Derek has been attending Peace since 2021 and joined the staff in June 2024. Originally from Wisconsin, he grew up in California from age 6 to 29. Derek and his wife, Julie, have been together since high school and married for 10 years. They have three children: Ellie, Riley, and Carson. The family loves being active, playing sports, and camping. Since moving to Michigan, Derek has taken up hunting, fishing, and foraging for morels. His favorite Bible verse is Galatians 6:2: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."