Des is very blessed to be serving with an awesome team of shepherds, staff and members at Lake Cities church of Christ and is amazed at how God has worked behind the scenes to make this happen.
He is married to his wonderful wife Lisa and they have four children - Ryan, Daniel, Lauren and Christy - and four grand children - Emily, Mason, Sadie and Colbie.
He spent 19 years as a missionary in Southern Africa which included teaching at the Southern Africa Bible College for 17 years, and 2 years planting churches in South Africa. After that he served as a missionary-in-residence, minister of outreach and small groups at RHCC for 10 years.
More recently, along with his son Ryan, he started a church growth consulting organization called Church Growth Resource Network (CGRN) which is designed to help churches figure out how to become more healthy.
Des and his family currently live in North Richland Hills, Texas.
Links:
-CGRN
-Twitter
- Facebook
BIRTH DATE:
June 27, 1953
EDUCATION:
Wits Tech (art and design - 1975)
Southern Africa Bible College (Dip. Theology - 1978)
Abilene Christian University (BA, MA - 1986)
Certified as a coach with the Natural Church Development (NCD) Organization (2006)
Certified as a church growth consultant with the Society for Church Consulting (2008)
INTERESTS AND FAVORITES
PLACES:
Reading, woodwork, watching the insides of my eyelids (not near often enough), scuba diving (although I haven't done that in years ...). Favorite places are Plettenburg Bay and Kruger National Park - South Africa. My most favorite place is wherever my family is. My top interest is in church growth studies and helping churches figure out how to get off the plateau. I do that in my spare time. Check out www.cgrnonline.org
WHAT'S ON YOUR IPOD:
What's a iPod??? (Just kidding). Casting Crowns, Third Day, Mercy Me, Gaither Vocal Band, selected songs from Aerosmith, the Eagles, Elton John, and so on. I enjoy pretty much everything except Rap and soprano opera.
BOOKS:
Bible, Simple Church, Missional Renaissance, Church Unique, Organic Church, A Church That Flies, Transforming Discipleship, (most books on church growth), Blue Like Jazz, Velvet Elvis, Irresistible Revolution, etc., etc., etc.
What do you TiVo:
What's a TiVo? No kidding ...
SPORT TEAMS:
Dallas Cowboys
Texas Rangers
Whatever school team my grandchildren happen to be in one day
MOVIES:
Monsters Inc., Madagascar, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Dead Poets' Society, Stand and Deliver, and pretty much anything that is based on a true story.
DISLIKES:
Conflict, disunity, pridefulness, judgmentalism, being so afraid of doing something wrong we do nothing at all, being so open-minded our brains fall out, being so narrow-minded we can look through a keyhole with both eyes at the same time.
ODD FACT:
My last name is spelled Steyn and pronounced Stain. There is only one single American word that is spelled and pronounced the same way my name is. The word "hey." I've also eaten Mopani worms...
LIFE SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 3:16-21
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledgeóthat you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
