My story: DOUG START
Role: Elder
Email: douglas.start@gmail.com What is the best part about your role? I'm grateful for the love and respect that so many have shown me, and I feel very humbled in seeking to love, support, and encourage the people coming to Crossroads in any way that I can.
Faith story: I grew up in West Michigan, attended church twice on Sundays, and was in Christian schools from K-12. I knew in my heart that those activities did not make me a Christian. I wasn't really looking for God, but an old friend persuaded me to at least admit to my sin and rebellion and ask Jesus to come and be the real boss of my life. Seriously, I prayed a simple prayer just to get my friend off my back. No lightning or bolts of thunder. I just went home and went to bed. To my astonishment I woke up sensing a deep peace I had never known before and a real desire to walk with the Lord. Amazing! He took me totally by surprise and He's still doing that today.
This will be my 40th year of following Jesus and it's been the best year yet! As the Holy Spirit has revealed areas of pride, selfishness, and failures to love, I've been prompted to pray many desperate prayers for change and transformation. I believe God loves it when we humbly admit that we can't fix ourselves and that we desperately want to be changed by His power.
A growing passion: To serve this next generation in any way I can. To love and help inspire them to love and pursue Jesus with all of their hearts. To live lives of service and sacrifice that will bring honor and attention to Jesus Christ. He must increase and we must decrease.
My favorite place on earth: That's easy! That would be where ever Mary Ann, my wife and best friend is.
What makes me laugh: At times, I have fallen off my chair as I've watched one of our three sons imitating one of their brothers or a friend we all know. It's hilarious!
What makes me cry: Those moments when I am overwhelmed by a deeper realization of how much I am loved by my Lord. I will never get over it and I long to understand it more.

My Story: TONY TENDERO
Role: Elder
Email tenderoa@gmail.com
What is the best part about your role? I can serve Jesus by serving His bride.
Your faith story? God has given me a passion for helping people see that they are not orphans but rather they are sons and daughters of the Father.
If you were a color, what color would you be?  Why? The color of the sun setting on Lake Michigan.  It gives me joyous pause each time I see it.
Favorite place on earth? The people, the energy, and the culture of New York makes it my favorite place on earth.
Greatest invention of the last 100 years? Without question, the toaster.  I love that it pops up when it's ready.
Makes you laugh? My three-year-old son Ezra's wide array of facial gestures never fail to make me laugh, unless of course, he's trying to get over on his old man.
What makes you cry? "The Lord gives, the Lord takes away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)  I cry with sadness when I think about what I've lost over the years and I cry with joy as I think about what He's given me.
Do you have any quirky habits? When it gets too loud in te van, I unconsciously turn down the volume on the radio, even when it's off.
What would your co-workers say working with you is like? I work hard, sometimes focusing too much on the task and too little on the relationships.

My Story: RANDY HEKMAN
Role Executive Pastor + Elder
Email rhekman@crossroads-bible.org
Job description I oversee the day to day work of the church Staff as well as the longer range planning and budgeting of the church under the supervision of Senior Pastor Rod and the other Elders. I also head the Local Outreach team responsible for mobilizing our people and resources to spread the Gospel near and far. I have the pleasure of providing coordination for the Band of Brothers Men’s Fellowship, which meets Wednesday mornings at 6 am; and my wife Marcia and I have the joy of being facilitators for the Crossroads' Young Adult Community (YAC).
Best part about your role? It is to see God at work in the lives of people. The most exciting times in ministry are when we become more like spectators than participants as we watch God miraculously transform people’s lives. Sure, we are working hard, but that is almost incidental to what is really happening. These times are so fun and so fulfilling.
Your faith story??I was raised in a nominally Christian home and trace my beginnings of faith to third grade when, a catechism instructor told our class about trusting Christ to forgive us our sins. I remember doing this. But I didn’t really grow in my faith until High School when I learned about the Lordship of Christ. That really changed me and made me want to serve Him and follow His leadership throughout my lifetime. I long to see God’s people be all they can be in God’s family; we have the only answer to the vexing problems of mankind and need to mercifully administer God’s truth and grace to the hurting people around us.
Greatest invention of the last 100 years? The airplane. Since I was three years old I have been mentally and emotionally captivated by airplanes. I fly for fun when I have the time and resources. I cannot hear an airplane fly over me without looking up.
Makes you cry? What makes me cry a lot is seeing the amazing grace and love of God for ME in ways that are so undeserved. I never cease to be amazed at God’s grace ; in fact, I need a “grace fix” from Him daily.
Favorite place on the globe? Is the Monterey Peninsula in northern California, specifically around Carmel, CA.

My Story: ROD VAN SOLKEMA
Role Senior Pastor + Elder
Email rvansolkema@crossroads-bible.org
Your role? My role at Crossroads is to point people to Jesus.  As Senior Pastor, I want to see a people give themselves wholeheartedly to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
A great thing about your role? Someone once said, “Ministry would be a lot of fun if it weren’t for the people.”  I actually love the people.  It is what I like most about my job.  God has brought authentic people to this church, and it is a privilege to partner with them in the gospel.
Your faith story? I have parents and siblings who have the “real thing” going on with the Lord.  So I began my pursuit of Jesus at a young age.  However, it was five years into my marriage – a marriage that was completely falling apart – where I “tasted” the goodness of God and His grace, and drank deeply of the Living Water.
Favorite place on earth? My favorite place on earth would have to be my home.  I love my family.  However, I absolutely love to travel, and to explore new places and cultures.  So any grass-roots adventure where I am intersecting with the locals would be a close second.
Makes you laugh? What makes me laugh… people just being themselves.   It probably starts with myself… if we can’t laugh at ourselves, we take life too seriously.
Makes you cry? What makes me cry… life.  The good, the bad, and the ugly are worthy of tears.

My Story: ED KINGMA
Role Elder
Email
How did you get involved? To be a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, and to be a disciple to others in any way that is needed in their life.
Best part of your role? As a "Partner" at Crossroads, to be the hands and feet of Christ to anyone I meet.  As an Elder at Crossroads, to provide leadership under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to again be an example of Christ in support of the staff and our church body.
Faith Story or Passion: In addition to my previously submitted Faith Story (see home page), my passion is to be used by God where ever He leads me.  This past year (2007) has been an incredible year of growth for me.  From the first Men's Retreat, my mentorship with Chip Yeomans, my involvement with Tony and Jenn in prayer for, and the eventual birth and ongoing work of the Stockbridge Boiler Room, and now my acceptance and appointment as an elder at Crossroads, God has been stretching me and working on me to engage in his Kingdom Work.  My roles as a husband, father, employer, and friend to others have all benefited from a renewed Spirit within me.  My requirement of God is to serve!
Favorite Color(s):?Maize & Blue -- The only true colors on earth!  GO BLUE!!
Your favorite place on earth? Hawaii - hands down!  Give me the opportunity, and I would be there in a heartbeat!
Makes you laugh? My wife.  Nancy and I laugh all the time.  Life can be hilarious.  God does indeed have a sense of humor!
Makes you cry? Seeing how God transforms lives -- including my own.  I am not ashamed to have tears run down my face at our retreats, at church, or anywhere God and the Spirit are moving in lives!

My Story: GREG DEMPSTER
Role Worship Pastor + Elder ?
Email gdempster@crossroads-bible.org
Your faith story? I was born and raised in Northern California. My father is a pastor, and as a result I grew up attending church. In fact almost every time the doors were open, we were there. ??I surrendered my life to Christ around the age of five, but really had no clue how to access the power I needed from God to navigate life successfully. So as I began my junior high years I also began a fast and hard search for anything that would give me a sense of well being or lasting satisfaction. The problem was I never found it; everything I grabbed on to seemed to fall right through my fingers. As hard as I tried I came up empty time and time again. But several months after graduating high school, on a foggy day in Santa Cruz California, high on LSD, God in his mercy revealed himself to me.  He showed me just how truly bankrupt I was without Him. He showed me that all I needed to do was call out to him and He would come and rescue me.
That was the beginning of real life change for me, and the beginning of an adventure that has produced rest and satisfaction in my soul like nothing that I could have imagined. There is no turning back and no other option than to live my life entirely for Him.

My Story: STEVE GRIFFIOEN
Role: Elder
Email: stevegriffioen@sbcglobal.net
How did you get involved? Jill and I got involved pretty early upon arrival at Crossroads.  Together we have traversed the pathways of connection team members, to children's registration table, to community group shepherds.  On my own, I have ventured from parking lot attendant, to set up team, to my current role as an elder.  The path really doesn't flow or make that much sense to me or any other sane individual, so it has to be a God thing.
Best part of the role? I cannot tell you how humbled I am to be in this role.  The best part, by far, is how I have been blessed to be surrounded by such Godly men.  Crossroads folk can trust that they are being shepherded by a group of men on their face at times, running hard at times, and yearning for the guidance of the Holy Spirit at all times.  I pray that God helps me catch up.  I and all of us can be constantly challenged by God's somewhat annoying yet refreshing habit of calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things through his leading.
Your favorite place on earth. ?While I prefer any place surrounded by Jill, the four kids, the son-in-law, and the grand daughter;  I would never turn down the chance to have all of them and a Lake Michigan beach on a warm, sunny, Michigan summer day.
Greatest invention in the last 100 years? My "Goalrilla" basketball hoop, a flat driveway, and a good leather ball.  Although not covered by insurance, they are my psychotherapy.