Born in Williamsport, PA, in 1962. His family attended a small Protestant church, but it was through a neighborhood Bible Club at the age of five that he was challenged to personally trust in Christ as Savior. During his Junior High years, he wanted to know for certain that Jesus was his Savior. His church did not emphasize the need for a personal response to Christ, but the Bible Club camp he attended was clear: each person must admit their sin, believe Christ died and rose again for their sin, and then pray to receive Christ as personal Savior. He sat alone in his living room that summer afternoon with his Bible and prayed, “Lord, help me to be sure right now through Your Word that I am going to heaven. If I can’t be sure, I will call the 700 club number from the TV and get some help.” He did not want to call that number, so he opened his Bible and came to Ephesians 2:8,9. He recognized once again that the gracious gift of salvation was received by faith; his works had nothing do to with it. He knew he believed it, and from that point on he would not doubt that he had received this precious gift.