Pastors

Noel Heikkinen

What do you do here at Riv?
I do a lot of the weekend service teaching and oversee the big-picture vision and strategy for the church. I also work with a bunch of creative weirdos planning the weekend services.

Family info?
My wife Grace and I have four kids:  Emma (13), Jesse (11), Ethan (9), and Coley (6).

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Detroit but moved with my family to DeWitt (north of Lansing) when I was 4. I have lived in the Lansing area my whole life. 

What’s your Riv story?
My wife and I started attending Riv when we were MSU students in the early ‘90s. In 1995, we started hanging out with the one high school student our church had. That grew into a full-blown high school ministry, and I ended up going on staff in 1998. In 2001, I was recognized as one of the pastors.

How did you learn about Jesus?
I grew up in a Christian home and made a decision for Jesus as a real little kid. Unfortunately, I also lived as an unapologetic hypocrite until I was in college. At that point, I faced a crisis of faith and read through the New Testament for the first time. I was blown away at the Jesus I met on those pages and decided everyone needed to know Him.

What is something we don't know about you?
I was a mime in a play once. I had to be quiet and not talk for two hours straight at each performance. That was quite possibly the biggest trial of my life.

Favorite book? 
Book of the Dun Cow, by Walter Wangerin

What music is in your player right now?
146 podcasts and 3,470 songs. I’m listening to “Throwing Copper” by Live as I type this.

Aside from pastor, what are some other jobs you’ve had in the past?
Minigolf, batting cage, and go-kart operator, soft-serve ice cream server, bank teller, waiter, bank assistant manager and loan officer; graphic artist, radio and wedding DJ, and production assistant for talk radio.

Who are some people that have inspired you?
My co-pastors, my wife, my kids, D.L. Moody, Peter, Jack Bauer, Charles Spurgeon, Larry Osborne, John Cleese, Daniel, Mark Driscoll, Gary Vaynerchuk, my dad, my mom, and of course, Steve Jobs.

Hobbies? 
Reading, mountain biking, and baseball with my boys.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
I have no need for superpowers. I have an iPhone.

What makes you smile?
From what I’ve heard, less muscles than what makes me frown.

What are some things that you hope to happen in or through Riv?
Our mission statement really says it all. I dream and pray that we would “make sacrificial followers of Jesus."

How do you take your coffee?
Black — half a cup at a time.

To Contact Noel:

Noel@RivChurch.com or go to Noel's Facebook page or JustNoel.com