A Bit About Me
David has lived in rural and urban settings, worked as a machinist, in bank management, as a labourer, a professional and in security.
He has experience as clergy (Baptist, United, Anglican, Presbyterian). His radical view that God meets people directly and not through priests or religion has elicited strong opposition from religious institutions. He formally retired as clergy August 1, 2013 when his return to active ministry was clearly not going to be allowed.
Likewise a sense of social justice has led to confrontations with government and its agencies. That led to considerable exposure to Ojibway culture since 1990.

Map of the Mackenzie River, second greatest river in North America, that drains to the Arctic Ocean (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
He ran his own consulting business, also offering seminars in conflict management, marriage preparation and dreams. He has worked as a contract Crisis Counsellor in an elementary school and took referrals from Children’s Aid. His training in counselling includes a degree in psychology, Pastoral Counselling under CPE, mediation and conflict management from Conciliation Services (a Mennonite-based business) and extensive training with NLP Canada in Neuro-Linguistic Programming/New Code.
David earned three university degrees in psychology, history and seminary (Bible and Biblical languages specialty). His doctoral studies were waylaid by his aversion to status. Fortunately his thesis director was sensitive to this moral dilemma and advised accepting a second masters degree instead.
The local newspaper published his bi-weekly column “Spiritually Speaking” for nearly ten years .
David has canoed the Mackenzie River in Canada’s Arctic.
Married to Margaret, they are proud of their close-knit family of three adult daughters, three sons-in-law, and seven grandchildren, as well as an “adopted” daughter, her husband and their children.
33 responses to “A Bit About Me”
Sebastian
September 10th, 2015 at 21:35
May He be glorified indeed!!
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nopew
September 1st, 2015 at 01:44
I am humbled at your kindness. May Jesus be glorified through what we do and write!
Peace
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Sebastian
August 31st, 2015 at 13:34
Brother David, I just want to thank you for being such a faithful part of the Faith1st Blog community. Your wisdom has added so much to my blog and those it reaches. Because of this, I have added you to my Blog Roll so that many more can find you and draw from you as I have. Thank you again and may His best always be yours! Blessings!
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nopew
October 27th, 2014 at 04:34
Your kind compliment means much to me.
Peace
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mwitasblog
October 27th, 2014 at 02:13
I keep coming back to this page whenever I have the opportunity. Keep the posts coming, David, they are mature and encouraging.
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papapound
April 15th, 2014 at 21:47
Here is the web site if you want to see what they are up to now.
http://www.sacredroadministries.com/
If you need to be fed at a distance, you can come to the table here, http://ompc.org, great dividing the word here.
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nopew
April 15th, 2014 at 19:42
How wonderful to meet people who have feet for the Gospel! Since the last command Jesus gave before ascending back to the divine world was “Go…” you’d think people would make that a priority. When I think of how it pains me I keep reminding myself that God feel it more deeply than I do. Jesus wants harvesters, not file clerks!
Peace
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papapound
April 15th, 2014 at 18:58
There was a big ‘pow wow’, for lack of a better term over descrimination in western canada against natives few years back. You’d think…
This is so ironic. We sent a pastor permanently to the Yakama Indian Rez in central Washington many years back. He is still building a church. Some guys from my Life Group are going out there this summer to build and repair. We went about 7 years ago for two years. It was a great experience. The Granberry’s will be there for life.
Some are open to the Great Commission and others are blinded to it.
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nopew
April 15th, 2014 at 12:28
Religious sanctioned racism has destroyed countless people over the passing of history, at the same time that spiritual believers have been giving medicine, food, education, shelter and hope to people of others races. I want to honour those who have showed God’s compassion to God’s children.
Peace
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papapound
April 14th, 2014 at 20:56
So the Ojibway not part of the ‘world’ as in ‘go ye into all the world’ to your hierarchy?
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nopew
April 13th, 2014 at 19:41
In short, religion demands loyalty, and I preach a vital personal relationship with a real Jesus rather than a religious idea. By retiring I become exempt from the ongoing suppression from religion. Priestly roles around baptism, communion, confession and worship are not supported by the New Testament which teaches we are all priests. Jesus, not doctrine, is my uncompromising topic. The final straw was when I was found guilty of not using my voice right and learning Ojibway culture from the Elders, started by an overtly racist complaint. I was suspended. I hope that is enough to answer you.
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papapound
April 13th, 2014 at 18:05
I love the map!!! I wonder about your “retirement”, I don’t believe you are retired at all. But I wonder about the point you listed as the root behind the “retirement.” You were opposed on a point that God meets us “directly” and not through priests or religion. Can you elaborate on the discussion around that point? That raised my curiosity David. Thanks.
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nopew
September 22nd, 2013 at 13:16
Thank you, but while I treasure the chance I had to do such research and use it still (especially Biblical languages), I have turned to other methods in the last few years since I was freed to discover my real gifts and calling. The True Body of Christ cannot be stopped!
Peace
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mwitasblog
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:57
You have quite a CV there, David! Thank you very much for visiting my blog. I am sure God is building His Church in these last days, using the very tools He purposed since ere the foundations of the world were laid: the 5-fold ministry of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Welcome aboard!
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nopew
July 31st, 2013 at 18:16
Agreed!
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Joe Quatrone, Jr.
July 31st, 2013 at 15:47
🙂
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nopew
July 31st, 2013 at 14:58
Glad you took the time to read that. I have been following your blog since April 2012, so you seem like an “old” friend.
Peace
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Joe Quatrone, Jr.
July 31st, 2013 at 12:57
I enjoyed learning more about you.
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nopew
July 25th, 2013 at 06:26
Status is fleeting. As Paul said (who had, it seems to me, at least a “PhD”), said the only thing he wanted to know was Christ, crucified and risen. And Paul we should copy what we see and hear in him!
I pray for a host of radical believers to rise up…
Peace
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msinop1
July 24th, 2013 at 11:51
What a Blessed radical you are!!! Your credentials are staggering, but most importantly your Love for God under no pretense of law or hierarchy! Blessed to call you a friend! Marty (msinop1.wordpress.com)
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nopew
July 7th, 2013 at 20:02
It is my prayer that more people will become loyal only to Jesus, and I am so glad that I find more and more such people the longer I blog. It, and people like you, give me hope for The Body to regenerate into a renewed image of the Creator.
Peace
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lessonsbyheart
July 7th, 2013 at 16:14
David, I’ve been enjoying your articles immensely. It seems that God is doing a “new” – old thing with the church…making us more like family and less like religious non-disciples. I see this everywhere.
Thanks for following Lessons by Heart.
In Him,
Tami
\o/
Praise Jesus!
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Sebastian
January 21st, 2013 at 08:58
🙂
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nopew
January 20th, 2013 at 21:43
Amen, brother!
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Sebastian
January 20th, 2013 at 17:08
Hello! I look forward to really diving into your blog. Also, thank you for following my blog at Faith1st Ministry. I hope it has and will continue to be a major blessing in your life. May God richly bless you as you continue to write and blog. Please continue with us on this journey and remember to have Faith 1st. — Sebastian
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robin claire
December 10th, 2012 at 11:24
Hi David,
I nominated you for the “Reality Blog Award” my dear. Come over to my blog and receive your award.
Love you sooo much,
robin claire
http://robinclaire.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/2171/
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sidebysideblog
November 23rd, 2012 at 08:13
Blessings David. Thanks for all your encourgement. Catherine
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robin claire
November 22nd, 2012 at 12:44
Hi David,
I also believe that God meets us exactly as we are and WHERE we are. I met God in my bedroom, late at night, alone, with just me and a (accidentally well placed) Soul Savers Bible. I lost that Bible a few years later and have never, ever been able to find it again! And believe me I’ve looked everywhere for it! I’ve scoured bookshops, e-mailed Bible book publishers, everything. No luck. It’s almost like the book never really existed. I finally re-wrote from memory the way that Bible saved me. It’s the story called: “The Way I Was Saved.” There’s two other PAGES on the top of my blog. One of them (My Testimony) is about what EXACTLY happened to me when I followed what that Bible told me to do. The other page is called “Feeding the Finches” which is about how I came to a very deep faith in the Greatness of our Mighty God.
Love to you David – and Happy Thanks giving,
Just know – you are not alone.
robin claire
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nopew
November 14th, 2012 at 20:08
Yes, you should find it at the bottom right hand corner. Thanks!
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robin claire
November 14th, 2012 at 17:06
Hi David,
Thank you for such a thoughtful response to my response on iwanttobelieveingod. I want to follow your blog but I don’t know how to sign up. Do you have a “Follow” widget you can use?
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nopew
November 9th, 2012 at 18:03
I was tickled blue (pink’s not my favorite) to have you contact me. What a delight! I live in Canada so I have never been to California (though I have been to Georgia to visit one of our daughter’s in-laws, and some of our grandchildren took us to Disney World in Florida last year). Just so you know, I like to say that we got married before we were born and had children shortly after; I don’t feel as old as the calendar demands. My youngest daughter (who shares my interest in history) went with me on a trip to Peru a few years ago and the mountains there challenged our athletic prowess; couldn’t believe how weary we became after only a little climbing on the trail or into a city-on-the-hill. I even had the nightmare I read about, feeling suffocated, which goes with the thin air for some people. I even had to miss a soccer game because I was thinned out. Have fun with the psychology; it’s fun. And God bless you and your writing.
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Chris Downs
November 8th, 2012 at 20:13
David, I’m thankful that you mentioned me by name, it made my day, but reading your info, it’s crazy how much we have in common mentally. I bet green and blue are your favorite colors too haha. About ten years ago I used to get called wacko and crazy and mad for saying the stuff I’d say but now people can’t help but acknowledge that I’m right. But sometimes I hate being right. Anyways, I’m majoring in Psychology, and I’m VERY persuasive and good at reading nonverbal communication (all 93%). I’m so good at profiling people and placing myself in their shoes that I’m constantly gaining new perspectives. I like it when I can make so many more people have easier lives. And I bet you’re a lot alike. Have you ever hiked the John Muir Trail in California? Once you get past 10,000ft. elevation you feel free, the air’s thin and brisk, the water’s from fresh snowmelt, you think you’re in a state of complete solitude when out of seemingly nowhere 2 fighter jets sonic boom right above your head and knock you flat on your butt lol. I think you, my dad, his best friend (another science) teacher should all take a few day hiking trip and talk about all kinds of random stuff. I think there could be some cool conversations, and hey, if you know a cute single girl that’s within a few years of my age (just turned 26) and you think she’d be able to handle my mental capacity without her brain exploding then PLEASE send her my way. Alright, well, I think I type way too much, way too fast. Hope your blog does well.
-Chris
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Alex
May 10th, 2012 at 02:55
David, I have enjoyed dipping into your 10-year sea of bi-weekly columns (“Spiritually Speaking”). Beliefs (hearts-minds-brains trusting God) can spiral from good words towards grand works. Certainly I look forward to your continuing creativity, as you and readers “view outside the pew”.
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