“BIZ”

Author. Advocate. Adventurer.

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BIZ'S BIO

In 2005, Biz discovered safety was overrated.  After a solo trip to a village that had previous beaten Christ followers he began to realizing there is no place on earth beyond the reach of God's love. Over the years, Biz has been on a mission to bring hope and help to some of the world's most dark, dangerous, and difficult places.  He has ventured to numerous remote tribes, conflict zones, into brothels, violent third world prisons, and down hidden tributaries in the Amazon.  Biz has made if share of mistakes and the journey has not always been easy,  but following God’s promptings and watching Him move has always been worth it. Biz is an author, an ordained minister, a graduate of Bethel University (Mishawaka), and a former pastor. His family calls the Black Hills of South Dakota home.

Speaker and Mobilizer
Biz is a mobilizer at heart, he strives to awaken followers of Christ to engage hard and difficult places.  Biz connects and challenges audiences through creativity, humor, urgency, and stories of mission-driven adventure.  He has spoken at college campuses, military bases, music festivals, missions conferences, churches, men’s retreats and events like Promise Keepers Canada.

Founder of Unusual Soldiers
Biz is the founder of Unusual Soldiers. He equips students how to engage the world's toughest places through outdoor scenario-based , survival/adventure programs, and thru classroom training sessions.  His training is often seen as outside-the-box and many of his lessons (and handbooks) are visual, simple, and reproducible. 

Author
Biz is the author of Dangerous. Dangerous challenges Christians to embrace a faith that boldly intersects with the world’s darkest and most difficult places. With a call to courageous love and compassionate action, Dangerous pushes readers beyond their comfort zones to live out a radical mission. The call to action in this book is not for everyone, but Biz believes a small percentage of believers are waiting for this unusual call to be awakened in their hearts—the call to be an unusual soldier that is ready to step into the dark, dangerous, and challenging corners of the world.

Dangerous is available both online and in bookstores everywhere.


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PRESS KIT INFORMATION ABOUT BIZ

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  • Biz grew up working for his Dad on a farm and both of his parents were his church youth leaders. As a result, his faith took root at an early age.

  • Biz was a pastor for eight years and an itinerant speaker for 20+ years. He traveled with Promise Keepers Canada for two years and spoke at a variety of venues across the USA including: camps, retreats, music festivals, mens events, and special events.

  • Biz has ministered on every continent except Antartica.

  • Biz married his first girlfriend. She doesn't travel with him, but she juggles the kids and fully backs his ministry and endeavors. She also serves the ministry behind the scenes.

  • Biz emptied his bank account and went on a solo trip to remote Maasai tribes in 2005. The courageous spirit of the Maasai redefined his life, his ministry, and awakened a global vision. The Unusual Soldiers logo now carries the image of a Maasai shepherd boy in a dangerous place.

  • Biz was trained in the first survival course offered to civilians by Bear Grylls in the Scottish Highlands. Bear and the former British Commandos who work behind the scenes of Bears shows trained Biz and six others. Biz was later trained by BGSA to be a Survival Instructor in Nevada's Valley of Fire.

  • Biz comes alive on dirt bikes, boards, hiking in remote regions.

  • Biz accomplished the lifelong “Indiana Jones” dream of eating monkey brains riding up a tributary in the amazon.

  • Biz is a certified Wilderness First Responder with NOLS and was trained in Risk/Crises Management by CCI and Concilium.

  • Biz was awarded Alumnus of the Year by his Alma mater ( Bethel University) in 2017.

  • Biz has been interviewed on multiple radio and TV programs. (700 Club interactive, Moody Bible Radio, 100 Huntley Street - Canada, Harvest Show, Open House - Australia, etc)

  • Biz takes each of his kids on rugged spiritual adventures when they turned 5, 10, and 15. A couple of those spiritual adventures combined growing closer to the Lord while searching for a real hidden treasure other adventures include joining Biz on one of his international endeavors.



KEY MESSAGES

  • A DANGEROUS INVITATION: Moving from Believer to Follower
    This story message takes people on a journey to move from being a believer in Christ to being a follower. Biz follows the life story of Peter as well as shares his own gut -wrenching story from striving to be a follower rather than a believer of Christ.

  • ENDANGERED SPECIES: Abandoning Fear

    This story message takes people on a journey to confront their fears. This message follows the story of Caleb in the Bible as well as ventures with Biz as he faces fears of meeting a tribal chief in the South Pacific.

  • PICK A FIGHT: Finding purpose in fighting for Hurting People

    This message takes people on a journey to find purpose in fighting for people. On the journey of this message the audience meets 6 to 9 different neglected people around the world all while challenging the audience to ask God if there is a group that they feel burdened to fight for. It’s filled with stories of fellow fighters that are ordinary people who stepped out in faith.

  • 13th FLOOR: Awakening a call in a dangerous few to engage dangerous places

    The 13th floor is the place where many are afraid to go. This message aims to awaken a dangerous few to be Unusual Soldiers who engage these places with hope and help.

  • INNER CIRCLE: Making your Pursuit of intimacy with Christ you main mission

    This message challenges the audience to be a person that pursues an intimate close relationship with God.

  • BAAL-PERAZIM: Discerning God’s voice
    This message helps followers of Christ know how to listen and follow God’s voice.

  • OVERFLOW: Living in the Overflow of the Holy Spirit
    This message explores the beauty of walking and living in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

  • UNLEASHED: Discovering who you really are in Christ
    This message explores identity be watching Gideon become a “mighty warrior” even though he felt like the weakest of many. It challenges the audience to consider who God has called them to be despite their weaknesses.

  • RESILIENCE: Enduring hardships for the cause
    This message follows the first missionary journey Paul and explores the hardships he faced and why it was worth it to launch a movement for the LORD.

MORE TO COME….

COACHING SERIES

  • BEYOND BASECAMP SERIES
    This instructional series gives the basic instructions on how to make multiplying soldiers (disciples).

    • INTRO: Discovering the discipleship grid

    • HUMILITY: God searches for the humble hearted

    • PASSION: Chasing after God’s heart

    • VISION: Receiving your mission from God

    • COURAGE: Confronting fear.

  • S.N.O.W.F.L.A.K.E.
    This assessment helps individuals discover their purpose by helping people discover who they are, how they are gifted, and who they are called to be. This curriculum is a a work in progress and will be renamed in the future, because lets face it — nobody wants to be a snowflake.

MORE TO COME….

Field Training Events for Retreats/Camps

  • Knife throwing.
    This exercise includes a mini message about pursuing the inner circle.

  • Evasion Attack Challenge.
    This challenge includes a mini message about being an Unusual Soldier

  • Slingshot Survivor
    Taking on guys with guns with homemade slingshots. Mini Message about going against the Odds.

  • The Gauntlet
    This team building challenge comes with a twist.

  • Custom Challenges