Westchester Staff


  • Chuck Mullikin

    Lead Pastor

    Chuck was installed as Lead Pastor on June 24, 2018 after spending one year in a co-lead pastor role.  Prior to the co-lead pastor year, Chuck served as the Pastor For Adult Disciple-Making since August, 2013. Prior to Westchester, Chuck was in youth ministry for 10 years in Orange City, IA. He has an undergraduate degree in Christian Education from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA, and a master degree in Christian Thought from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN in 2010, and was ordained in the Evangelical Free Church of America in 2011.


    Chuck and his wife Emily have been married since 2005 and they have two children.


    God has wired Chuck to exhort people, preach/teach, and be compassionate.  Pastor Chuck is passionate about seeing Christians committed to God, loving people around them, and making disciples who make disciples who make more disciples… He also enjoys studying scripture with people, watching the Bible come to life in the people around him, and seeing the joy that comes when a person lives for the fame of Jesus instead of themselves. 

  • Austin Hilmer

    Associate Pastor

    Austin became the  Pastor of Corporate Worship in July, 2013. Prior to Westchester, Austin worked as a campus minister in St. Louis, MO and as a college ministry intern with Cru at Miami University in Oxford, OH. Austin has an undergraduate degree from Miami University. He then received a Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

     

    Austin and his wife Ally have been married since 2012 and they have two daughters.

     

    God has wired Austin to be a shepherd and a teacher.  Austin’s passion in ministry is to see others transformed by the word of God. He enjoys seeing this happen through teaching, discipleship, in times of corporate worship, and how we worship individually throughout the week.  Austin is passionate about using these gifts in meeting with others in discipleship and Bible study. 

  • Josh Earhart

    Pastor of Student Ministries

    Josh became the Pastor of Student Ministries Pastor in June, 2012. Prior to Westchester, Josh was a volunteer youth director at a small church in Indiana. He has been working with students since he left high school. Josh has an undergraduate degree from Moody Bible Institute.

     

    Josh and his wife Kara have been married since 2012 and have two daughters and one son.

     

    God has wired Josh with a heart for discipleship and he sees small groups as a great tool to accomplish this.  His passion is to see students live out a faith that is their own, and to prepare them to disciple others.  

  • Haitao Cheng

    Pastor of Chinese Ministries (part-time)

    Haitao, a member of Westchester since 2008 began serving an internship as Pastor of Chinese Ministries in January, 2016.  In January, 2017 Haitao was called to continue in a permanent part-time position.  Prior to this position he served as the volunteer coordinator of Westchester Chinese Fellowship for five years.  Haitao worked as an orthopedist for 8 years in China before coming to the United States.  He earned a PhD in Bioinformatics from ISU in 2009 and a Master of Arts in Applied Biblical Study from Moody Bible Institute in August 2015.

     

    Haitao and Honghua have been married since 1994 and have three daughters.

     

    God has wired Haitao to be a servant, caregiver, and teacher.  He enjoys studying the Word with others, and sharing the gospel with non-believers.  He believes that the Word, and only the Word can change lives.  He has a heart to come alongside people in need, leading them to experience the beauty of life in Jesus.

  • Michelle Van Wyngarden

    Children's Ministry Director (part-time)

    Michelle has been a member of Westchester since 2006 and began serving as the Children's Ministry Director in July, 2018.  She has a passion for sharing the love of Christ with children and seeing them grow in their faith and knowledge of God.  She loves to have fun with kids while instilling the Word of God in their hearts and minds.  Michelle has an undergraduate degree from Central College in Pella, and has been working with children since.  She was a Youth Director for the YMCA, Director of a day care center, and had a small home day care.  She has also been a Sunday school teacher at Westchester and served in the nursery.


    Michelle and her husband Scott have been married since 2006 and have three children.

  • Deb Halbersma

    Administrative Assistant

    Deb joined the Westchester Staff in August of 2005. Deb oversees the office administration, basically doing whatever needs done to insure that church to runs smoothly. She has many years of administrative experience having worked in various organizations in the role of administrative assistant. She will readily tell you that “God has been preparing me through years of experience and situations for this role.” Deb and her husband Gary have been a part of the Westchester family for 20+ years. They have a son and a daughter and five grandchildren.