After graduating from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, Dave moved to Dallas, Texas, where he received his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1972. He began working for New Life in Knoxville, Tennessee where, after six years, he and some other Dallas Seminary grads began an adult evangelism ministry called Search. In 1983, Dave moved back to Michigan, his birthplace and home, where he started Relational Concepts, a discipleship ministry, both in Grand Rapids and Eastern Europe. At this time, he also completed his study and received a Doctor of Ministry degree in Bible from Dallas Theological Seminary. Since 1983, he and his wife Ellen have continued to travel twice a year to Poland, Czech Republic, and Romania, teaching the Bible and emphasizing discipleship. They also lead groups to Israel, a trip which emphasizes learning the layout and significance of the land of Israel as it relates to the Bible. In 1995 Dave began the Relational Concepts' School of Discipleship to give men and women at home and in the marketplace a Bible college/seminary training in the Bible in a format that would encourage them to disciple and reproduce it with others.
Dave and Ellen have three married daughters and seven grandchildren.We have known Dave and Ellen since they began traveling to Eastern Europe in 1983. Both have been excellent counselors has they are one-step ahead of us in life and family. Dave has been at the right spot at the right time several times as we have faced key decisions.