Senior Ministry Strategist
Craig leads The Water’s Edge Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Craig planted The Water’s Edge in 2005. The church now worships over 1,000 people each weekend and is known for its small group ministry and commitment to local and international missions. Previously, Craig served churches in Marietta, Georgia; Spencer, Iowa; Lexington, Kentucky; and Dallas, Texas—giving him experience in suburban, rural, and urban ministry.
Craig graduated from Drake University with degrees in philosophy and economics and then earned a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. His Doctor of Ministry degree is from the Asbury Theological Seminary, where he wrote his dissertation, “The Use of Humor in Preaching.” He is the author of Prayers from The Water’s Edge and several small group studies.
Craig is an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation and has coached dozens of church planters nationwide. Recently, he has shifted his focus to helping churches with annual and capital campaigns and generosity coaching. He has the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising granted through the Lilly School of Philanthropy’s Lake Institute on Faith and Giving.
As a pastor, Craig understands the daily, weekly, seasonal, and yearly demands on clergy and church staff. He leads the generosity team at The Water’s Edge, which is responsible for implementing the year-round generosity plan. Since 2012, the church has completed four capital campaigns (acquiring land, building a new facility, debt elimination, and constructing an expansion) and raised over $12,000,000. During that time, the church’s annual budget has grown from less than $600,000 to over $2,000,000—never experiencing less than an 11% yearly growth. The church has also created an endowment, the WE Fund, to set up the church for success in the future. Craig is passionate about helping churches help people grow as followers of Jesus through practicing abundance and generosity.
Craig began working part-time as a senior ministry strategist for Horizons Stewardship in 2019. He has led capital and annual campaigns and helped develop year-round generosity plans in churches nationwide.
