Regional CVP Leadership Upcoming Workshops Meet the Teams
A note from Karl Overbeek - Healthy Classes is the effort of the Far West Region to produce healthy missional congregations led by healthy missional pastors. By healthy we mean pursuing Christ, and by missional we mean pursuing Christ in the world. We are committed to the Congregational Vitality Pathway process to guide our congregations toward greater health. Our Team - John Wenrich, Steve Norman, Phil Assink and myself - is committed to serving you & your congregation. We know from experience getting healthy missionally is not a quick fix or easy road, but a deeply spiritual process, and when faithfully employed achieves the results we are seeking. Thanks for the privilege of serving you
Karl Overbeek, FWR Healthy Classis Leader, served the local church for 39 years, taught in the Billy Graham Schools of Evangelism for 17 years and most recently serves Classis Central California and Far West Region for the past 9 years.
Karl has a BA from Hope College, Holland MI and Mdiv. from Western Theological Seminary Holland MI.
Dr. John Wenrich serves as the Director of Congregational Vitality, Church Growth and Evangelism for the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) in USA. In that role he works with regional staff throughout North America to provide ministry resources, guidance, and support to established churches.
John serves the Far West Region as mentor and consultant for the Healthy Classes Team for congregational vitality and leadership. John's heart and passion is to strengthen the established Church throughout the world.
Congregational Vitality Pathway Co-Director- Phil Assink has been pastor at Faith Community Church in Edmonds, WA since 1994. He served for 14 years as a chaplain for the local police and fire district. He recently completed the Renovaré Spiritual Formation Institute. He graduated from Seattle Pacific University and Western Theological Seminary. Prior to Faith Community Church, he served at New Life Community Church in Artesia, CA and New Hope Community Church in Canoga Park, CA. Phil serves on the Church Vitality Team for the Cascades Classis.
Congregational Vitality Pathway Co-Director Steve Norman has served in large, small and middle-sized churches as pastor for family ministry, senior pastor and as a solo pastor. He has been trained in church redevelopment, community organizing, recovery ministry and counseling. He is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary with a M. Div. and a B.A. in Psychology from Bethany Bible College. He is pastor at New Hope Community Church in Fremont, CA. Steve is chair of the Church Health Team for Central CA Classis.