others nearby need to hear the stories I knew and loved from the Bible. Since then I have felt a burden to share the gospel with my neighbor. I married Bill DeJong in 1981. We have 3 grown daughters, a nurse, a food service manager, and an occupational therapist. We also have 3 young granddaughters. Bill and I enjoyed serving many years in youth ministry. God has guided us through several relocations over our years of marriage. We lived in Tucson, AZ, Tinley Park, IL, Eldora, IA, and now we live in Lisbon, IA. 

When our youngest daughter was in high school I went back to college at Liberty University to complete my bachelors degree in Psychology/Crisis Counseling with a minor in Christian Counseling. I worked in hospice for over 6 years as a Bereavement Program Coordinator/Grief Counselor before joining the terrific staff at Veritas Cedar Rapids in December, 2021. The Bible is my favorite book; however, some other books I love are The Gift of Being Yourself, and Everyday Church. When I have free time I love to hike, bike, bake, garden, can produce, go to the beach, play with and read to grandkids/grandfriends, and spend time with family and friends. Some favorite places I like to visit are beaches in western Michigan, Tucson, Georgia, and anywhere there are mountains. I love music and We the Kingdom and the Doobie Brothers are a couple of my favorite bands.

I’m an Iowa kid who grew up in a great home. Both my parents were public school teachers and taught my brother and I the importance of family, character, and work ethic. Around middle school my parents led our family to start attending a church that taught the Bible, and that really fostered a genuine love for God. It was through that ministry that I grew to really understand the gospel and became more excited about a life fully committed to God. Out of high School I received a scholarship to play football at Arizona State University. It was a boyhood dream, however during that time God’s call on my life to go into full time ministry became stronger than my desire to play football. After my sophomore year, I transferred to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago to pursue being a Pastor. That journey has led me to different pastoral roles in Marathon Wi, Manchester IA, Gilbert AZ, and now Cedar Rapids IA. I joined Veritas in January of 2014, and it is such a joy to be a part of this church family.   

Serving God as a pastor has been an amazing privilege. I have gotten a front row seat to God’s work in so many people’s lives. I love teaching the Bible. The gospel is the greatest news ever. I love the local church. There is nothing like a group of people united in Christ and on mission together.  

So intertwined with my ministry is my family. I married the pastor's daughter, my high school sweetheart and best friend Marcy, and she has served alongside me in so many different ways, none greater than being an amazing wife and an incredible mom to our three kids, Moses, Johnnie, and Rudy. I love hanging out with my family, which now includes our daughter-in-law Stacey and grandson Obadiah. On top of that the passions of my life are all things BBQ, and time fishing and camping with good friends in the boundary waters.

My hope is to help lead a group of people that are deeply in love with God, each other, and fully embrace the adventure of living for God’s glory, showing the world that fullness of joy is found in Jesus.

I am very thankful to say that I can’t remember my life before knowing Jesus. I grew up in a Christian home with my dad, mom, and four siblings. We faithfully attended church every Sunday and were involved in Sunday School, volunteering, and many other church events. I accepted Jesus at the age of four while sitting on my mom’s lap. I was confused about how Jesus could get into my heart without a door, but I wanted to know Him nonetheless. I was later baptized and have been walking the road of sanctification ever since. 

A life of following Jesus comes with hills and valleys, and I have walked through both. In high school, I started attending Veritas Students with a friend and began to build a strong community with God-loving people. In 2019, my family experienced a deep, deep loss that left us completely heartbroken. In those difficult times, we clung to the hope we have in Jesus. Much of the encouragement and support I received came from my Veritas Church family. I am so thankful to have had a group of people who loved me and loved Jesus during that season of grief. Without Jesus, I truly don’t know where I’d be.

I am a triplet (brother and sister—we’re not identical), have broken over 10 bones, love everything sports, and am 99% extroverted (so please come strike up a conversation with me!). I attended Iowa State University and majored in Event Management with an emphasis on wedding and non-profit planning. While there, I connected with Cornerstone Church, attended Salt Company, and continued to grow in my faith. In 2025, I moved back to good ol’ Cedar Rapids with my husband, Moses, and our son, Obi. God has been so faithful to me and my family, providing exactly what we need each and every day. All glory be to Him.

Growing up, I attended a parochial school and went to mass every Saturday with my family. I knew many of the truths of the Bible, however, Jesus was not the Lord of my life and I did not have a personal relationship with him. I learned more about what a relationship with Jesus looked like as I attended a non-denominational church during college. After finishing college, I married my high school sweetheart and we moved to Kansas. We attended a great church in Kansas, but it wasn’t until I was watching a Billy Graham Crusade on TV that the truth of the Gospel finally made sense to me. It was at that time that I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  

After a few moves across the country, we came to Cedar Rapids where I was able to stay home and homeschool our three boys. I started working at Veritas in January of 2019. Our three boys are married and we have one granddaughter.

While I love hiking in the mountains, a trip to the beach would always be my preferred vacation. I love to read, hike, bike and spend time with family and friends.

I was incredibly blessed to be raised by two parents who know, love, and follow Jesus. As a result, I was brought up close to the Church, soaking in the stories of God and his people through the Bible. As I grew older, this air I breathed began to become less traditional to me and more personal. As I became an upperclassman in high school and went off to college, Jesus stirred many things in my heart and my life and called me to follow him. Through that time, Jesus transformed my life and gave me a new identity. My slow-ignition story of coming to know Jesus has become to me a unique blessing because of the distinct way he has transformed my life. I don’t have a specific moment to look back on, but rather a small lifetime of memories and ways I have seen Jesus completely turn my life upside-down.

A huge part of that lifetime story has been Veritas Church. After I graduated high school, God brought me to be a counselor at a Christian camp for a week. Through that experience, I felt pulled hard by Jesus to find deep community to follow him in. I had heard about The Salt Company from some former classmates, and a few friends and I began to attend. Over the next two years, Jesus radically re-shaped my life through Veritas and The Salt Company. After two more years of school out of state, I graduated from Calvin University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, returning to Iowa in the summer of 2023 when I was brought on staff with Veritas. By God’s provision, I get the honor and privilege of serving this church family that has for so long served and loved me.

I am a proud husband to my incredible wife, Skylar, and we enjoy life with our pet raptor (Australian Shepherd), Jersey. I have (too) many hobbies including disc golf, guitar, Spikeball, films, and more. In all these things, being with people I love is most important.

I grew up in Cedar Rapids with great parents who faithfully preached the gospel to me. However, I struggled desperately with trying to earn love and approval from others, including God. I thought if I could do enough right things Christ would love me. The Holy Spirit opened my eyes at a young age to the beauty of the gospel. I realized that I am a sinner and I can’t ever earn God’s love, yet He is full of grace and freely lavishes His love on me no matter what I do. Since then, I have found so much freedom in not having to live out of a posture of impressing, but out of a posture of resting in the Lord’s grace. 

I went to the University of Iowa and attended The Salt Company there. After I graduated in 2020, I joined staff as a Worship Leader at Veritas Church in Tiffin. I loved my time there, but in the summer of 2023, I was asked if I would consider the worship leader role at Veritas Church Cedar Rapids. After praying about it a lot, my wife and I felt the Lord calling us to Cedar Rapids, and we couldn’t be more excited! 

I can play the cello, piano, drums, guitar, and bass. I love the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears (which has taught me endurance through suffering), and love spending time doing anything with my amazing wife Emma!

I grew up in Toddville, Iowa, going to church with my family in Cedar Rapids. Ever since I was little I knew who Jesus was and could have told you that Jesus died for my sins, but it had meant nothing to me and never changed the way I lived my life. I was pursuing the things of this world while calling myself a Christian because that is what the culture around me did. Throughout high school, I found my identity and worth in relationships and in the extracurricular activities I was involved in. During the fall of my senior year of high school, the things I deeply idolized and worshiped were stripped away from me, and I was left feeling broken, worthless, and without purpose. One of my friends from high school brought me to Veritas during this time. She had an older sister that was a Salt Company leader in Ames at Cornerstone Church, so when her sister would come home she would go to Veritas with her. While going to Veritas and through my friend, I heard the gospel loud and clear. I actually wasn’t created to pursue the world, but I was created to be reunited with God through the blood of Jesus.

I graduated from Iowa State with a degree in Event Management in the spring of 2024 and jumped on staff here at Veritas. It has been an incredibly full-circle moment for me to be on staff at the church where I first heard the gospel.  

A few of my favorite things include: 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, lifting weights, going to bed before 9pm, tending to flowers or house plants, reading, thunderstorms, my Australian Shepherd Ollie, rewatching The Office, being nostalgic, and getting to hang out with my friends from college. Also, a fun fact is that my minor in college was beverage management, so I know a lot of random information about different beverages! 

I'm an only child and have lived in Cedar Rapids my entire life. I grew up going to church with my family and attended Christian school from first grade until high school graduation. During this time, I encountered the gospel and gave my life to Christ in second grade. My middle and high school years were marked by a works-based mentality and seeking to please God and others from this motivation. 

During my college years, I came to Salt Company, and the Lord challenged my works-based way of living and showed me how to have a deep intentional relationship with him. 

During my time at Salt Company, I also came to understand what community looks like and how to confess sins to one another. After graduating from college in May 2019, I worked as a nurse and was able to join and then eventually co-lead a connection group. Again, through community, the Lord drew me closer to him, and I learned steady rhythms of how to pursue God wholeheartedly. As of July 2022, I began working for Salt Company and have been overjoyed at getting to love and encourage college students in their relationship with God in the same way I was loved and encouraged during my time in Salt. God is proving Himself faithful in many ways in my relationship with him and the lives of college students here in Cedar Rapids.

I love to travel to places near and far. I've primarily traveled to the Midwest States. However, I have also had the privilege of traveling to East Asia and to Mexico. I really enjoy thrifting, doing yoga, and cooking new recipes for myself and my friends!

I am from Cedar Falls, Iowa, and went to the University of Iowa (molecular biology). I joined the Veritas staff team in 2022 after being on staff at another Salt Network church (Candeo) since 2015.

I grew up in a great home and was involved in church, and youth group as a child. I heard the gospel many times but God finally opened my eyes to its reality and my need for saving grace when I was in high school.

My wife (Emily) and I were high school sweethearts and now we have five kids (Madi, Eliott, Taylor, Lyla, and Ethan). We enjoy sports and the outdoors as a family, as well as trying to make normal and mundane activities fun.

I like the outdoors (hunting, fishing, camping) and making memories with my family. I enjoy spending time both in big cities (NYC, Chicago, etc) and in the middle of nowhere (the mountains, Boundary Waters, etc). I think the book that had the biggest impact on me (other than the Bible) was John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life. I read that in college and knew I wanted to live an intentional life that regularly proclaimed and displayed the gospel.

Growing up in a church-going home in a small town, in northwest Iowa, it was assumed that everybody was a "Christian." I had heard about Jesus, knew the Bible stories, and understood what sin was. This gave me the false assumption that I, too, was a Christian. Throughout my younger years, I struggled with the concepts of acceptance and belonging. I wanted to belong, therefore I ultimately tried becoming all things to all people. I wanted to be the star athlete, the straight-A student, the class clown, the life of the party, and also the beloved youngest child. Clearly, my life was a twisted mess of contradictory chaos, as I was searching for my acceptance and belonging in all the wrong places. During my junior year of college (2013) at Iowa State University, the Gospel of Christ became beautiful to me at a Wednesday night worship and prayer gathering. For the first time in my life, I had ears to hear that my acceptance and belonging were purchased by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. It was no longer about my measuring up, but rather, about Christ's finished work on my behalf. I found great freedom in the Gospel, setting me free from the bondage of my sin and shame. Though people-pleasing is still a temptation of mine to this very day, I cling to the promise that my life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). All praise, glory, and honor be to Him!

My beautiful wife, Ellie, and I have been married since May 2017. After spending our first two years of marriage at Candeo Church in Cedar Falls, we moved to Cedar Rapids in July 2019, after Ellie had graduated from UNI and I began my career in vocational ministry. She has been working in corporate wellness at Health Solutions, which is right next to Veritas. Our time in Cedar Rapids has been characterized by tremendous growth and great joy. In October 2021, we were blessed to adopt our two boys, Blaze and Leo, who have shown us a bigger and more beautiful picture of the gospel. What love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God!

In regards to hobbies, I love spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, watching or participating in sports, reading good books, and laughing. I also love traveling and eating good food, which are clearly connected. In the words of Jim Gaffigan, "In the end, that's what most vacations are — just you eating in a place you've never been."

I grew up going to church and knew the Bible stories. I had many people in my life who cared for me. Despite these things, the church was something I did, not something that made an impact in my everyday life. When I was 17, I was confronted with being fake and putting on a show by my youth pastor. I was mad and bitter, but after many days and weeks, I knew it was because he was right. I started following Jesus and actually living out what I already knew. After graduating from Bible college I got married in 2009 and worked many jobs over the course of 3-4 years. I eventually landed back in Iowa working with people with disabilities which led to me getting a job in Cedar Rapids in 2015. We only looked at two churches and never needed to look elsewhere after we attended Veritas. I still remember one of the first messages at the DoubleTree, Jake said the line, Happiness over Godliness is foolishness. We had found our home. I served in the tech and worship team for about 4 years and in the Summer of 2019, I was asked to come on staff at Veritas. My wife and I have 4 kids who keep us humble and bring us so much joy. Many things have changed since I started following Jesus and even though I still have many struggles and sins God continues to use me to point kids, students, and families to Jesus each and every week. 

I enjoy listening to and playing music, sports, the Iowa Hawkeyes (wrestling and football), doing woodworking projects, talking/tasting/making BBQ, and hanging out with my wife and kids.

I grew up having never attended a church service, and I wore the "atheist" badge with a sense of pride. Then, during my eighth grade year, our family hit a rough patch that included an extended hospital stay for my dad and a general falling apart of our family at the seams. During this time my response to our hardships was to attempt to bear my family's burdens on my fourteen-year-old shoulders. Thinking I could handle things on my own led me to an over-inflated sense of self-reliance that was incredibly fragile and would fall apart whenever I sinned or fell short. Through the prayers and persistence of a group of friends, I began attending a local youth group, primarily because I was not comfortable at home. Over the next year my heart was softened to the Gospel. This culminated in Christ saving me while at a church camp during the summer before my sophomore year. I recognized that I was trying to live as the Lord of my own life and that I was thoroughly incapable of being my own Savior, so I surrendered to King Jesus. After that, Jesus radically transformed my life and has graciously brought me to Himself. To God's glory, my mom and sister are now followers of Jesus as well.

In seeking to treasure and obey Jesus, I have always been open to leading where He calls. I experienced my initial call to ministry as a senior in high school while hearing a Gospel message, I had an overwhelming sense that God was calling me to do the same and to make the spreading of the Gospel and the shepherding of God's people my life work. I received my bachelor's degree in religious studies from the University of Iowa in 2021, followed by my Masters of Divinity from Liberty University in 2024. From 2020 to early 2025 I served as a youth pastor at a great church in Center Point before feeling God calling us to serve at Veritas.

I have had a variety of jobs in my life including: coaching, food service, caring for individuals with disabilities, driving a public bus, and ministry. My wife and I welcomed our first child, Amelia, in January 2024. We enjoy watching movies, spending time with friends, hiking, and anything that makes our daughter laugh! I also enjoy anything sports related, primarily football, soccer, and hockey, but I can get interested in anything!

I grew up in Manchester, Iowa, with a loving family. Everything changed for me when my high school football coach gave me a Bible at a FCA meeting. I realized that I had never actually read the Bible on my own, so I took it home and started reading. When I read Luke for the first time, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was amazed by the stories of Jesus and what he said. When I came to college, I went to The Salt Company, and people shared the gospel with me over and over until I understood it fully. I gave my life to Jesus and knew that I wanted to follow him for the rest of my life.

One of the things I love to do is read! My favorite books include The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman, The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy, and Something Needs to Change by David Platt. I have also spent time overseas in different parts of Asia and desire to see all nations be reached with the gospel! 

I put my faith in Jesus at a young age and was baptized at the age of eight at New Covenant Bible Church. I’ve always been heavily involved in the church, and God used Veritas Cedar Rapids to reignite my love and awe of Jesus during high school. Before Christ, I was dependent on the opinion of others, plagued with anxiety, and lacked accountability and spiritual discipline. I craved the acceptance and unconditional love that my Heavenly Father offers, and looked for it in relationships. By his grace, Jesus has radically transformed my life. He has not made me a "good" person based on my own merit, but he has made me alive by his righteousness. This truth has changed how I respond to sin, fear, disappointment, etc. I can find the confidence to live boldly for Christ in the fact that, at the end of the day, no one can separate me from the eternal love of my Heavenly Father. He holds the whole world in his hands, and I can peacefully trust in him and surrender everything at his feet.

Towards the end of 2017, my older sister inspired my family to start attending Veritas on Sunday mornings. We loved the gospel-centered preaching and started to make it our church home. It was in July 2018 that I went on the youth group's summer trip to Colorado. It was entirely out of my comfort zone but launched me into a Christian community. God used Veritas' youth group to humble my prideful and insecure heart. I saw the beauty of the gospel with fresh eyes. I was lovingly discipled, repented of sin in community, and met some of my best friends to this day, including my husband. It’s a joy to be able to serve with middle and high school students in the same ministry that was so impactful for me.

I enjoy spending time with my husband, Jaegon. I love a good meal with friends and family. And I also love to read and journal.

By God's grace I grew up in a Christian home, hearing the gospel and learning about Jesus from my earliest memories. It was such a kindness of God to provide a solid place of truth to fall back on as I ventured to find my own way as a teenager. Partway through my college years, God really awakened me to His holiness, the severity of my sin, and the beauty of the gospel. He gave my heart new desires to follow Jesus, rather than desires to fit in with the world. It has been so sweet to look back and see God's faithfulness in my life as He clearly pursued me and slowly drew me to Himself. 

My husband, Jordan, and I first attended Veritas in January of 2019 after a season of wondering what God's Word said about different issues and doctrines. The sermon series when we visited was on "revival" in Ezra & Nehemiah. It was just what our souls needed- to hear the Bible preached clearly & to be reminded of the awesome holiness of God. We were quickly plugged in and surrounded by mature Christians who discipled us, which was transformative to our faith. 

Jordan & I have four kids (Ella, Lyla, Jac & Miles) and one well-loved Golden Retriever (Millie). We all love to be outside & travel–usually finding somewhere fun to hike together. Aside from being a mom, I love to garden, watercolor paint, read nonfiction & sew embroidery! 

​​I grew up going to church on Sundays, was confirmed in middle school, served in my church in high school, and worked at a campus ministry in college. I knew a lot of the right answers, but the truth of the gospel did not become real to me until I was in my mid 20's at Veritas Church in Iowa City. It was through discipleship within my connection group that I learned of the God of the Bible, a God who was near to me and who offered a free gift of grace that I could never earn or repay. I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and was baptized shortly after in 2012. I was hired on staff at Veritas in Iowa City in 2013 where I was surrounded by mature, godly men and women which was foundational to my growth as a new Christian. 

I made the move to join the Veritas Cedar Rapids staff in 2017 and have been so blessed by the leadership and people of Veritas as I continue on the journey of sanctification. 

My dear husband, Derek, and I were married in 2010 and have been overwhelmed by God's faithfulness throughout our marriage. After several years of infertility, we welcomed our first daughter, Juniper Louise in 2018. Luna Belle completed our little girl squad in 2021. Our prayer is that our daughters would grow up in a home that loves and serves the Lord and that they would one day know, love, and obey Jesus.

I enjoy cooking and spending time with people. I love the fellowship that comes from being gathered around a table and sharing a meal with others. I am on a quest to create the perfect charcuterie board. Our family can often be found cuddled up on the couch for family movie night or spending time outside playing games, gardening, or making s'mores around a fire. 

As a pastor's kid, I grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio area with my three younger sisters. I was always at church and learned all the stories, however, It wasn't until 8th or 9th grade that I accepted Christ and put my trust in him. The next several years were slow growth.

I found that shooting and editing video came naturally to me, and quickly became my favorite activity. I went through a challenging time in 2004, questioning my faith and being very angry with God. I wasn't trusting that he had everything in control and so I was making my plans. Moving to Iowa in 2005, God put people in my life that taught me his true nature and pointed me to him. They even helped me see how I could use my gifts and skills in video to serve him, and not myself.

Erica and I were married in 2009 and by 2015 we had two children and I had joined the staff at Veritas. I get to serve by leading the team that works on the website, app, graphics, videos and live production at the Veritas Campuses. It's awesome being able to serve in this way, and help encourage others to know, love, and obey Jesus through the work we produce.

I love movies, attending baseball games, and spending time with my family. Because of some food allergies, I often order off the vegan menu and add meat to it.

My parents were joyful followers of Jesus and modeled the gospel before their children. I responded to Jesus at a young age and was influenced by my extended family, teachers, and friends in the church of Jesus Christ. Nancy and I have three children and four grandchildren. The delight of family is one of life's greatest joys and we are grateful for God's grace every day in our lives as we model what was modeled to us in the gospel.

I love to hike, work in the woods, read, write, collect books and explore this planet God has created for us with my wife Nancy. We enjoy traveling together and discovering new places and things to do.

Before I met Jesus, I utilized achievement as a means to my own end. My deepest fear of abandonment was countered through people's approval and accomplishment. Academic and arts excellence were the means to fulfilling my desire to be approved by people.

I studied piano and trumpet and loved playing baseball, basketball, and football. I quickly found that my “C Team” skills were not going to cut it at the high school level. So, I resolved to become a fine arts geek – focused on choir, band, and student government activities. I studied Trumpet Performance with a concentration in Music Education at the University of Iowa, and experienced many memorable performances from Carnegie Hall to the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. 

After years of attempting to achieve my own glory, I hit a rock bottom with life and substance abuse. I wrestled with God for several years – not knowing God was the one pursuing me the entire time – with the questions of purpose, meaning, identity, and existence. I was running around Cedar Rapids in 2020, asking all of these questions. It was when I was listening to a Tim Keller sermon on substitutionary atonement that Jesus used to finally open my eyes and my heart. Jesus cries out on the cross, “Father, why have you forsaken (abandoned) me.” I was flabbergasted at how my deepest fear – abandonment – was not only dealt with by but also experienced by Jesus. My deadness was brought to life!

I arrived at Veritas in the Fall of 2020 where I was blessed by wonderful people who helped get me involved in music, a connection group, Veritas School of Theology, and so much more. There are no words to describe how Jesus completely and radically transformed my life since then – it is truly remarkable. Every achievement in the past was based on this need for self-preservation. I glorified myself with every single one of the gifts God gave me. I am now able to serve God’s people by utilizing these gifts to glorify Jesus! I am unbelievably humbled and honored to serve the body of Christ as a servant of Jesus through Veritas. 

I love the body of Christ. I love our church. I love our people.

Jesus radically entered my life while I was in the 6th grade (2013) through a camp ministry through the incredible kindness of the students there towards a kid who often felt left out. I had grown up in church hearing all of the typical Bible stories, but they were only stories until Jesus grabbed my heart through the love of his people. After that everything changed. The Lord grew the seed he had planted in me and began faithfully forming me to be more like his Son. My high school career was a wrestling match in my heart of still seeking approval of man and refusing to let my Father have all my life. As I entered college, I was blessed with three close Christian brothers who weathered the storm with me. Alongside them I learned through trials that holding on to the ways of the world was death and that the way of Jesus had a fullness of life that no worldly pursuit could ever match. Since my freshman year of college (2018) I have sought to submit my life fully to Christ and committed myself to understanding the story of the Bible and God's redemption of humanity. In the most recent season of my life Jesus, by his Spirit, has walked with me through continued growth into his likeness as a husband, a member of the local church, and a witness in the city.

My wife and I spent the last two years in Texas where she earned her Masters of Social Work degree. While we were in Texas, our hearts were softened to the Cedar Rapids area. We had a desire to serve and build our life in the city. The Lord kept us well in Texas and grew us through a beautiful church community, wonderful friends, and the craziness of being newlyweds in a completely new place. God made us a way back from Texas, where we now have the opportunity to serve and love others here at Veritas Church.

I love great books and any hobby that lets me dive deep into information. The most recent has been chess! I also love to play guitar and explore nature with my wife Sydney.

I was raised in rural, northern Minnesota on a farm. My family was very religious and attended church each Sunday. We homeschooled as well, so I heard a lot about Jesus but never knew Jesus. When I was eight, I prayed a prayer to be saved and fell into religiosity. I went to Providence College and Seminary in Otterburne, Manitoba, for a couple of years and dropped out to get married in 2001 because school was difficult for me. I proceeded to work in concrete construction, carpentry, and raising cattle with my dad and brother. Throughout this time I kept serving in my church’s youth group and was challenged in 2005 to join the staff and help out part-time in student ministry. I took that opportunity and after a year of serving, during a book study, God grabbed ahold of my heart. God saved me! It was quite the transition from religion to Jesus. My pursuit of Jesus continued to grow and one day while working on the farm God confirmed my calling to ministry. I attended Bethlehem College and Seminary long distance and completed my degree while serving at Grace Baptist Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 

Through a series of events that were crazy, God brought me to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Veritas Church. As I mentioned, my wife Sharon and I were married in June of 2001 and we have been blessed with three sons, Finley, Piper, and Oliver. God continues to grow us as we pursue our marriage and raise our boys.

Over the years, the outdoors has been a highlight. I love the country over the city and the mountains over the beach. I enjoy listening to various kinds of music, reading, building cabinets, or archery hunting. Sometimes I get to do and enjoy remodeling. In 2012, I started riding a bicycle again and have enjoyed around 30,000 miles by bike. It is a goal, if God wills, to cover all 50 states before I’m unable (40 left, and no, I haven’t done RAGBRAI!). A highlight of cycling has been the multi year family bicycle tour from the Canadian border to the Gulf following the Mississippi River. More than that, through bicycle touring (Ride for the Dominican), we have been able to raise thousands of dollars for a school and church in Santiago, Dominican Republic. It has been a delight to glorify God through the bike ride. 

I grew up a "good" kid in small-town South Carolina. My parents loved the Lord and took me to church regularly. I knew Bible answers and lived a biblically moral life. Unfortunately, I thought all those things made me right with God and better than everyone else living differently. At age 14, God drew me to himself, showed me my sinful pride, and humbled me before him beside my parents' bed following a revival service at our church. That night, I confessed my sins, received Christ's righteousness, and committed to following the Lord for the rest of my life. Eventually, as a senior in high school, that commitment would express itself into a calling to full-time vocational ministry.

Following college, I moved to Louisiana to complete my Masters of Divinity degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. After one semester, I started serving on staff at The Chapel on the Campus in Baton Rouge, LA. It was there that I met and eventually married my wife Erica (in 2009). I served at that church for twelve years until helping plant a church just north of Atlanta, GA. Then, we were led to make the move to the Midwest and join the staff at Veritas in January 2019.

We became foster parents in 2014 and adoptive parents in 2017. We now have three boys, Jeremy, Amos, and Abel, and welcomed Eliza, our girl, into our family in 2022. 

Following Jesus has been an absolutely joyful journey! He's led me to satisfying waters, sustained me in hard seasons, and graciously turned his face to me each step of the way. I can't imagine life without Jesus, and I have a passion to see neighbors, the neglected, and the nations experience the same thing in their lives for the glory of God!

When not at Veritas, I love playing and watching all sports, especially golf, cheering on my Clemson Tigers, drinking good southern sweet tea, and watching The Shawshank Redemption anytime it's on TV. These days, I'm spending time hanging out with Erica, playing sports and building Lego creations with our kids, working on house projects (that I'm unskilled to complete), and begging God to redeem my bad parenting for his glory. 

I came to know Jesus during the end of my Junior year of high school. My parents raised me in church and I attended youth group for several years, but I was living a double life. God convicted me of my sin by opening my eyes to ways I hurt others and myself when I lived for others' approval. I was desperate to change but knew I couldn't do it alone. I joined a group led by my youth pastor with some other high school guys that helped set the trajectory for where I am today. I started college in the fall of 2015, and have been at Veritas since. My walk with Jesus has grown exponentially.

I joined staff in July of 2022 as a Student Ministry Leader. I get the joy and privilege to share God's Word and the life changing truth of his Gospel with 6th-12th graders on Wednesday Nights. I also get to support the male adult leaders who lead the guys connection groups in our ministry. 

I love to be outdoors with my wife Mikaela and our little girl Adalynn. Whether it's cycling, hiking, kayaking, walks around town etc. I'm highly competitive, so I enjoy almost any game. From basketball to Settlers of Catan to Euchre, I enjoy the challenge, strategy, and fun that games bring. I also love to cook, read, and make coffee (I'm kind of a dork about it).

I once lived in Australia for a year and a half, and in Thailand for a few months. I’ve also traveled to New Zealand, and have been to China twice. Throughout these experiences, I have seen the unique ways Jesus' church takes form and to see how his image bearers reflect his glory in different and incredible ways. 

I committed my life to Christ at an early age. During those early years I looked to God as both my heavenly and earthly father, because my biological one was not present in my life. This formed a great dependency and intimacy in my relationship with the Lord. I experienced this intimacy for the first time during a worship service at a camp in middle school. During that moment I felt the Holy Spirit calling me to lead others to Him through musical worship. ​

Years ago I served with Taylor Richardson and James Laugerman on The Salt Company worship team. Over the years I have served off and on that team whenever Taylor or Danny needed an extra hand in serving the Salt Students. I have always felt a great sense of community here at Veritas, and I love the heart for making Christlike disciples.

My wife, Vina, and I had our first child on leap year day of 2024!

I grew up in Cedar Rapids. My family went to church on Christmas & Easter and the occasional Sunday. When I was in middle school our neighbors invited me to attend student ministry on a Wednesday night. When I started attending I felt something was different about the people there. I felt accepted and loved for who I was. I continued to get involved in the church and the family that invited me paid for me to attend the student ministry camp that year. On that trip, I heard the gospel clearly for the first time and understood what Jesus did for me by his ultimate death on the cross and that my worth and identity are not rooted in what I do – but in what he already did for me on the cross.

At Veritas I am the Operations Director- providing financial and operational oversight to help Veritas be fiscally responsible and operationally productive. I have the privilege of providing leadership to our Finance, Facilities, Cafe, Human Resources, Tech, and Communication functions. It's a real privilege to be able to come to work each day and serve the church in this way. 

I enjoy road biking, vacationing with my wife to new places (and taking family trips with our son). An ideal Friday would be spent either on a long bike ride (30+ miles) or working on a house project. I love to learn new things. 

My wife and I were married in 2013. We have one son, Noah who was born in 2016. We love having people over to our house. We both enjoy road biking together. We knew each other for many years before we "met" on Ragbrai in 2011.

I grew up in a Christian home and was greatly influenced by my parents. We attended a small church outside of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and were there for all of my childhood and teenage years. I became a believer when I was eight years old. I recognized that I was a sinner, could do nothing to save myself, and needed a savior. I was baptized when I was eleven. Growing up, I was homeschooled until I reached my sophomore year in high school, where I started attending Lisbon Public High School. High School was the time that God used to ground me in my faith. I needed to know what I believed and why. I struggled throughout this time with anxiety, fear, and loneliness. The church became a safe place for me. I felt at home there. Through my youth pastor and his wife, as well as another mentor, I learned what it looked like to live a life as a believer amongst a fallen world. They encouraged me, loved me, and challenged me in my walk with the Lord. Through these people, I was introduced to what ministry was like, and God grew my desire to serve with Middle and High school girls and to help them traverse the trials of those years. After graduating from Lisbon, I attended Boyce College in Louisville, KY, for two years. After four years, I moved back home to Lisbon in July 2024 to finish school and will graduate with a Bachelor's in Applied Ministry from Liberty University in July 2025. 

One of the main reasons I am at Veritas is because of Danaca Ferdon. She poured into me and met with me multiple times over the fall of 2024. She played a part in helping me figure out where I wanted to go. She encouraged me to apply to the residency program. I started attending in January of 2025 after I finished an internship at a previous church. I was also drawn to Veritas because I wanted a church community where I not only can be fed but also serve others.

I love attempting to play pickleball, playing board games with friends, and drinking coffee. My current interests include reading, experimenting with sourdough, and gardening.   

I can't help but marvel that Jesus saved me out of the self-righteous, self-exalting life I had been living. Before I knew Christ, my life was marked by a relentless pursuit of perfection. This pursuit resulted in an attitude of arrogance and pride, leading to a disdain for and hatred of others who didn't meet my standards. After heading to Purdue University to study Aerospace Engineering, God systematically dismantled the idol of my "perfection" through a series of academic, moral, and relational failures. In the midst of a season of deep depression, I transferred to Iowa State University, where God sovereignly placed me in a dorm room with a Christ-follower. As I saw this young man handle the challenging situations in his life with love, grace, and mercy, I wondered what was so different about him. I realized that he sought the Lord in the Word, met with God in prayer, prayed for and over those he cared about, and gathered with other believers for fellowship. He invited me to join him at The Salt Company, where I met dozens of other students who were filled with a similar hope. As I heard the Gospel preached there and lived out in the lives of these new friends, I knew I wanted to follow Jesus, too. As I began following Him that first semester at Iowa State, I realized that there was grace not only for my recent failures, but for the self-righteousness that had defined my life before then. It was overwhelming to know that God loved me and called me His own, not for any good that I had done, but because of what Christ had done. Since coming to know Christ, He has been continually transforming and refining my formerly wicked, hateful, bitter heart into a heart that breaks for the things that break His heart and delights in the things He delights in. It was very shortly after I came to faith in Christ that my eyes were opened to God's heart for the nations: that He is working toward an eternity in which people from every tribe, tongue, and nation are worshiping Jesus on His throne. After a Salt Summer Team trip to India, I longed to be a part of reaching the lost, both here in the US and in unreached places.

After graduating from Iowa State, I somewhat begrudgingly joined Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) in Cedar Rapids, hoping instead to have begun a stint overseas. My now-wife, Leigh, who I had met through The Salt Company in Ames, and I were elated that there was a new Salt Network church plant in town and jumped straight into fellowship here during the Chrome Horse days. As I matured in my faith, I realized that God could "send me" into Collins Aerospace, not just overseas to the nations. I could go to lunch with colleagues from unreached places, I could go into the workplace and put serving others before "getting ahead", and I could go to the cricket pitch or volleyball court as a mission field in itself. I learned that it is far less important where we go than how we go: as ambassadors for Christ. As I got more experienced at Collins Aerospace, in God's continued sovereign grace, He allowed me to step into a role at work where one of my responsibilities was to connect with and support our team in India. Through my secular work, Leigh and I were able to spend about 9 months of a 3 year stint in India, building rapport with and witnessing to our neighbors and my coworkers. Over the years, we got connected with those serving overseas and with others in Cedar Rapids seeking to welcome the lost. In the summer of 2023, I was invited to join the staff here at Veritas as the Sending Director, overseeing both local and global missions. I now have the joy of helping our people see themselves as ambassadors for Christ, both here and to the ends of the earth.

Outside of work, Leigh and I love trying new foods, sharing meals with friends, and learning to make dishes from all over the world. We also love to travel, hike, explore new places, and get to know people from other cultures. We stay active by playing volleyball together, both sand and indoor.