My Story:  LINDSEY AMEY

Email: lamey@crossroads-bible.org
Role: My job is to love kids. I am the Crossroads Kids Assistant. I help prepare, organize, and plan so that the Crossroads' kids experience God's love for them each week. I want the kids to have God's truths planted in their hearts.

Best Part About My Role: Seeing the kids on Sunday when they are doing an activity or hearing a story and they truly understand how much they are loved by God is the best thing to be a part of. I love seeing things 'click' in their little minds that are foundational for them to trust their lives in God and His promises for them.

My Faith Story: I am passionate about loving people. I'm not saying that I have it all figured out, but with God's help I am learning how to love people. I want my neighbors, my family, kids at crossroads, orphans, homeless, and the world to truly know and feel God's love for them and know how He sees them. I want God's truths to become real to people and myself.  "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:4-5,10

If I Were A Color: Dark Purple because it reminds me of winter, cool temperatures, ice, and snow. It also looks cute with pink, which is my favorite color.

What Makes me Laugh:  My daughters, Hayleigh and Alivia. When they start laughing and giggling it becomes contagious!

My Quirky Habits: Shutting all the shades in my house. Tinted window on my car. Wearing sunglasses on days with even a hint of sun. Anything to get the sun out! I love rainy, snowy, cloudy, dreary, dark days! Some people would call this quirky, but I just LOVE days like these!


My Story: KIM BOYNTON
Role: Assistant to Pastor Rod Van Solkema

Email: kboynton@crossroads-bible.org
Best part about my role? My “earthly” boss, Rod Van Solkema, makes me laugh.  He is so easy to please—and impress—that sometimes I feel like a fake.  He and his wife, Libby, treat me like gold.  That’s amazing!

Your passion? I grieve over the lack of commitment to marriage vows that I see in our world today.  If I had to say I was passionate about something, it would be to help married couples who are struggling in their marriage to believe that marriage is worth saving and that almost every situation is redeemable.  My husband, Bill, and I have had one of the most difficult marriages I know of—not just because it’s ours—and after 30 years we are living in a place I could never have believed possible.  God has given us new hearts for each other, for Himself, and we are having a blast!  If our marriage survived and is now thriving, ANYONE’S can!

If you were a color ? I would want to be Crayola Orange because, obviously, it is the best color in the world!

Favorite place on earth? If I had to choose a travel destination of the places I’ve been—it’s a tie between Australia and Italy.  But where is my real favorite place on earth?  Wherever my kids are!  They bring me such astonishing joy and I LOVE being with them.

Any quirky habits?
I have so many quirky habits that it is almost impossible to narrow it down to one.  However, for the sake of this bio, I would have to say that I NEED to have Silly Putty in my desk at all times.  It is good if you are stressed.  It is good if you are bored.  It is good if there are kids in the office who need something to do.  It makes GREAT shapes and it smells really yummy (unless a kid plays with it who has smelly hand)!

My Story: Greg Dempster
Role Worship Pastor + Elder

Emailgdempster@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: Randy Hekman
Role Executive Pastor + Elder

Emailrhekman@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).

The best part about my role? 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.

My 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.

The 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 can not 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.

Most favorite place on the globe?
Is the Monterey Peninsula in northern California, specifically around Carmel , CA.

My Story: BRAD KLAVER
Role Discipleship Pastor

Email bklaver@crossroads-bible.org
Best part about my role? I think that one of the best parts about this role is to be given the opportunity to have a front row seat at watching God use people to bring movement and growth in his Kingdom.  I get so pumped when people catch God’s vision for both their lives and the lives of their neighbors.  Nothing in this world is more exciting than seeing someone follow Jesus, grow in that relationship with Him and then pass that on to others...just as they are.  The reality is that God uses simple, broken people who are in process...and it is so exciting to be in a role that allows me to see the dynamic movement of God in a person’s life and in tern see the Kingdom of God grow through them.

Faith story? While I was raised in a Christ-centered home where I was taught the importance of reading the Bible, praying and pursuing a relationship with Jesus, my relationship with Him never reached a point of true depth or focus.  My relationship with Christ was never more than surface level and was always more about appearance and influence than truth and genuineness.  I lived this way for many years and it caused me to become judgmental and hypocritical.  This continued into college until God brought me to a place of complete brokenness...a place where my weak and shallow foundation caused me to walk away from the Lord for several months.  During what has been the darkest time of my life, I felt alone...but God never left me...he was present through all of it...I just didn’t see it. ??In a month that would signal the end of that desert time, I began to see God for who he truly is.  I began to understand his deep love and passion for me, his care and concern for me life.  I began to know His Son, Jesus, in an intimate way.  For the first time, I began to see the Bible as alive, as a story of God’s love and salvation for His people.  Prayer became a real conversation with a loving Father, who desires to know and speak to our hearts.  He brought me out of darkness and into light and He has never stopped revealing things to me about Himself.

If you were a color, what color would you be? Green...don’t know why...just think it is a great color.

What is your favorite place on earth?
My favorite place on earth is Cape Town, South Africa.  I have never been to a more beautiful place...beaches, mountains, wildlife, people.  So beautiful.
Makes you laugh?
Do the Zimbabwean Chicken Dance...so much better than our American Chicken Dance...but don’t expect to see me do it any time soon.  This only happens when I am actually WITH Zimbabweans.

My Story: ALLISON PALACIOS
Role: Communications Assistant

Email: apalacios@crossroads-bible.org
Your role at Crossroads? I am the Connections Assistant at Crossroads Bible Church.  I take care of such things as the weekly newsletter, connecting with new attendees, corresponding with various team leaders, and anything else that needs to be done.

Best part about your role? The best part of my role is seeing projects through to completion; I love to be able to check things off a list.  I also love that I get to organize things. I have this weird sense of calmness inside when things are organized (ask me how I feel about the Periodic Table of Elements sometime).  Most of all, I love how I am able to use the gifts and talents God has given me to serve the body of Christ at Crossroads.

Your Faith Story? I have believed in God for as long as I can remember, but it is only recently that I have become passionate about Him.  My husband and I stepped out in faith and moved away from Grand Rapids for a year.  It was during that time when we were away from our families, friends, and comfortable life that we were able to learn how to truly trust God.  It is so much better to trust in Him than to try to rely on ourselves.  My prayer is that in all circumstances I may be able to say “God is good."

Greatest invention of the last 100 years? Spell Check!  I am the worst speller ever, which is kind of funny since my role is communications!

Makes you laugh? My husband and my son!

Makes you cry? Especially since my son was born, the thought of all the children who don’t have someone to love them the way I love my son.  What makes me cry is I wish I could take them and wrap my arms around them and tell them I love them.

My Story: LAUREN STELMA
Role: Assistant to Youth Pastor = helping Derek do what he does best, by doing what he likes least… the detail stuff! But that’s not all, I also am blessed with opportunities to develop relationships with some pretty sweet people in the junior high, senior high and college groups. It’s fabulous.

Email: lstelma@crossroads-bible.org
What is the best part about your role? Although I enjoy organization and helping things run smoothly, the best part of my role is the opportunities for  relationships and getting to know people.  The relationships challenge me, inspire me, shape me and bless me. It’s truly a gift to have this opportunity to serve at this capacity. It is a joy to be a laborer of the gospel of Christ and witness Him at work in lives around me.

Briefly share your Faith Story or tell about a passion God has given you. My heart’s cry is this, “He must become greater, I must become less” (John 3:30).
Apart from my Savior I am nothing. It is only because of His grace and mercy that I sit here and write a story of redemption and transformation and of deep love. My love began with a seed planted early in my life. This seed was planted by my Creator and Gardener, the Lord Jesus Christ the seed of His astounding gospel. Throughout the years, this seed has taken root in His love, and unfathomable grace. It’s been amazing to experience through the sunny days and rainy days, times of abundance and famine, His all-sufficient, steadfast love.  My passion is to daily seek a life abandoned to Him as I daily fight and struggle with selfishness and sin. “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

If you were a color, what color would you be? Why? Anything bright and cheery because I like to see people smile!

What is your favorite place on the earth? Sighisoara, Romania. I lived in this beautiful Transylvanian town for four months a year ago and truly enjoyed everything from the cultural emphasis on relationships, to walking everywhere, to the slower pace of life, to following a herd of sheep home to sipping coffee and talking (with lots of hand motions!) with the elderly, and living life and serving alongside some dear Romanian friends.

Do you have any quirky habits? Not necessarily a habit but more a quirky interest- I love accents.  And I will let you in on a little secret- often times when I am nervous, I revert to a British accent to disguise my inner qualms! But of course my accents are not limited to moments of insecurity. I immensely enjoy speaking in accents with anyone who cares to listen or even join along in the banter! In all honesty, I think it would make my day if you carried on a conversation with me with an accent! Consider that an open invitation, I will not judge even the feeblest attempt! :)

My Story: DEREK TAATJES
Role: Youth Pastor

Email: DTaatjes@crossroads-bible.org
Your role at Crossroads? I get the privilege of working with students.  My passion is to encourage and equip young people to be wholly devoted to their Savior Jesus Christ.

Best part about your role? Seeing God truly grip a young heart and transform it to the image of His Son.  Salvation in Jesus is not just a prayer, it is a life change and a personal choice to follow Jesus with our whole hearts.

Your Faith Story? I came to know the Lord at the young age of seven but it was not until my college years that the lights turned on and I understood the commitment and continual heart change that must occur to following God on the straight and narrow path. By God's grace I am a work in progress and am trying to discover each day how to be more lie Jesus.

Your favorite place on earth ? I generally love to be in God's creation. Whether by the sea, in the mountains, or on a golf course, I marvel at the majestic glory of God's creation.

Makes you laugh? Lots of things. People in general especially the care free hearts of students.  My wife and daughter crack me up on a regular basis as well.

Makes you cry? Surprisingly a lot, I am a pretty emotional guy. What chokes me up the most is when I experience God bringing me and others back to Him through the repentance of sin.

My Story:  ROD VANSOLKEMA
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.

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.

Your 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: LIBBY VAN SOLKEMA
Role: Crossroads Kids Director

Email: rod2lib@msn.com
Job description My role at Crossroads is to make sure that everything we plan, purpose and propose to do for our children is an intentional, prayerfully considered fulfillment of the Crossroads Kids mission statement: Our community contagiously reflecting the love and truth of Jesus to kids.

The best part about your role? The absolute best part of my job is being in the Crossroads Kids hall on Sunday morning to see all the planning and hard work of the previous week fall into place and to see God show up and draw these kids to himself in a supernatural way … it is such a privilege and a blessing.

Your passion? God has given me three main passions and pursuits as I have journeyed with Him. The first is my husband Rod. I would not trade our experiences together in ministry for anything. Through all of the ups and downs, God has been and always is so faithful. I have been awestruck by how He shows up and takes over leaving me speechless time and time again. The second passion is my awesome three children who have revealed myself to me and taught me so much about God. They are an incredible gift. The third passion that God has granted me is ministry. He has enlarged my heart in surprising  ways as I have journeyed with Him and the thought that He would entrust Crossroads Kids to me is both sobering and encouraging. I love this church and its children !

If you were a color? If I were a color, I would like to be blue. Blue is refreshing and peaceful while being both reflective and lively at the same time.

Greatest invention? The vacuum cleaner, because life is messy.

Favorite place on earth? My favorite place is on earth is the Aegean Sea … the blue of the water is inspiring and the mountains that rise out of it are awesome.

Any quirky habits? I cannot smell anything, ever, and never have been able to, and I could eat Middle Eastern food 24/7.


My Story: BARB VISSER
Role: Women's Ministry Coordinator

Email: bvis62@aol.com
What is your role at Crossroads? As the Director of the Women's Focus, I help to encourage and enable women to grow in their relationship with Jesus and with other women. I also assist in training and empowering women to lead and develop ministries, small groups, and large group gatherings for the women of Crossroads and our community.

What is the best part about your role? I love to hear the God stories of the women at Crossroads. Some have stories of God's faithfulness over many years, and others are just seeing God work in their lives for the first time. It is amazing how God has brought us together as sisters in Christ from so many different places, and yet we are united through Jesus' work in our lives.

Briefly share your Faith Story or tell about a passion God has given you. God has been so faithful in my life, as I was raised in a Christian home by loving, godly parents. I was encouraged to follow God in every area of my life. I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was young, and am aware of His great love and grace at work in my life. I have always been passionate about relationships with people, and went to college for personnel management, not knowing God was preparing me for work in women's ministries. I love to watch God work through the many gifts and passions of the women at Crossroads. It is amazing how many different women God has brought to Crossroads, each with unique ways to minister and serve.

If you were a color, what color would you be? Why? What do you count as the greatest invention of the last 100 years? Why?
I am so thankful for the washing machine - my mom washed my clothes on a wringer washing machine, and I can't imagine the time and work that the washing machine saves me every day!!
What is your favorite place on the earth? My favorite place on earth is the California coast, at dusk. It is so beautiful and powerful at the same time. Having grown up in California, it brings back many memories of family, and now I enjoy it most when I can bring my family there.

What makes you laugh? My 4 grandchildren make me laugh when they do their crazy things - I love to have them all to myself - to play with and laugh with when their parents, my children, are not around.

My Story: WILL WEATHERHEAD
Role: Worship Administrator

Email: wweatherhead@crossroads-bible.org What is your role at Crossroads? I am the worship assistant at Crossroads. I handle the majority of the gathering details,  from setting up and tearing down to printing music for the band members.  I assist Greg, our worship pastor, with weekly tasks and make sure we have good coffee in the office.

What is the best part about your role? The best part of my role is getting to meet people.  Because I am always looking for volunteers, I get the chance to constantly meet new people.  The reason I like this so much is because it makes Crossroads feel more like home to me.  Each week there are new people I can call by name and new volunteers that I can work alongside.

Briefly share your Faith Story or tell about a passion God has given you. God has really given me a passion to lead Christians into a place of intimacy with Jesus Christ through worship.  I have been leading worship for a few years and I am always overjoyed to have that opportunity.  I feel extremely privileged to be able to help others experience God at a heart level through music.

What is your favorite place on the earth? Lake Atitlan Guatemala.

What makes you laugh? I would say that my wife makes me laugh the most.  Few people ever get to see how goofy she really is, but let me tell you, she makes me laugh!

Do you have any quirky habits? I tap. There is always a song playing in my head, so I tap the beat.  Everyone else thinks that it’s annoying but I just feel like I need to stay with the rhythm.