Nick Scarpuzzi

Nick grew up as a nominal Catholic in an Italian family of six.  He joined the Navy out of high school to get away from home and because "Sailors have more Fun" (as the bumper sticker reads).  He worshipped the god of rock music at the altar of being a live disc jockey.  He enjoyed opening his Sunday morning show with songs like "Running with the Devil".  He rejected invitations to receive Christ presented to him by his brother and by his mother who both had come to a saving knowledge of Christ.  Seeking to live apart from acknowledging any need for God his selfish dream turned into a nightmare.  It was as if God turned Nick over to be abused, and to abuse, as one held captive to Satan's will.  If it were not for God's convicting and drawing power Nick would most likely not be alive today.  Having been granted the new birth and power that comes with it to overcome habitual sins his walk with Christ began.  He, as an infant in Christ, was cared for by servant-leaders while living in a spiritual caring community at a servicemen's center in Puerto Rico.  Nick, with the support of his pastor and missionary, was directed by the Lord to seek bibical-pastoral training.  His life took a new turn after he met and married Rosemary (from Singapore) being directed to serve cross-culturally in the Chinese community.   Rosemary and Nick live outside Columbus with their four children Joanna (20), Jonathan (19), Rebekah (16) and Joy (14).

Sean Ryan

I grew up in a Christian home, but it was not until I was a student at Michigan State University that God really began to work hard on my life. While earning a bachelor's degree in Computer Science at MSU, I was involved in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and met my wife, Jennifer. After college in 1995, we moved to Cincinnati for 4 years where we both worked and served in our local church. From 1999-2003, I was busy earning a Master of Divinity at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We then "stumbled" across the English Pastor position at DCCC. We visited the church and fell in love with the people of DCCC immediately! I began pastoring at DCCC in September, 2003! We have three lovely daughters (8-year-old twins and a 4-year-old). Our family enjoys reading, athletics, family laughter, and being goofy sometimes.

Gary House

Pastor Gary House has been the English Pastor at Cleveland Chinese Church since June of 2000 and has been involved in Chinese church ministry for almost 18 years. He has been assisted in his ministry for 16 years by his wife, Lillian. He is the father of two sons, Evan, 12, and Philip, 14, who joins this portion of the retreat for the first time this summer. (Even though Pastor House may be old enough to be your father, he might just know a thing or two anyway.)

Eric Chang

Eric Chang is 25 years old, is still single, and STILL lives at home with his parents.  =D  He's been involved with youth ministry for almost 2 years.  While serving "part-time" (all the time), he has been enriching his mind, heart, and soul with seminary classes as a part-time student from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  His greatest passions are in racial reconciliation and fighting for unity in the body of Christ cross culturally and cross denominationally.  Within racial reconciliation, Eric also desires for each culture/race to be exposed by the holiness of God, especially upon cultural sins that have hindered ethnic specific churches' spiritual growth.  His experience growing up as an Asian American is being used to help many people reconcile their own racial identity, the identity with Christ, and most of all the identity struggle for 2^nd-generation Asian American Christians that is conflicted between Asian vs. American vs. Christian.