MARK POSPISIL
Ever since the Lord called me to Himself as a late teenager, I have had a passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ with everyone. My deep desire is for people to know that Christianity is not what we do for God but what God did for us in Jesus. I am also zealous for the local church and seeing it built up and cared for with people being unleashed for God’s glory.
I am married to my wonderful and just plain amazing wife Kelsey. We have 4 beautiful children (2 boys and 2 girls) and are incredibly grateful to be their parents although the kids keep us busy (We planned for 3 but the Lord gave us 4!). I have pursued my education and completed degrees at Moody Bible Institute and Bethel College and I am always learning and growing in the grace of God. I have served in different pastoral and leadership roles in the local church for over a decade.
After much time in prayer seeking God on where to go next we moved from Indiana to Michigan to serve Jesus at The Lakes. I currently serve as the Lead Teaching Pastor and am also an Elder. I am passionate about The Lakes and so grateful to the Lord for allowing me to be here.
JOHN SORGEN
I have always believed and loved God but couldn’t stomach organized religion until God got a hold of me in the early 90s. That’s when I gave my life to Christ and began a growing relationship with Him instead of following a religion. For the next 15 years, I continued to grow in my knowledge and relationship with Him. Throughout that time, He blessed my family and career until I was promoted from the Manufacturing Manager in Pennsylvania to the Plant Manager of our Detroit facility.
In 2006, I had a strong calling to leave the corporate world and go into ministry full time. For the past 12 years, I have been truly blessed by the opportunities God has given me to serve Him and His people. A step of obedience has proven again and again that God is faithful. I truly love the local church and am passionate about seeing people distant from God come to a growing relationship with Him and becoming fully devoted followers. I am the Executive Pastor and Elder at The Lakes and have been here since the launch in January of 2011.
I have an Amazing wife of over 34 years, a 28-year old son that has a growing relationship with Jesus and a daughter, son-in-law and 2 grandchildren that attend The Lakes and continue to grow in their faith.
CHRIS CLARK
I began attending Sunday School with my grandmother at the age of 7 in my hometown of Long Beach, California, and at the age of 12 believed in Jesus Christ for everlasting life. At 18, after a massive internal struggle with the call He had placed upon my life, I surrendered to serve Jesus in full-time ministry, earning my bachelor degrees at California Baptist University in Riverside, California, and then my master’s degree at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
I began serving in church ministry positions over 40 years ago, (youth ministry for 16 years in Texas and California), as well as education, administration, and discipleship positions for 10 years. I then served as a lead pastor in San Diego for 24 years.
While in seminary, my cousin introduced me to this gorgeous girl named Terri that I fell head over heels in love. We have been married now for over 36 years, having four adult children, and have been blessed with a daughter-in-law as well as a son-in-law (we will be adding another son-in-law to the family VERY soon!), and…two adorable grandsons.
Our story of how the Lord brought us from San Diego to Southeast Michigan is, well, remarkable. There simply is not enough space to tell the story; look me up if you’re interested in learning about it. To have the Lord lead us here to The Lakes is something only He could do. To have an opportunity to serve Him here at The Lakes in this capacity as Spiritual Growth Pastor is a privilege and a blessing beyond description. I am eager to get to work with this remarkable church and staff in our mission to Know Jesus and Make Jesus Known!
JULIE SNYDER
I was excited to move from the corporate environment, where I worked for over 10 years, to working “behind the scenes” in the church office where I could use my communication and administrative skills in helping to further God’s Kingdom. I have a passion to get people connected, especially working within the women’s ministry, to get them involved and informed within the church family so that they are excited to attend Sunday Services, volunteer, participate in The Lakes’ events, and grow in Christ.
I have been married to my incredible husband, Mike, for over 25 years and have two wonderful sons.
TREVOR GEISER
I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at church camp when I was 13. While my faith continued to grow, God deepened my heart for people that either haven’t heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or those that have already heard and just need a reminder of that truth.
Although I volunteered in both Kid’s Creek and as a Small Group Leader at The Lakes since its inception, it wasn’t until 2017 that I felt a calling to ministry and joined the staff full-time. Before then, I received my Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Kent State University and managed insurance fraud investigations and claims operations.
I direct the Children’s (Birth-5th Grade) Ministries at The Lakes. I am committed to raising the next generations to take the Gospel to the world and have the opportunity to work toward that mission in this important role!
I was born and raised in central Ohio, but now consider Michigan my home. I am married to my beautiful wife, Elizabeth, and we have two incredible children, Paige and Kyle. I consider it an absolute gift to get to serve at The Lakes alongside my family, as well as with others that I love deeply and who share a passion for the Lord.
SERAH SPENCER
Hi! I‘m Serah! My Husband Alex and I have been attending The Lakes since its conception in 2011. We actually met in a small group that January! We brag about being the first "Lakes Love Story," and no one has contested us yet!!
I was fortunate enough to have grown up in a Christian home, but as a teen, chose to live for myself until I was 24 years old. Through some personal trials I finally decided to cling to Jesus and make my faith my own. I have been INSANELY blessed by His mercy and grace ever since!!
Alex and I both have a heart for young people, and have served in both the student and children’s ministries while attending here. I have been a part-time staff member since April, 2017.
We have four children from Minnows all the way up to The Well, and host the young adults small group in our Commerce home!
ERIC FRITTS
I grew up in a Christian home with wonderful parents who were actively involved in the church. They introduced me to Jesus at a young age and I became a believer and was baptized around the age of ten. Although I wandered through my high school and college years thinking that freedom meant being able to do whatever I wanted, I realized that the choices I was making were only leading to bondage. Upon this realization, I rededicated my life to Christ in my mid-20’s, recognizing that true freedom comes when we let go of the things of this world and surrender our lives to Jesus.
As I took my musical gifts and began using them to serve in the church with kid’s ministry, I met some wonderful pastors who discipled me and got me involved with students and young adults leading worship on Sunday mornings. At that point in my life, I grew more deeply in my faith as I walked in community with other believers and was eventually asked to join the staff at my church in 2007 leading worship for middle school, high school and college/young adult ministries. This was also the time when I met my incredible wife, Liz. We got married in 2008, moved to Rochester Hills and now have 4 beautiful daughters.
After 14 years on staff at my previous church, we felt God calling us to a fresh start but didn’t know where. Both my wife and I’s parents are local to metro-Detroit and we didn’t want to leave the area (although we were willing to go wherever God wanted us). It became clear this past summer (2021) that God was drawing us to The Lakes Church and we are super grateful to call this church our new family. We already see God doing a great work through this church and look forward to many years here being a part of watching souls transformed into the likeness of Christ.
BRIAN ADAMS
Christ has always been part of my language but, after serving as a Marine in combat, He has become my life. When I returned stateside I began to read God’s Word on my own time and through my studies at Rochester College where I obtained my bachelors degree in Biblical Studies, a whole new life of grace, mercy and love was opened to me. The Lord has done miraculous healing in my mind, heart and soul since the war and continues to do so. By His grace, my past has become a catalyst for the work He now uses me to do on behalf of His church.
My passion has always been in music and the arts and I am grateful for the platform I have been given leading worship at The Lakes. My passion is to carry out a ministry of drawing people together in unity of spirit to worship the Lord in song and praise.
I have been truly blessed with an incredibly supportive and loving wife and three kids that have and continue to shape who I am as a husband, a father, a man and, most importantly, as a child of God. To Him be the glory forever and ever!
KATIE BUDDINGH
I was blessed to grow up in a home with parents who poured into myself and my brother. They constantly turned us to Jesus and we were actively involved in our church. I went away to a Christian college for my freshman year and it was during that time I learned what it meant to not only know about God, but what it meant to have a personal relationship with Him.
I came back to Michigan after my freshman year and started attending Wayne State University, eventually graduating in 2018 with a degree in Graphic Design. During my undergrad was when I married my wonderful husband and we have since added 5 children to our family.
I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of The Lakes staff team and church family. My family is excited to see what growth God has for us.