Steve grew up in Salem, IL. He now lives in Bloomington with his wife, Villy, and daughters, Anna and Stella. Steve joined Northside as Senior Minister in 2024. Before that, he was Professor of Theology at Lincoln Christian Seminary. He also served as a missionary in the Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland. Steve loves cooking, reading (especially fiction), walking in the great outdoors, and music (especially classic rock, jazz, and classical).

Melissa has been working part-time as Northside’s Administrative Assistant since September 1997. She has been married to Jim Knotts since 1981 and they have two grown children, Samantha (Michael) Hovar and Joey (Yue) Knotts, and two grandsons Alex and Nathan. Melissa enjoys singing, sewing, watching live theater and visiting with friends.