Rich grew up in Jos, Nigeria, where his parents served as missionaries. Rich was six when his father was called to serve as a senior pastor in Everett, Washington (and thereafter in Turlock, California). Although Rich was in the Word and felt he knew God growing up, he came to see a difference between what was in his head and what was in his heart. At Hume Lake camp when he was thirteen, Rich committed to make Christ the Lord of his life. He attended Biola College, minoring in Bible, with the intention of going into full-time ministry.
The summer before commencing his seminary studies, Rich lived with a seminary professor’s family. The professor, and other mentor’s in Rich’s life, encouraged him with the truth that God calls us to serve Him in different areas of giftedness and need (Ephesians 4), and that Rich wasn’t “selling out” if he chose to serve God outside of full-time ministry. Rich decided to take a break from his studies, teaching and playing tennis on the east coast and coaching Biola’s tennis team. During that time, God began to give clearer direction on his life, ultimately leading him to attend law school.
Rich has now practiced law for more than 35 years and is a partner at his firm in Pasadena practicing business and real estate transactional law. God has affirmed to Rich time and again that God desires him to live out the good news of the gospel in the business and legal community.
Rich and his wife Pam have two adult children, Daniel and Stacy, and two grandkids. Rich and Pam have attended SGCC since 1995. Rich loves studying and teaching God’s Word, mentoring men and providing (and welcoming) accountability with those who share the common bond of Jesus Christ. Rich enjoys all sports and, among other things, enjoys rooting for the SF Giants.
Rich would say his current favorite verse is 2 Corinthians 5:21 because it encapsulates the gospel truth that “for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
