Three New Pastors Recognized

This year we recognized three new men as pastors of Walnut Creek. You can read more about our new pastors below.

Cole started attending Walnut Creek Church in 2007, shortly after becoming a Christian. He grew up understanding that Jesus died for his sins but did not understand the significance of the Gospel or the response that it required. Over time, his (now) wife and other friends from Campus Fellowship at Drake University shared the message of Christ with him. Cole began reading the Bible to find evidence that would ‘prove Christians wrong’. Instead, his eyes were opened to the truth of the Gospel for the first time, and he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Over the years, Cole has served as a Community Group leader, member of the music team, and, most recently, as the Kids’ Coordinator at Windsor Heights. In addition, Cole has ministered to youth in Des Moines for the past nine years through City Life, a Youth for Christ ministry. Full-time, Cole teaches English language learners (ELL) at Lincoln High School. Cole and his wife, Dayna, have been married for nine years and have three children: Westin, Ezri, and Rheya.

Jacob began attending Walnut Creek in 2008, shortly after transferring to Drake University. Growing up in a Christian family, Jacob understood the gospel and went to church, but during college the mission of God became his personal life mission. For the first time, he saw people his age living out the truths of the Bible. The community he found in Campus Fellowship radically changed his life. During the fall semester in 2008, Jacob was a Resident Assistant and saw one of his residents profess Christ. After such a new and powerful experience, he thought, “I want to be a part of that for the rest of my life!”

Since graduating in 2010, Jacob and his wife, Sasha, have spent the last decade serving Campus Fellowship at Drake University. After nine years of marriage they now have six kids: Grace, Annabelle, Jack, Will, Knox, and Judson.

Derek started attending Walnut Creek in 2008. He grew up in an unbelieving and broken home which led him to struggle to believe in the idea of God, let alone God as a good father, and to pursue a life of selfishness. Derek first heard the gospel during a high school youth group. Over the course of a year, many people shared the Gospel with him, including a few people who now attend Walnut Creek. At a church camp in the summer of 2002, Derek understood the Gospel and love of God, and he accepted Christ as both Lord and Savior.

Over the years, Derek has served as a Community Group leader, Service Manager, on the local staff as the Weekend Services Coordinator, and most recently on the team for the redevelopment of the Equip ministry. Derek works full-time as a software quality assurance analyst in Downtown Des Moines. Derek and his wife, Robin, have been married for 10 years and have two children: Clive and Lucy.