I was pleased to join the Board of Directors in January 2026. My appointment to join the fine individuals who help govern this ministry came after years of reading its Bound, Yet Free newsletter, hearing from other men in my local church who served on the board, and getting to know Bernard, a Divine Hope graduate who exudes joy whenever I see him. I would always say, “I need to do more with this ministry!”
My wife, Julia, and I have lived in Crown Point, Indiana, for the last ten years and resided in Ohio, Connecticut and Illinois before that. We have three grown children and six precious grandchildren ranging from ages 7 to one. We are blessed to be part of Community United Reformed Church in Schererville, where I’ve served as elder. I work as Senior Director of Broadcast Media for Bible League International, raising support for this 88-year-old ministry by traveling the world and engaging listeners to Christian radio stations around the country. My hobbies are kayaking, reading theology and spoiling our grandkids.
In my short tenure on the board, it’s already been a great joy to see our gracious God at work through His people who make up Divine Hope Reformed Bible Seminary – its faculty, board, students and those who pray for, financially support and advocate for this ministry.
As a new board member, it was a privilege and pleasure to visit with our students on two occasions this spring. The first was to join our students and other inmates in Easter worship services in Michigan City and Westville, Indiana. The second was to attend graduation ceremonies for our theologues in May and June in Danville and Michigan City.
I was humbled to be personally welcomed by each inmate who participated in the worship services on Easter. Nearly all stated, “He is risen!” or replied enthusiastically, “He is risen, indeed!” when I offered the same greeting. I was asked to share a word of encouragement before the call to worship in Michigan City to nearly 200 in attendance. I mentioned how blessed we are that, as God’s covenant children, our histories don’t define us; rather, our position in Jesus Christ tells us that we are His and He is ours. The singing was vibrant and authentic in both places as these fellow believers and I sang joyously of our risen Savior.
The graduation ceremonies were emotional for all who attended, and that included students, their families, faculty, board members and prison staff. Each graduate, regardless of their educational track, shared from the podium how they had grown not only from knowing more about God and His work throughout history, but by actually knowing Him in a profound way that both humbled them and matured them in their Reformed faith.
It was a joy for me to join fellow board members, Dan Woldhuis, Jim Casey and Jay DeYoung, to present diplomas and congratulations to our students. It was obvious to the four of us that our students love and respect their professors – Rev. Brummel, Rev. Mahlen, Rev. Anema and John Hamstra – and these faculty members share the same affection for these men. It was meaningful to see students commending each other and family in attendance sharing in the celebration of their loved ones’ accomplishments.
One might ask if our investment of time, effort, prayers and financial support is making a difference. Clearly, it is. Please keep up your prayers and giving because the Holy Spirit is working through it all to bring great joy to these men and women. As one student told me after the graduation ceremony in Michigan City, “When I was first incarcerated, I saw my sentence as God’s judgment, but He showed me though my professors that it was His mercy to me in ending a life of crime and lostness, and bringing me into His Kingdom of Light.” No prison wall is too high or too thick to keep God’s Word from transforming lives. Amen and amen.