Dave was born and raised in Iowa. He graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene University and Nazarene Theological Seminary and has served in pastoral ministry since 1994. Dave enjoys working out, cooking, landscaping, traveling and fly fishing. He has a decent sense of humor and a mediocre golf swing.

Dave and Tracy have been married since 1989 and have two grown daughters who graduated from Olivet Nazarene University: Grace, who is married and writes for a newspaper, and Anna, who is a traveling nurse.