Craig Ziese

Craig Ziese is the Discipleship Pastor at Mountainview and is responsible for encouraging people to engage in taking the next steps in their faith toward Jesus within a supportive community. After receiving his degree from Ozark Christian College in 1988, he has spent 33 years working in ministry with the past 21 years at MV. In addition to managing the frontline team on Sundays and following up with guests, he also oversees the planning and implementation of small group ministries including Next Steps, Rooted, and Grow Groups. He loves that MV is thriving in a relational-based ministry model. From the first step through the door, until a person settles into a Grow Group, we do our best to connect people relationally, rather than through a set of programs. It is so rewarding to witness the way God is using Grow Groups as a place for spiritual transformation in a relational context that shepherds and cares for the members of the group. His favorite passage of scripture comes from Romans 12:1-2, which encourages us to strive to be living sacrifices and not conform to the pattern of this world, but to pursue spiritual transformation and partner with the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s will.  

Craig is an Oregonian by birth but spent his childhood in the Midwest and on the West Coast. He grew up in a Jesus-centered home that lived out their faith in the church as well as at home. He is the younger of two adventurous boys, which resulted in his love for the great outdoors, especially anything involving water (liquid or solid).