Knakals in Germany

After graduating from Bible school in 1982 We worked in a variety of ministries (mostly unpaid) until 1985. Then when a sick child required that I have regular employment and insurance, we moved to S.E. Michigan where I began what became a 21 year career in the bicycle business with my younger brother. In 1986 we bought a home in Clarkston MI and joined Maranatha Baptist Church where we have been active ever since. As the years went by I found that I was using the bike shop as an excuse, telling the Lord “I’ll go where ever you want me to, but what about this bike shop”. Ultimately we became convinced that if we were going to be honest with the Lord and say we would go anywhere, we had to not only be willing but available. So, in Dec of 2006 our shop, “Bike USA”, closed forever. We found that our attitude had changed from “We’ll go if you send” to “We’ll stay if you insist”. As we were praying and seeking a ministry opportunity we were asked to consider coming to Germany and join in as 60 or so Germans traveled to a rented facility in northern Spain for two weeks of summer camp. As the Germans continued on their 15 year quest to find property for their own camp in Germany, we continued talking with Gospel Fellowship Association about the possibility of our moving to Germany to help establish a new camp, when the Lord provided a place. Then in December of 2008 in an auction that lasted less than a minute the search was over. In the month I spent in Germany in the spring of 2009 the Lord confirmed in my heart and mind that we would serve out our days serving the Lord in Germany.