Peter Spychalla
Director of Prayer Ministries
Peter and his wife, Laura, both natives of Wisconsin, were married in 1990. They have been blessed with three wonderful daughters, Claire, Emily, and Lydia, all who love and serve the Lord.
Peter grew up on a potato farm in Antigo, (North Central) Wisconsin and has a spiritual heritage in a liturgical Christian tradition. Peter placed his personal trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation during his senior year of high school. He has had involvement and ministry experience in diverse non-denominational and denominational Christian traditions over the years.
Peter studied at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, where he was active in ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ and earned a B.S. in Philosophy and Mathematics and an M.A. in Philosophy. During this time, he also studied at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, completing the Advanced Studies Program (a graduate certificate program). While at UW, Peter met Laura (Kermicle) and they were married in 1990. They moved to Bloomington, Illinois, where Peter started a career in computer technology with a large insurance company, where he is still employed today, over 20 years later!
In the early 1990’s, Peter served as a prayer leader, small group leader, and lay pastor in a local church with an active young adult ministry. In 1994, Peter and Laura transitioned to East White Oak Bible Church (EWO), where he was soon involved in teaching and leading young adult ministries. Peter pursued further studies at Lincoln Christian Seminary in Lincoln, Illinois, where he graduated with a Master of Divinity in 1998. In the late 1990’s, Peter served in various roles at EWO including Adult Bible Fellowship leader/teacher, deacon, elder, and the part-time staff role of Pastor of Spiritual Development. Peter taught courses in Philosophy and Logic at Heartland Community College and courses in Bible for the Moody Bible Institute Extension. Peter continued his studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, where he earned a Th.M. in New Testament in 2002. During this period of the 1990’s, the Lord blessed Peter and Laura with three lovely daughters: Claire, Emily and Lydia.
From 2002-2008, Peter pursued doctoral studies at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He was awarded the Ph.D. in Biblical Theology (New Testament) from Wheaton College in 2008. His dissertation is entitled, “The Use of the Old Testament in 1 Corinthians 10:4: Paul’s Combining of the Water-from-the-Rock and YHWH-as-Rock Motifs.” From 2004 onward, Peter has taught classes in Biblical Greek, New Testament, and Spiritual Formation at Urbana Theological Seminary in Champaign, Illinois, where he currently serves on the faculty as Assistant Professor of New Testament and Spiritual Formation. A life-long learner, Peter is studying Spiritual Formation in the Doctor of Ministry program at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, Illinois, where he also teaches New Testament as an adjunct instructor.
Peter’s teaching and leadership ministry is characterized by enthusiasm and joy in God. He has a passion for encouraging individuals to engage deeply with God and pursue an integrated life of 24/7 worship and service unto God, their Maker and Savior. He models a multi-vocational approach to life and ministry that weds together the marketplace, the academy, and local church. Peter’s hobbies include amateur astronomy (he has an 8” Newtonian reflector), walking and hiking (see pictures), cross-country skiing, and reading (mostly non-fiction, his personal library has over 4,000 volumes). Favorite, formative books for Peter include Knowing God by J. I. Packer, The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, George Mueller of Bristol by A. T. Pierson, The Pleasures of God by John Piper, and A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R. Kelly.
In his role as Director of Prayer Ministries at EWO, Peter pursues his passion for stimulating dynamic, gospel-oriented prayer among the congregation. Please give him a call or send him a note to learn how you can partner with others in prayer for the progress of the gospel in Prayer Ministries at EWO and beyond. Or, sit down with him over a cup of coffee and dialogue about how to deepen your personal walk with God -- he’d love to chat with you. Peter delights in providing pulpit supply (Peter’s EWO Sermons), Bible teaching, and encouragement in diverse settings at EWO and beyond.
