Cary Balzer

Born in Kansas City, MO, Cary grew up in the Seattle area, where at the age of 7, Cary came to faith in Christ during a Vacation Bible School program in Bellingham, WA. He is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University with a Communication degree. He received a Masters of Divinity Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Masters of Theology and a Doctoral Degree from the University of Manchester, England. Prior to moving to Siloam Springs Cary has served for nine years in pastoral ministry at the Free Methodist Church in the Seattle area.

Cary has been married for 25 years (this September) to Tracy. They have two daughters, Kelsey (a Sophomore at JBU) and Langley (an 8th grader at the SSMS). He and his family have worshipped with CCF for four years and he has served as an Elder for the last year and a half. Cary enjoys traveling, hiking, and boating with his family in the beautiful Ozarks, as well as reading science fiction novels and walking his dogs Millie and McDuff.

Dale Clemens

Dale is a charter member of CCF (formerly Twin Springs Christian Church, established 1973). Born September 27, 1946, in Siloam Springs, Dale accepted Christ at the age of 11. With the exception of his time in med school and a tour of duty in the Navy during the Vietnam conflict (as Bombardier/Navigator on a A-6 Intruder), he is a lifetime resident of Siloam Springs.

He has served this community as a physician at the Siloam Springs Medical Center and is the current Chief of Staff of the Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital.  Married to Patricia Springer in 1974, Dale and Pat have two children, Mack and Kristen. He has been active in church all his life. He served this congregation as a Deacon for 4 years and as an Elder for 25 years.

David "Jay" Foley

Born in Sheridan, MT, Jay was raised in Montana and Northern Indiana. Jay came to faith in Christ at the age of 13. Along with his father and step-mother, Jay was baptized March 27, 1977 at the First Church of Christ in Garrett, IN. Shortly after that, Jay felt the call of the Lord to become a preacher of the gospel. His educational journey began at Artesia Christian College in Artesia, NM, where he earned an Associates Degree in Bible. In 2003 Jay graduated from John Brown University with a B.S. in Organizational Managment and in December 2007 he completed a Master of Arts in Ministry (also from JBU). He has served in two previous ministries: four years in Tampa, FL as a youth pastor and just over one year as Minister of Plains Christian Church, Plains, KS.

Jay has served CCF as Sr. Pastor since November, 1991.

Jay is married to Dianna ("Dee Dee") Dillon of Bluffton, IN. They have four daughters: Sarah, Heather, Caylie, Jessica; and two dogs: Murphy and Paul.

Michael E. Houston

Mike is also a charter member of CCF/TSCC. Born in Roswell, and raised in Hobbs, NM. His family moved to Siloam Springs in 1971. Mike accepted Christ at the age of 9, through the instruction of his third grade Sunday School teacher, Thelma Hinkle and was baptized on Mother’s Day (1966).

Married in 1989 to Nena, they have three boys, Brent (17), Zach (15) and Jacob (12). Mike has served the community as a Civitan and Rotarian. He currently serves as the president of the board for the Siloam Springs Adult Developmental Center, and a Little League baseball coach. He has faithfully served CCF as Treasurer and an Elder for 19 years.

 Arthur “Bud”  Ritz 

Bud is the eldest of the elders, born 1932 in Comstock, NE. He accepted Christ in a Swedish Covenant Church at the age of 16. 

Bud married Marian, his high school sweetheart in 1952 (56 years!) and they moved to Siloam Springs in April, 1960. They have six children: Monica, (who along with her husband is a missionary in Newalla, Tanzania), Laura (a pastor’s wife in Fletcher, OK), Tom, Linda, Steve and Stacy. They have 22 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Bud is a retired farmer and continues his 38-year stint as a school bus driver for Siloam Springs. He has been a member of CCF/TSCC for 35 years and has served as Deacon and an Elder for over 30 years.

William A. Stevenson III

Born in Northern Ireland in 1962, Bill grew up in the ghetto of Belfast, where he accepted Christ at the age of 6, through his grandfather who presented him with a Gideon New Testament. His family moved to Korea (following his father’s coming to faith), where he lived for 10 years as a student and later, missionary.

Bill is currently the Director of International Programs at John Brown University, which allows him to do what he loves: create a global learning environment for university students. His own intercultural experience—starting with an early childhood in Northern Ireland, moving on to South Korea and, ultimately, bringing him to the United States has equipped him to understand the unique struggles and challenges that face students studying in different countries. Bill is also the director of Project Evangelism and is a Gideon.

Bill cherishes his role as husband and father. Married to Mindy for 23 years, they have two children, Andrew and Heather (both students at JBU). He has been attending CCF since 2001 and began serving as an Elder in December of 2003.