Dana Hicks
Lead Pastor
Dana Hicks came to Real Life in June of 2006 with eighteen years of prior ministry experience. He is the founding pastor of Beginnings Church in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to that assignment, he spent six years as the Senior Pastor of Grays Harbor Community Church in Hoquiam, Washington.
Dana is a contributer to several books including: Generation Xers Talk About the Church of the Nazarene (Beacon Hill Press, 1999), Postmodern AND Wesleyan: Exploring the Boundaries and Possibiliites (Beacon Hill Press, 2009), Love Among Us (Beacon Hill Press, 2009), and the upcoming book: Pastoral Practices: A Wesleyan Paradigm (Beacon Hill Press, 2012). He also is a contributor to Grace and Peace Magazine.
Dana received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, the Master of Divinity degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary(Cum Laude) in Kansas City, and the Doctor of Ministry degree from the Beeson Pastor Doctoral Fellowship at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. His dissertation title was, Church Culture and Evangelistic Effectiveness.
Dana is also an Adjunct Professor of Spiritual Formation and Church Leadership for Northwest Nazarene University. He teaches for their Graduate Theological Online Education Department specializing in Ministry in the Postmodern Matrix. From time to time he also teaches undergraduate classes in the School of Theology and Christian Ministries.
Dana is the President of GateOneSeventeen, an organization that helps with orphan care and economic development in the developing world.
Dana has two kids who live at home and one who is a sophomore at Northwest Nazarene University.
My Blog:
http://danarhicks.blogspot.com
What’s on my iPod:
U2, David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, John Mayer, Sara Bareliles, Mumford & Sons, podcasts from Andy Stanley, Erwin McManus, Rob Bell, and This American Life.
Contact Dana at dana@reallifecommunity.com
Debbie Coutts
Pastor for Spiritual Formation
CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES
As Pastor for Spiritual Formation, Debbie serves to develop leadership and programs which are cohesive within all educational areas of ministry. Debbie also serves Real Life as the Pastor to Children and their families. Debbie received a Bachelor of Business Administration-Marketing from Boise State University and her Master of Arts in Religion & Christian Education at Northwest Nazarene University.
Debbie joined the Real Life staff in 2009 bringing twenty years of ministry experience with her. Debbie’s passion is to love kids to Jesus because…KIDS MATTER! Debbie’s love of children’s ministry began long ago with her own children…Heather (22), Hillary (20), Christopher (14), and her foster son Simon (23).
In 2004, Debbie was named International Children’s Pastor of the year by Group Publishing.
Debbie served as the Interim Executive Director of GateOneSeventeen, a non-profit organization that helps with orphan/widow care and the creation of sustainable communities in the developing world. Currently, Debbie is a member of the Board of Directors for GateOneSeventeen as they focus on a partnership with the Ndengera Foundation in Rwanda, Africa on a project called, "GRO" (Gisenyi, Rwanda Orphans), African Leadership-an educational outreach ministry, and the Dream Light Project.
In her spare time, Debbie loves travel; spreading God’s love on annual mission trips. Debbie also enjoys relaxing with a good movie, cheering on her son at his sporting events and scrapbooking with her daughters.
Debbie, who is an Idaho native, lives in Eagle with her husband Bob and son Christopher. A piece of her heart also resides in Boise with her 3 adult children. Debbie belives an “empty nest” is best left to the birds!
My Blog:
What’s on my iPod:
An ecclectic mix of Michael W Smith, Chris Tomlin, Lincoln Brewster, Mercy Me, Kutless, John Mayer, Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Sarah Bareilles, Laura Story, Elton John, Boston, Green Day, U2, Michael Buble' and so much more...
Contact Debbie at debbie@reallifecommunity.com
Dan Chapman
Pastor for Student Ministries
JUNIOR HIGH & HIGH SCHOOL
Dan has lived in Kuna for 10 years, but is a California native. He has been married to his wife, Adina since 1996. They have two kids: Allie (1998) & Tyler (2001).
Dan is a graduate of San Jose Christian College in 2000 with his BS in Theology & Psychology-Counseling and minor in Youth Ministry.
Some of his passions, in no particular order, are: jesus – coffee – people.
“I believe that a relationship with Jesus brings about a transformed life – changed from the inside out and a transparent life – real to yourself, God and others. I believe that the Church is the light in the community that shines for salvation and healing and my family and I want to be a part of that with all that I am.”
2 Corinthians 5:16-20- So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’
What’s on my iPod:
Jay Z, Skillet, The Killers, all types of worship
Contact Dan at dan@reallifecommunity.com
Kyle Jones
Administrative Liason
At Real Life, Kyle serves as the Administrative Liaison. In this role, he provides administrative support to the staff of Real Life.
Kyle's heart is in Africa. Someday he hopes to work full time advocating on behalf of those oppressed, silenced, thirsty, and hungry in Africa.
Kyle was born and raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho. After living in Seattle for two years and returning to Idaho this summer, he's finally ready to say that Idaho is home.
Kyle loves the random and being able to laugh at almost anything. He's really good at laughing at himself. He's rarely serious for long period of times, but was serious long enough to get his Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in Global & Social Partnership (he's not really sure what that means either) from Mars Hill Graduate School (now The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, but he's not ready to give up the old name) in beautiful Seattle, WA in the summer of 2011.
He rarely has free time as he works three jobs and is the secretary of the board of directors for GateOneSeventeen. When he has that little free time he enjoys a good movie, hanging out with good friends, being "uncle" Kyle to a very cute almost two year old, sitting on the roof of his house, reading a good book, and drinking good coffee (if you buy him Dutch Bros, you'll be friends for life!)
What's on my iPod:
Kyle's music tastes vary widely. He's not afraid to admit that he loves country. A few of his favorite musicians are Zac Brown Band, Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons, Mainstay, David Nail, John Mayer, Incubus, City & Colour, and so many more.
Contact Kyle at kyle@reallifecommunity.com