John was born and raised in a Roman Catholic home in upstate New York. He attended parochial school through 4th grade, after which his family moved to Mesa, Arizona, where he has lived ever since. John acquired his real estate license at the age of 18, and was a full-time realtor for 6 years. The Lord powerfully converted John to Christ one day in 1979 while watching a television program about the second coming of Christ. Shortly afterwards, the Lord led him to a Calvinistic Baptist church in Mesa, where he came to embrace the doctrines of grace. John married Roberta in 1980, and in 1983 they were blessed with their first child, David. The following year John graduated from Redeemer Theological Seminary and was commissioned by his church to plant a new church. On September 8, 1985, Grace Covenant Church held their first worship service in a restaurant banquet hall in west Mesa. In 1986, John and Roberta were again blessed with their second child, Paul. Both of their sons were saved by God’s grace in their teenage years and have been involved in the ministry of the church ever since. David and Paul both married beautiful, godly women and have given John and Roberta 4 grandchildren (so far). In 2005, John received his Master of Divinity degree from Phoenix Seminary.