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Kirk and Mary Streitmater |
Burke, VA
[email protected] |
About Kirk: Raised in southern New Hampshire, I graduated from High School in 1982 and the Air Force Academy in 1986 with a degree in Astronautical Engineering. I met my wife on assignment in Dayton OH while attending Fairhaven Church (CM&A) and we were married in 1991. After two kids and stops in Warner Robins GA, Bedford MA and Northern VA (six years at the Pentagon), I completed a 20 year career as an acquisition officer buying, developing and maintaining such systems as the B-1B Lancer, F-15 Eagle, MC-130H Combat Talon II, F-117 Night Hawk, E-8C JSTARS, and RQ-4 Global Hawk. I've continued to serve in several program manager roles within the intelligence community since military retirement to support the nation's defense.
I coordinate and teach the Christian grandparenting course developed as part of my remote internship for Dallas Theological Seminary. I graduated with an MA in Christian Leadership in 2021 and focused my studies to include an in-depth review of written and online grandparenting resources and topics. This evolved into my active tracking of the Legacy Coalition, Christian Grandparenting Network and numerous other grandparenting tools and ministries. Our primary course text is Grandparenting with Grace by Larry McCall, but we draw from multiple resources. The course has been offered in different forms since the Fall 2020 and has included remote offerings where younger Immanuel parents are encouraged to sign up their long distance grandparents for the zoom-based format.
I coordinate and teach the Christian grandparenting course developed as part of my remote internship for Dallas Theological Seminary. I graduated with an MA in Christian Leadership in 2021 and focused my studies to include an in-depth review of written and online grandparenting resources and topics. This evolved into my active tracking of the Legacy Coalition, Christian Grandparenting Network and numerous other grandparenting tools and ministries. Our primary course text is Grandparenting with Grace by Larry McCall, but we draw from multiple resources. The course has been offered in different forms since the Fall 2020 and has included remote offerings where younger Immanuel parents are encouraged to sign up their long distance grandparents for the zoom-based format.
Kirk's Testimony: I accepted Christ in High School after being invited on a canoe trip to Northern Maine. Robert "Andy" Andrews had a heart for young men and showing them the love of God. As a practicing Catholic and alter boy, I had attended first communion through confirmation, but never had a clear understanding of the substitutionary atonement provided by Christ for me. Coming from a single family home and the only son among three children, I developed a quiet and independent streak--needing no one but still harboring a deep fear that I was inadequate against a Holy God. Andy's friendship perfectly aligned with my perceived need of a savior. I was ready. The last 40 years have been a journey to seek and understand a loving God and His plan for my life.
My interest in Apologetics stems from the challenges I faced growing up in the Catholic Church and having no grounding for my faith. There was no emphasis on scripture as a means for God to speak to me directly and personally. I had doubts, but I had no interest in raising my hand and be the only one to admit them. I felt trapped in a catechism that didn't provide me a defensible rationale for belief in God and provide me the tools to search out the answers for a Christian worldview. 1 Peter 3:15 states that we should sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. My engineering mind relishes the option to merge an authentic faith with a coherent and defendable worldview.
My interest in Apologetics stems from the challenges I faced growing up in the Catholic Church and having no grounding for my faith. There was no emphasis on scripture as a means for God to speak to me directly and personally. I had doubts, but I had no interest in raising my hand and be the only one to admit them. I felt trapped in a catechism that didn't provide me a defensible rationale for belief in God and provide me the tools to search out the answers for a Christian worldview. 1 Peter 3:15 states that we should sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. My engineering mind relishes the option to merge an authentic faith with a coherent and defendable worldview.