Who are Jack and Rebecca Sytsema?

JACK AND REBECCA SYTSEMA are both ordained Christian ministers who have been involved in international prayer ministry since 1993. They have also been involved with several autism groups over the past several years and are on the Honorary Board of Advisors for Unlocking Autism.

JACK currently serves as Executive Vice President of Finance for the International Child Development Resource Center (ICDRC) and Creation’s Own (CO). Founded by world-renowned doctor J. Jeff Bradstreet, M.D., ICDRC is a non-profit corporation that works jointly with CO, a medical practice, to bring together traditional science and medicine with recently developed and recognized treatments and therapies to establish the preeminent center for treatment, education, and research for the cure of autism and other developmental disabilities. The medical practice currently is helping 3,000 patients all over the world. (to learn more about ICDRC or Creation’s Own, please click here). Jack received his Bachelor’s degree from Calvin College, and a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary.

REBECCA currently serves as Director of Children of Destiny, and works as a freelance author and editor. She has coauthored eight Christian books to date. A list of her books can be found by clicking here. She works from home where she is first and foremost mom to three great boys: Nicholas (9, full-syndrome ASD), Samuel (7, moderate ASD), and Trey (typically developing 3-year-old).

We first became interested in autism when our then 2-year-old son, Nicholas, was showing signs of developmental delay coupled with intestinal difficulties in mid 2000. In January, 2001, he was diagnosed with autism. We believe in the power of prayer and believe that God’s hand is firmly on Nicholas’ life. We have implemented several other interventions for Nicholas, including the gluten- and casein-free diet, several biomedical interventions, and an intensive program of Applied Behavior Analysis.

While each intervention has helped Nicholas come to new levels of success, we firmly hold to the belief that the most powerful intervention we have brought into our son’s life has been to give him over to God and allow Him to order our steps concerning Nicholas. Although the path has been a difficult one, we have seen steady progress as God works new miracles day by day. God has yet to disappoint us in any area with which we have fully trusted Him!

You can reach us by email at prayer@childrenofdestiny.org.