LEADER: Danae Feck

I was raised in a Christian home, and God was always the center of my family. My parents are two great examples of godly people, and they live their lives for the glory of God. I first accepted Jesus as my savior when I was 6 or 7.Even though I knew Jesus, knew Bible stories, and went to church every Sunday, God was not the center of my life. I allowed myself, on multiple occasions, to get distracted with school, soccer, and friends. I always craved a deeper connection with God, but I was unsure of how to really get there. My sophomore year of high school, I attended "The Weekend" at Calvary, and God revealed himself to me in a way I had never experienced. That night, I realized the power of God, and how having Him at the center of my life is how I gain a deeper and more personal relationship with Him. That was the night I rededicated my life to Christ. Since then, my life has been turned around, and though it is not easy I keep my focus on God, and He is faithful to always be there when I need Him. It blows my mind on a daily basis the mercy and grace God has on me, and all the things that I put before Him, and all the things that make me stray. His love for me never weakens. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve at Renovate and just share His love with other students, and I am so excited to see the work God is doing and excited to see what He will do.

LEADER: DeNicka Arrellin

When I was 4 my parents divorced and even before then I never had a relationship with my dad. Growing up I was raised with the knowledge of who God was, but never that I needed an intimate relationship with Him. When I was about 5 or 6 my aunt started taking us to church with her and I loved it! When I was 7 I gave my life to the Lord, but still didn’t fully surrender in my relationship with Him. Being that I never had a real relationship with my dad I learned to be pretty independent and that definitely affected my walk with God in the sense of relying on Him and trusting His plans for my life. When I was 16 I attended a small group Bible study and realized I wanted to know who God was and why He wants my life. Even though, I still face the challenges of complete surrender and trust in the Lord, He has proved Himself worthy of my life and following Him has been and continues to be the best adventure of my life!

LEADER: Denver Miller

I grew up in a single parent Christian home. My mom raised me and my two older sisters. Growing up I attended Christian school and went to church. I accepted Christ when I was six, but my faith became more real to me as I entered middle school. There was still an issue in my life that I had failed to deal with and that was the fact that I hated my dad. My dad left my family when i was four years old and because of this i grew a hate for him. One night the Lord Decided to confront me about it and from that point on I learned to forgive my dad and love him even though I didn't know him. Changes began to take place in my life as I began to understand more and more how God can take such a negative situation and use it for His glory. As I look back on my life I can see all His involvement in the things that have taken place to bring me where I am today. I believe the Lord has called me to pastoral ministry and so I desire to love His people and preach His Word.
I would love to talk to you if you have any questions or needs. Just send me an email.

LEADER: Edgar Mata

I grew up in a broken home so seeing problems at home was somewhat normal for me. Ragardless of the issues that would go on between my parents, they always encouraged me to go to church and believe in the Lord. Growing up, I began hanging out with the wrong people. For the longest time, I knew what the right thing to do was but it wasn’t until one evening when I was 16 after hearing a sermon that I felt Jesus calling me and it was then when I asked Him into my life as Lord and Savior. It was through some time that the Lord began to free me of confusion, bitterness, and pain from the things I saw in my broken home.
Sometime later I began getting comfortable in my walk and it was then when I began getting distracted in the things of the world again. I found myself drinking and engaging in things that did not glorify God. I had made school and my girlfriend a priority over God. Through all of this, I could sense the Lord trying to get my attention but I was not listening. I had to learn the hard way though. It was after my dad’s death and a break up with a girlfriend of 6 years that I felt broken again.
Since then, I rededicated my life to the Lord. He has built me up and I have not felt more complete since then. I currently serve as leader of the Refuge ministry at Renovate. I have been tremendously blessed and there is not a day that the Lord fails to show me His grace and mercy. Even though, things may not be easy at times and still struggle, I know I serve a God who is never changing and is always there for me and loves me.

LEADER: Whittney Dutton

At 7 years old, I asked Jesus into my heart. I didn’t know much but I knew that Jesus died for me (John 3:16) and hell is a bad place that I didn’t want to go. I asked the Lord into my heart with my parents’ and pastor’s counsel. I served at a little Baptist church and was very involved in the youth group.
When I was in high school, I began competing on a national level for rodeo and discovered food completion (??? Is that right???what is that????) which I also competed on a national level and continued competing all through college. I was a competitive, driven person who was finally shown my own heart’s motives this year, through an opportunity to go to Israel.
It was my last chance to win a national title in rodeo; I needed to decide between a chance at a national championship, which I had been working towards my whole life, or a trip to Israel. I thought I had to win a national championship in order to have a platform to tell people about the love of Jesus so they would listen. Well, the Lord showed me that there is not a platform tall enough to top Jesus rising from the dead. TETELESTAI; (It is finished, paid in full, John 19:30). That is what Christ did for us: PAID IN FULL! I experience that as I seek after Christ, pray, and watch for answers. He will always provide. I went to Israel and I am still being blessed by the trip.
Now, I work at a café/coffee shop and for my parents’ western business. I serve at Renovate and Calvary. I have a Culinary Arts Degree, and am also finishing a Hospitality and Tourism Degree. I still rodeo and help put on rodeo Bible camps. I enjoy studying God’s word, cooking, and spending time with family.