About The Teachable Heart
Loving God, His Word, and His people!
As the name implies, at the foundation of The Teachable Heart is the desire to first possess a heart that is teachable, and then to reach similar hearts with the truths of God’s Word. Since the depths of Scripture are inexhaustible, so our willingness to learn from it should be as well. Our primary hope is to forever learn and grow in our knowledge of our Lord, and allow it to transform us into His image. As He teaches us, we will humbly share the lessons learned along the way with anyone willing to learn. As we learn from God's heart, it is our hope that we will also be inspired to serve with His hands. Therefore, The Teachable Heart will look to spur one another on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24) in such a way that men will notice and give glory to our Heavenly Father (John 5:16), our Lord, and allow it to transform us into His image.
About Dave
Born and raised in the small, rural town of Seneca, KS, Dave was raised in a loving and caring home, attended Catholic schools and Mass 6 days/week for the first 12 years of his life. There he learned to work hard, love others, and fear God. However, he readily admits that he remained biblically-illiterate most of his life – literally thinking Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were the original Beatles!
He later attended Pharmacy School at the University of Kansas, graduating in 1988. Even after coming to a saving faith near the end of college, he continued to view life as his own and pursued worldly ambitions of education and "success" in the business world. Over time, God's Spirit began to create a thirst in him for God's Word. He distinctly remembers starting with the last "Beatle," John, and finding himself unable to put it down.
As Dave got into the Word of God, God's Word began to get into him, and he hasn’t been the same since. The guy that used to think it was enough to give God one hour per week began to see every hour of life as belonging completely to God – to be used by Him, for Him, in any way He chose. Part of that surrender led Dave to obtain his Master's Degree in Christian Counseling in 1996, and then to begin teaching an adult Sunday School class in 2000. When he did, he found the 'hidden key' to real joy and happiness in life; he knew that he was finally doing that for which he was created. While many of his students have said he has an incredible teaching gift, he has always seen spiritual gifts as God's presents to His church through individuals – not His gift to the individual. God simply uses everyday people to deliver those gifts to those He loves – Dave knows he’s just a delivery boy.
With that attitude, Dave approaches studying and teaching God's Word with the recipients in mind. He firmly believes that we must study God's Word to first understand what the text actually says, then determine what it means, so that lastly we can apply it correctly to our lives. Correct understanding, without correct application, leads to head knowledge only which is not this ministry's goal.
Today, Dave lives in suburban Kansas City with Davina, his wife of 28 years. Together, they have two adult daughters, Amanda, and Amy. His love for God’s Word, and the passion for teaching it to others, have grown over time. Wherever a group of teachable hearts has gathered – whether that be men's groups, Sunday School, or preaching – Dave humbly looks forward to teaching.