Doug Murren
newheights@nhcf.com
Doug Murren is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University and has been an adjunct faculty member of Fuller Seminary, Asbury Seminary, Regent College and several Universities.
Prior to coming to New Heights as lead pastor, Doug spent many years at a Seattle-area church which he started with just a few in his living room. The church grew to 6,000 attenders. Since then Doug has served as a consultant to nearly every Christian church denomination in the U.S. and Australia.
On Sunday mornings, you’ll find Doug’s teaching speaks to both the “churched” and the unchurched, as he offers insights and understanding of the Word of God and brings a clear challenge toward discipleship. Doug is a leader who seeks to find the culturally transforming truths in his speaking and leading.
Doug and his wife, Lori Johnson-Murren, have a combined family of four children and three grandchildren. His favorite authors are Chaim Potok, C.S. Lewis and Herman Hesse. His favorite music is Bob Dylan, Switchfoot, U2, and Gustav Mahler. He plays guitar avidly and writes tunes few will ever hear.
Larry Roberts
larryr@nhcf.com
Larry Roberts joined New Heights as Executive Pastor in June, 2011. Prior to that, he spent 48 years in radio and television. After 19 years as a radio personality and program director, he purchased his first radio station in 1982 and grew the company to include 12 radio stations in 5 markets when he sold it to publicly traded Fisher Communications in 1995. He remained with Fisher for the next 16 years, serving as president of their small-market radio division. During his final 4 years with Fisher, Larry was also Regional Vice President of the parent company, with responsibility for 10 of their small-market television stations, including KBOI-TV, CBS, channel 2 in Boise.
Larry loves Jesus! He’s always been involved in ministry, considering broadcasting his “tent-making”. Having previously served on the boards of Seattle Pacific University and Western Evangelical Seminary (now George Fox Seminary), he is today chairman of the board of our denomination – the Free Methodist Church of the USA, and also a board member of the Free Methodist Foundation.
Larry’s wife of 38 years is Sheryl, and they have 3 grown children and 8 grand-children. He’s a graduate of the University of Minnesota in broadcasting/journalism.
Thoren Spearow
thoren21@gmail.com
Thoren is a native of Kuna Idaho. Thoren is the High School Ministry co-Director, Children’s Ministry Coordinator, and coordinator for New Heights Christian Fellowship.
With some post high school education, Thoren’s career choices include owner and operator of Dreamland Landscaping, Inc., and Boise Pottery. For many years he was a farmer and cowboy. His hobbies include horse riding; his favorite food is homemade vanilla ice cream with German chocolate cake, Mexican food along the side!
He married his lovely wife, Amy VanWassenhove, in July 2010.
Thoren’s ministry career began at Deer Flat Free Methodist Church as the High School Worship Director. He is a lifelong Free Methodist. Thoren and his wife are members of New Heights Christian Fellowship.
Samuel Thomas
sammyjidaho@gmail.com
Samuel Thomas joined New Heights staff in September of 2011 as the High School Pastor. Samuel has been in involved in many rolls of ministry as lead pastor, church planter, worship leader and youth coordinator over the past 10 years. He has been married for 8 years to his wonderful wife, Christy, who shares his passion for helping others. Christy is a social worker and their life verse is James 1:27, which reads “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
The High School ministry that Samuel leads exists to receive students just as they are into a Christ-centered community, to see their lives restored into right relationship with Jesus, and ultimately to reproduce Godly disciples and leaders.
Vikki Turpin
nhcf.airborne@hotmail.com
Vikki Turpin is the Children’s Ministry Co-Director at New Heights. She has always had a passion for working with children and youth. Her active church life started at an early age in Utah where she grew up. Vikki moved from Utah to Idaho in 1994 and graduated from Meridian High School in 1997.
Her previous work experience has given her the tools to be a valuable member of the children’s ministry team. Being a mom helps too! Vikki, her husband Alan, and their two beautiful children have been at New Heights since 2004.
Mary Jo MCRoberts
nhcf.firstlook@hotmail.com
Mary Jo McRoberts is in charge of the Nursery through Kindergarten classes. She has been in this position since June of 2010. She is a native Idahoan, growing up in the very small town of Hammett. After High School she attended ITT Technical Institute and graduated with a administrative degree. She spent many years working in the Chiropractic field. Then she finally met and married Mr. Right whose real name is Doug McRoberts. Together they have been given irreplaceable gifts named Isaac and Elle Anna. Today her life is filled with working at the church, babysitting her nephew along with being a Mom and wife. In her spare time she enjoys orgainizing her closets, buying/selling on ebay and reading good books. However, her greatest joys in life are her God, her family and now her church family.
Margaret Christensen
mchristensen@nhcf.com
Margaret pursued post-secondary education at University of Idaho and Boise State University. She completed her national certification for medical credentials management in 1991.
Her professional background is in graduate medical educational administration. Margaret brings those gifts with her heart focused on doing Christ’s work at New Heights.
Margaret and her husband retired and returned to Boise in 2005. She is a lifelong Boisean and they have been members of New Heights Christian Fellowship since 2006. Their family of five includes three lovely daughters – Anne, Carrie, and Gwen, three sons-in-law – Bauke, Steve, and Clinton with seven amazing grandchildren – Hannah, Houston, Abby, Daniel, Madison, Evan and Porter.
Clover Stephens
clover.stephens@nhcf.com
Clover Stephens is a native of Pennsylvania. She and, her husband, Bob, and their family moved to Idaho from New York State in 1993.
Clover spent most of her career in the banking industry and began her new career change in 1996 at New Heights as Administrative Assistant to the Pastor. Her focus is maintaining a professional presence for New Heights pastoral staff in all forms of publications and communications, is a liaison for staff with the pastoral leaders, coordinates the church calendar, assists the pastor with all his administrative requirements – keeps him directed to the right place at the right time! Clover is Secretary of the Board of Administration.
She and her husband have two children a daughter, Becki and a son, Brett. They have been active at New Heights since 1996. Bob and Clover have three lovely grandchildren, Nathan, Shawn and Janae.
