Our Team

Our Christ First team consists of four guys who began this organization to do more to spread the word of God throughout the world.  We were just four guys who attended church on a regular basis, had a relationship with Jesus Christ, and loved our family;  but God had more in store for the group.  We encourage you to take a few moments to meet the guys and let you see our vision of how we are going to put Christ First through this ministry.

Tom Boen

I married my wife Jessica on September 16, 2000 and we have a son named Tyler.   I came to Christ at a very young age and grew up in a Christian home.  While I certainly gained the understanding through my weekly Sunday School sessions, I certainly was not the profile of one who walked with Jesus.  In July 1995, I attended an Awana Scholarship Camp where I was challenged in a sermon to stand up, right then, and say that I was going to live for Jesus for the rest of my life.  That day, I decided to dedicate my life to Jesus Christ!  While the road has not been easy, it has certainly been rewarding!  I have had the chance to tour the world and sing with the Continental Singers, and share this same testimony while helping lead others to Christ!  I have seen how by simply putting Christ First in our lives, we can help change the world, one child at a time.   I was a teenager when I dedicated my life to Christ and believe that these are pivotal years of truly understanding what Jesus Christ has done for them!  I look forward to using the Christ First ministry to get to share with others the work Jesus has done through my life, and what he can do for them as long as they put Christ First in their lives too!

Dave Engfer

Acts 4:20 says, "For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."  I think that sums up why I'm so passionate about this group...  I want to reach others for Christ!  Couple that with a love of sports that He's given to me and it's a great combination!  I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was young, and while I was extremely fortunate to be raised in a Christian home by two wonderful examples of what a Christ follower should look like, my complete devotion to Him didn't really take hold until my teenage years.  I met my future bride, Brooke, on a mission trip to Mexico when we were in high school, and we were married in 2001.  In 2005, we were blown away by a tiny bundle of absolute pure joy named Anabelle who brightens our days continually!  Mark 4:19 says, "but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."  That is a state of existence that I am prone to fall into, and have to constantly rely on God and His power to keep me utterly committed to, and deeply passionate about putting Christ first so that I'm not unfruitful!  I'm excited to see what the Lord's going to use this organization for!

Travis Kemmer

I began taking my walk with God seriously in college when I began asking myself, "Why am I a Christian? Is it because I was raised as a believer, or do I truly believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world?"  There was too much riding on this (i.e. eternity) for me to take a casual approach to this question.  So, I decided to go on a quest to find truth.  I didn't want my faith to be a blind faith, but a reasonable one.  After months of studying, thinking, and praying, I came to the inescapable conclusion that Jesus is the Son of God.  However, the journey didn't end there.  If I truly put my faith in this Messiah and believed His teachings, then I had to "take up my cross" and give Him control of my life and wholly devote myself to Him.  I'm not saying this has been easy to do, and I've had my share of failures, but thank God for grace.  One verse that has always provided me courage and comfort is Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Jack Wilson

Growing up in Southern California, I attended Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village. I went to Sunday school, participated in Christmas musicals, and was involved in youth group. I realized early in my teens that the reason I was so involved with the Church, was because my parents and grandparents wanted me too be. Not because of a love for Jesus. Bottom line was I didn't have a relationship with Him and when it came time to make my own decisions, it was easy for me to bypass church. Sports became my main focus in life especially when the games and teams started to participate year round. Traveling soccer and baseball teams became my youth groups and professional athletes became my gods. My parents tried to reach out to me but I became the dreaded teenager you see in movies and wanted no part of hearing what my future held without purpose. That all changed when I was 20 and I met my future wife Julie. It's always a girl isn't it? God knows exactly what He's doing doesn't He! Anyways, Julie had a tough task on her hands because I was the ever so popular non Christian who had a question for everything the Bible says. It was frustrating for her but she loved me and refused to back down. It didn't take long for me to realize all that I had been missing. All the accolades I had obtained, MVP's, all-star teams, championships, full-ride scholarship, even getting drafted, still left me feeling empty. I gave my life to Jesus Christ and immediately felt His impact on my life. Professional baseball used to be such a heavy weight on my life. My attitude depended so much on how I was playing at the time and it was hurting my relationships with family and friends. No more of that. God was the centerpoint of my life and playing baseball for His glory became the goal. Money, fame, and all the trials and tribulations that came with being a professional athlete, God took with me in stride. Playing baseball is not who I am. It is what I do. Who I am is a child of Jesus Christ.