Ross joined the SPI team in April of 2018 as, Founder and Director, Maury DeYoung began to prepare for retirement (April 2019). Ross comes to SPI with a huge passion for the outdoors, reaching people with the message of Christ and ministry experience. He has served as a Youth Pastor at 2 different churches in the West Michigan area, graduated from Kuyper College with a degree in Bible/Theology and completed a church planting residency in Arkansas. Ross was also a manager/owner of a custom furniture store in Grand Rapids for a couple of years while helping start a new church plant. He is currently serving at Elevation church.
Ross is married to his wife Monica (20 years on May 29, 2019) and together they have 3 wonderful children: Isaac, Acacia and Selah. Their family lives on the Westside of Grand Rapids.
Ross enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities, but his favorite is bow hunting for deer. This passion started at a young age when he tagged along with his dad in the woods. It lead him to traveling all the US to pursue big bucks. He also videoed his hunts and was part of several TV shows over the years. This included hosting his own local show with 2 other guys. Ross has been fortunate enough to harvest 4 bucks in the 160" range and numerous ones in the 130-150" range with his bow. Besides just shooting big bucks, he loves to take others into the outdoors and has been with a bunch of kids when they shot their first deer. This includes taking his son down to IL and being with him as he shot his first buck, a 140" 10 point.
Ross also enjoys other outdoor activities. He has harvested: turkeys, coyotes, caribou and small game. Hiking, camping, backpacking and canoeing are also things he enjoys. Fishing with his friends and family is a favorite pastime too. Whether it is trying to land the big Bass on a pond or in the river trying to catch a Steelhead, he loves spending time on the water as well.
As a speaker, Ross has spoken at: camps as a Chaplin for the week, lead weekend retreats, seminars on deer hunting/scouting, wild game dinners and various other events.