NW Valley Times

Greg Oppenhuizen, a pastor at Cornerstone Covenant Church in Turlock, California, is nearing the completion of his nursing degree at Grand Canyon University's Banner Boswell Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) site in Sun City. This move aligns with National Nurses Month and highlights Oppenhuizen's journey from pastoral duties to nursing.

Oppenhuizen, who has always been drawn to science and problem-solving, majored in math and engineering two decades ago. He had considered entering the medical field throughout his pastoral career and began taking prerequisites in 2019. The onset of the global pandemic further solidified his decision to pursue nursing.

The pandemic brought significant challenges for Oppenhuizen's family. His wife Amanda was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, and his daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes within the same week. Despite these hardships, the care they received at Stanford University inspired Oppenhuizen to become a nurse.

A visit to Arizona led him to discover GCU’s ABSN program. “They made it really easy for me to know what I needed to get done to start the program,” he said. The accelerated program allows students like Oppenhuizen, who already have some college credits, to complete their degrees in as little as 16 months.

While Oppenhuizen is studying in Arizona, his wife Amanda leads their church team back in California. She is currently in remission after a stem cell transplant. “She’s pretty much amazing,” he said. “I’m in nursing school, but I tell her, ‘You’re working so much harder than me.’”

Oppenhuizen plans to continue his pastoral duties while serving as a nurse—a model known as bivocational ministry. This approach provides pastors with an additional source of income and enhances their ability to support their congregations through vocational skills outside of ministry.

He aims to serve as a critical care nurse while continuing his role as a pastor. “I’ve always really enjoyed going to the hospital, seeing patients, thinking through their physical illnesses and spiritual care,” he said.

Oppenhuizen hopes to complete the ABSN program by August.

For more information or related content:

- GCU News: Nurse who made the move to the U.S. finds passion in teaching

- GCU News: GCU opens new ABSN site in Chandler, addresses nursing shortage

Manager of Internal Communications Lana Sweeten-Shults can be reached at [email protected] or at 602-639-7901.

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