Derek Hagland graduated from Crown College in 1998. He currently serves as an assistant pastor and the youth pastor at the Grace Baptist Church of Gaylord, MI under the leadership of Dr. Jon M. Jenkins, Pastor. Bro Hagland has been on staff since 1998 and serves with his wife Amanda and their three children; Luke, Bethany, and Andrea.

Derek is a native to Gaylord as he serves in his home town. His dad was a public school health teacher at Gaylord High School for 30 years. During that time his father coached varsity guys and girls basketball, junior varsity football, and taught Drivers Education.

Although Brother Hagland came from a good moral home, he was not taught the Bible and his family only attended church once or twice a year. At age 14 Derek and a friend stole a motorcycle from the backyard of an electrical auto mechanic shop called Golden Auto Electric. One week later, they were caught and turned over to the police. Because both Derek and his friend came from decent homes and this was their first offense, instead of pressing charges they were given three Saturdays to work to pay for the crime.

Bro. Hagland was very sorry for what he had done and for the shame he had brought to his family name. He worked his three Saturdays and worked very hard to prove he was truly sorry. One month later, he was hired at Golden Auto as an employee and ended up working there for the next five years.

One night while working late, the two owners who were brothers, Jim and Larry Cook, who were new members of the three year old Grace Baptist Church, began to witness to Derek. Although Derek knew nothing of church or the Bible, his fear provoked many questions to the Cook brothers. They called their pastor, Jon Jenkins, who led Derek to Jesus Christ over the phone. This was the first time Bro. Hagland had ever heard the gospel and at age 15 decided to trust Christ on the spot.

Derek would have many things take place in his life over the next few years, many things in which he is ashamed of, as a Christian. But at age nineteen, Derek gave the rest of his life to serve God. Bro. Hagland would go on to Bible college and then into the ministry. He now hosts a daily radio broadcast for teenagers all across the country, speaks in camps and youth meetings, and serves as the youth pastor and assistant pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Gaylord, MI.