Men - Fall 2022

Adam Summers ~ New Elder at Springton Lake Church

Hello, my name is Adam Summers.  I have been married to Tara for almost thirteen years.  We have two young daughters, Lyla Grace (9) and Lydia Joy (6).   Vocationally, I am a statistician in the pharmaceutical industry and have been working for sixteen years at IQVIA.  We live in Newtown Square and we are very involved in the life of the church.

I was born and raised in Ames, Iowa by believing Christian parents.  I cannot remember a time when I wasn't in church with my family, or when my parents weren't reading bible stories and praying the Lord's Prayer with me at bedtime.  In kindergarten, I was in Sunday School and heard the gospel from a felt board presentation.  The teacher shared, "the tomb was empty, the stone was rolled away, and Jesus was alive!  You can pray to receive Him in your heart."  That night, during bedtime prayers, I asked my parents to help me pray to ask Jesus into my heart.  However, like many young boys -- not much changed.  I had made a decision of faith, but I continued to live a life not too uncommon from the other kids at my school.

It was in fourth grade, while my family and I were spending the summer with my grandparents, when God flipped a switch in my life.  God called me out -- similar to Isaiah's commission in Isaiah 6.  I had yet to be baptized -- so I followed His command to be baptized, and then God called me to be set apart for Him. From that point forward, through middle school and high school, God led me to stand out in the crowd and live differently.  I was blessed to see many of my friends also come to know the Lord and grow in their faith during that time.

The next highlight in my testimony was in college.  I was still in Ames, Iowa with 20,000 people and that was my small worldview.  It was the lens through which I viewed Christianity. But God had plans to change that!  I switched to a very mission-focused church, and -- against my parents’ wishes -- I applied and was accepted for a summer mission trip to Bangkok, Thailand.  God rocked my world in Thailand!  He changed my life to think more missionally.  I fell in love with Southeast Asia and ended up going back to Bangkok again the following summer.

At this point, I was torn.  Was God calling me to pursue academics or missions?  I enjoyed math, but God stirred up a yearning in my heart for His global vision.  Nearing graduation from undergrad, I applied to both public health and missional/theological schools allowing God’s Spirit to guide me.  Graduate school in public health responded first -- so I accepted.  However, God continued to fuel the fire for missions and He provided for me opportunities to go and serve in such places as Romania and on multiple trips to Cambodia.

I love the church.  I have always loved church.  I love being at church and engaging in the lives of people.  I look forward to growing relationships and serving here at Springton Lake.

Thank you,

Adam