About Us

Staff

Robert Smith

Robert is the Senior Pastor at Grandview Park Baptist Church. Robert was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He confessed faith in Jesus Christ when he was a young boy. His fledging faith was nurtured through the ministry of a local church and a Christian day school. Upon graduation from a university, he returned to the Detroit area to pursue and receive a seminary degree.

After having served three churches in Michigan, he and his wife, Ronette, along with their two children, Lauren and Colin, moved to Des Moines in August, 1999. Robert and Ronette have enjoyed twenty-six years of marriage and are making the best of their pre-empty-nest years as both of their children are away at college.

Robert is primarily responsible for the ministry of the preaching of the Word and prayer for our church. He also oversees the nurture and care for the spiritual welfare of our members, and exercises a general oversight of the total ministries of the Church.

Robert believes that “God is not a God of minimums.” He asks with the Apostle Paul, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

Greg Long

Greg is the Pastor of Children's Ministries at Grandview Park Baptist Church. Greg and his family came to Grandview Park in February, 2004. As Pastor of Children's Ministries, he is responsible for the planning, coordination, promotion, and administration of the overall ministry to children (birth through sixth grade) and to their parents.

Greg was born in Toledo, Ohio, and trusted Christ at the age of five. When he was ten years old his family moved to Iowa, and so he considers himself more Hawkeye than Buckeye. He is grateful for the opportunity he had to attend and graduate from Grandview Park Baptist School.

Greg met his wife, Christy, while attending Bible college. God has given them two children, Nathan and Andrew. Nathan enjoys reading and sports. Andrew is full of life; he likes to ride his bike and to make people laugh. After college, Greg went on to seminary, where he earned a M.Div. degree. Before coming to Grandview Park he ministered as a youth pastor at a church in Iowa.

Greg's prayer for his own children and for the children of Grandview Park is that they grow as Jesus did--"in wisdom and in stature and in favor (literally 'grace') with God and men" (Luke 2:52).

Dan Wahlstrom

Dan is the Church Administrator at Grandview Park Baptist Church. He is responsible for adminstrative oversight of facility, finances, personnel benefits, insurance and legal issues, and human resources.

Dan was born and raised in the Kansas City area and was saved at the age of six. He met his future wife, Beth, in high school; they later attended Bible college together. They have three children: Eric, a CPA in Des Moines who was recently married to Courtney; Erin, a college senior; and Jon, who is a sophomore at Grandview Park Baptist School.

Dan has attended Grandview Park since 1972 and joined the staff in 1988. Before coming to Grandview Park, he worked for a national transportation systems company.

Dan is grateful for the promise found in Romans 8:38-39: " For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."