Our Leadership

Parker Hills Bible Fellowship is led by Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, through a plurality of diversely gifted elders (i.e., pastors). The elders are assisted in their leadership by deacons, trustees, and church staff.

Elders

Lars Peterson

Lars grew up in Colorado and was active in church early on. Although saved at an early age, real growth came through the intentional discipleship from various mentors. Summers spent at Camp Elim or short term mission trips helped develop leadership and ministry experience. After graduating from the University of Colorado with a degree in physics and education, Lars became a science teacher and coach for the Boulder Valley School District. 

Through on-going involvement with the youth in schools and at church, Lars became more and more involved with youth ministry. Lars went to Emmaus Bible College and received a Bible degree to be more equipped for teaching and ministering. Lars and Maria married in 1996 and worked together in youth ministry in Texas. During this time, Lars and Maria continued to participate and lead short term mission trips and develop on-going relationships with new believers in Central Asia. While in Texas, Lars completed a Th.M at Dallas Theological Seminary. The Petersons, with their three children, moved to Kazakhstan and worked with new churches and taught at a local university.

The Petersons now live in Parker, Colorado where Lars serves as an elder. He works for the organization, "Mission to Unreached Peoples," helping to mobilize and train new workers to serve among unreached peoples of Asia. Lars also works for Co-Serve International, developing servant leaders worldwide. Lars and Maria continue to serve those in Central Asia throughout the year.

Jim Simons

Jim was brought to faith in second grade through hearing the gospel in the Awana program and was blessed by many years of good teaching at that church and all churches he has been privileged to be a member of in Minnesota, Colorado, and Washington, DC.  

He attended Pillsbury Baptist Bible College for a year and transferred to CU Denver, graduating with a degree in Math and Computer Science.  He now divides his work between Program Management and System Engineering. 

By God's kindness he is married to Debi and they have one son.  Debi is a constant encouragement, including in joint ministry.  Their son intends to outgrow Jim by an inch, just to show he can. 

He is continually blessed by the membership of PHBF in their love  of God, knowledge of hs word, mutual teaching, care for each other, and determination to reach out to those who are hurting. 

Some of the truths that particularly grip him are, "Nothing done for God is wasted.  Everthing not done for God is.".  "If your life would make sense if Jesus was not the Son of God, what makes you think you are a Christian?"  "Focusing on prayer is like looking at a windshield instead of through it.  It's really about relationship with God."  and "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to those who are lost."

Josh Waltz

Josh was reared in a Christian home but didn't repent of his sins and trust Christ as his Savior until shortly before his senior year of high school. Though his intention was to pursue a career in law, over the next several years God began to incline his heart toward pastoral ministry through his service in his church and his experiences on several summer missions trips.

To equip himself for more faithful ministry, he completed a bachelor's degree in secondary education (Maranatha Baptist Bible College) and a master's degree in theology (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary). He served as the student ministries pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Livonia, Michigan for over 8 years before coming to Parker Hills in June of 2007. Josh intends for his pastoral ministry and teaching to be marked by the one thing that really matters—the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

He is continually amazed at the marvelous gifts God has given him in his wife, Aundrea, and their five children. When Josh is not fulfilling his pastoral duties at Parker Hills, he can usually be found hanging out with his family, enjoying the Colorado outdoors, and/or reading a book somewhere with a view of the mountains.

Youth Minister

Tom Benedict

Tom grew up in Christian home in Northwest Connecticut. At the age of eight he recognized his need to be rescued from his sin and trusted Christ as his only escape from hell. As a senior in high school he planned on enlisting in the United States Air Force, but God had a different plan for his life and moved him to attend Northland Baptist Bible College. While in his senior year he found the love of his life, Crystal. A year later they were married. They now live in Parker, Colorado and seek to serve the young people and instill in them the idea that “Nothing even comes close to the surpassing value of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord.”