Biography

      Les was born in the rural town of Carlisle, Kentucky. A three-stoplight town, everything about Carlisle could have been embedded in a Norman Rockwell painting entitled, "Small Town." It was there that he was born, raised, worked on his grandfather's farm, played high-school football and came to know Jesus. The church he attended was old - built in the 1890's - but had ornate stained-glass windows, high ceilings and a chandelier that resembled the Golden Spider of so many nightmares!

"My extended family really instilled in us the love of God. And it wasn't the kind of spirituality that turned everybody off. It was the kind filled with honor, a strong sense of duty, high integrity, and the spirit of Jesus involved in everyday living."

     Les attended Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary for the next five years, working at Felicity Church of Christ as Youth Minister on the weekends and during the summers. At CBC&S he met Kara Adams, a small-town girl from London, Ohio. They got married in the summer of 1993 and settled in St. Albans, West Virginia.

      In 1997 Les and Kara moved to Livonia, Michigan to serve with the Memorial Church of Christ as Minister of Education and Worship. Les has a profound interest in teaching adults, and the fact that he had led contemporary worship bands in previous ministries made him a nice fit for Memorial's need at the time. His main focus in Education was the creation and implementation of the High-Octane Discipleship Model. He's also interested in Spiritual Formation and in the devotional works of the classical masters of Christian history.

      Les and Kara have four children: Kayla, Karissa, Micah and Leah. They love to read, enjoy roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, swimming in the FCC pool, and taking bike rides. Kara is an avid reader, an accomplished musician, a published poet, and loves home-schooling her children. Kara is a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables , and actually got to visit Prince Edward Island, where L. M. Montgomery wrote her classic tale. (Les won't own up to it, but he's actually read all seven volumes of the Anne of Green Gables series!)