Dennis VanKampen's guest appearances

Dennis VanKampen

The Small Town Girl Podcast with Jenn VanHekken

Justin Barclay

West Michigan's Morning News

Elon Musk

Terry Moore

Jill Schlesinger

Brad Schmidt

Troy Baker

Mitch Albom

Joe Lieberman

Jonathan Bailor

Jason Russell

Paul Ryan

Brian Collins

Beth McCord

Alli Worthington

Clint Bruce

Dan Rooney

OwlTail

Mel Trotter

Dennis VanKampen, President and CEO of Mel Trotter Ministries, joined West Michigan's Morning News to talk about a new collaborative partnership with will allow for renovations on its medical space.

New Mel Trotter Medical Space with Dennis VanKampen

Dennis VanKampen, CEO of Mel Trotter ministries, sits down and shares his unexpected journey from law enforcement to CEO, and how God is using Mel Trotter to share compassion with everyone. Period.  He shares why judgement has no place within their walls, and how the understanding that every person who walks in their doors is made in God's image, is at the core of what they do.  Plus...we talk about why the holidays are such an important time to support their ministry, and how giving really is the ultimate way to receive. Where to find Dennis:  meltrotter.org meltrotter.org/give Facebook Instagram  Dennis's Recommendations:   Cinder Girl: My Journey out of the Ashes Into a Life of Hope by Christina Meredith U2 David Crowder    What he said: 14:00 "I firmly believe that you cannot walk with anyone else unless you've been broken yourself." 14:04 "You sort of walk in here and think about all of the ways that you're going to give...and actually sometimes they are more healthy than we are, and out of their brokenness, they are the ones that actually help us." 21:30 "We ask God: Why are doing this to me? instead of: God, what are you doing in the middle of this?" 24:15 "Here's the truth...the guy that's panhandling on the street? The woman that's panhandling on the street? Somebody loves her.  She's somebody's daughter, somebody's aunt, somebody's mom." 24:45 "We fundamentally believe that everybody that walks on this earth is made in the image of God.  A God that loves them. A God that knit them together in their mother's womb. And a God who, had that person been in prostitution their whole life and been the only person on earth, God would have STILL sent his only son to die for that person. That is what we believe." 29: 45 "Our mission is to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ to anyone experiencing hunger or homelessness in West Michigan...men, women, children, the severely addicted, the mentally ill, the LGBTQ community.  Everyone. Period." 32:31 "We have learned to leave judgment outside of our doors and kick it to the curb." 36:00 "There is no path out of homelessness because there is no one path into homelessness." 47:46 "Volunteering is not about you being an expert...the most important volunteering is about sharing your story and listening to someone else share theirs." 49: 48 "We were created for community. God did not create us to do life alone." 53:16 "God's promise to us is to use us in our brokenness to be a part of his story if we'll let him...and in that process, you might be surprised that you thought you were helping someone, and actually they were helping."

Dennis VanKampen, CEO of Mel Trotter ministries, sits down and shares his unexpected journey from law enforcement to CEO, and how God is using Mel Trotter to share compassion with everyone. Period.  He shares why judgement has no place within their walls, and how the understanding that every person who walks in their doors is made in God's image, is at the core of what they do.  Plus...we talk about why the holidays are such an important time to support their ministry, and how giving really is the ultimate way to receive. Where to find Dennis: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.meltrotter.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">meltrotter.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.meltrotter.org/give" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">meltrotter.org/give</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/meltrotterministries/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/meltrottermin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li> </ul> Dennis's Recommendations: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/CinderGirl-Journey-Ashes-Life-Hope/dp/0310348935/ref=asc_df_0310348935/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=266434156756&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=11247581319461308653&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9017498&amp;hvtargid=pla-659807326214&amp;psc=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cinder Girl: My Journey out of the Ashes Into a Life of Hope</a> by Christina Meredith</li> <li><a href="https://www.u2.com/index/home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">U2</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.crowdermusic.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Crowder</a></li> </ul> What he said: 14:00 "I firmly believe that you cannot walk with anyone else unless you've been broken yourself." 14:04 "You sort of walk in here and think about all of the ways that you're going to give...and actually sometimes they are more healthy than we are, and out of their brokenness, they are the ones that actually help us." 21:30 "We ask God: Why are doing this to me? instead of: God, what are you doing in the middle of this?" 24:15 "Here's the truth...the guy that's panhandling on the street? The woman that's panhandling on the street? Somebody loves her.  She's somebody's daughter, somebody's aunt, somebody's mom." 24:45 "We fundamentally believe that everybody that walks on this earth is made in the image of God.  A God that loves them. A God that knit them together in their mother's womb. And a God who, had that person been in prostitution their whole life and been the only person on earth, God would have STILL sent his only son to die for that person. That is what we believe." 29: 45 "Our mission is to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ to anyone experiencing hunger or homelessness in West Michigan...men, women, children, the severely addicted, the mentally ill, the LGBTQ community.  Everyone. Period." 32:31 "We have learned to leave judgment outside of our doors and kick it to the curb." 36:00 "There is no path out of homelessness because there is no one path into homelessness." 47:46 "Volunteering is not about you being an expert...the most important volunteering is about sharing your story and listening to someone else share theirs." 49: 48 "We were created for community. God did not create us to do life alone." 53:16 "God's promise to us is to use us in our brokenness to be a part of his story if we'll let him...and in that process, you might be surprised that you thought you were helping someone, and actually they were helping."

[REPLAY] Dennis VanKampen on Serving, Loving, and Caring for those in need this Christmas