About The Authors
The Fit for Life in Christ course is the result of a 30 year collaboration of two Lutheran Church Missouri Synod pastors, Erv Kostizen and Joel Hoyer.
Erv Kostizen
Erv pastored Messiah Lutheran Church in Clio his entire ministry after graduating from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1965. He is since retired and celebrating 50 years in the ministry. Messiah grew under the Spirits direction from a mission congregation with a weekly worship of 45 to a weekly worship of over 850 by the time of formal retirement, with multiple staff and ministries. Erv and Carolyn have four children and five granddaughters.
Joel Hoyer
Joel Hoyer is the founding pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Coopersville, MI, where he has served since 1994. He is, by God’s amazing grace, married to Joni and father to their three children. He enjoys home improvement, reading and carving an occasional walking stick or cane. With Rev. Erv Kostizen, Joel has developed the spiritual fitness course, “Fit for Life in Christ”, a 21st century course in Christian education that provides a lively and relevant apologetic to the post-modern thinking so prevalent in our age.
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV). Pastor J invites you to take Him up on the offer.
