Chris is from Lancaster, PA, and married his wife Janet in 1982.  They settled in Wisconsin 35 years ago. After seminary (Columbia Graduate School, now CIU), he pursued a Ph.D. at Marquette University. While a graduate student, he assisted with a church plant on Milwaukee’s east side

In 1992, Chris set aside his dissertation and planted a church in Waukesha, a western suburb of Milwaukee. Chris served as the planter and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Waukesha (later moved to Delafield, WI) for 26 years. Through the years, Chris has been actively involved in church planting and credentialing in Northern Illinois Presbytery and, since 2005, in the Wisconsin Presbytery. He serves the Presbytery as the chair of the Pastoral Development Committee and on its MNA Committee. In 2017 Chris became the Director of the On Wisconsin Network, and then in 2018, he transitioned from his senior pastor role to launch NXTGEN Pastors. NXTGEN provides presbyteries and networks the mechanism to create mentored cohorts for soft skills development, which is vital for pastoral health. NXTGEN Pastors has trained over 150 mentors with 40 cohorts in North America, with others beginning overseas. Chris served as Exeuctive Director until January 1, 2023.

Chris served Mission to North America as the Ecosystem Development Director until January 1, 2023. He is on the board of The Midwest Alliance, working with its director, Ted Powers, to see a greater planting movement among the 15 Midwest Presbyteries. He is also on the board of Flourish Coaching, serving the director, Matt Bohling.

Chris and Janet have been married for 40 years, having met in the sixth grade. Chris and Janet are the parents to three children and have three energetic grandsons and a beautiful new granddaughter.