Philip grew up in the wilds of Maine with 9 siblings, including his twin brother, Nathan. Following a tour with the U.S. Army Reserves, Philip attended Word of Life Bible Institute. As a student at Tennessee Temple University, he pastored a small church before transferring to Washington Bible College where he met his future wife, Beth. Both Philip and Beth received Bachelor of Arts degrees from WBC and Philip holds a Master of Arts degree from Capital Bible Seminary.

Beth also decided to follow Jesus at an early age and helped plant a church that met on campus at WBC. She has been actively involved in ministry with Philip since the beginning of their marriage, participating in hospitality, mentoring and discipleship, music ministry, nursery and teaching classes and retreats.

Philip served as intern-associate pastor at Waldorf Grace Brethren Church from 1994 to 1996. He and Beth became career missionaries with the Grace Brethren in 1997 and moved to an area outside of Toronto to serve in the church planting ministry of GBCanada. Philip served as part of the pastoral team that launched the first Grace Brethren church planted in Canada in September 1998. Several years later, he and Beth joined the pastoral team that launched Real Life Community Church which later became Village Community Church. He currently serves as the lead pastor of the third church planted by GBCanada, Community of Hope Church in Surrey, British Columbia. Philip concurrently serves as the Western Canada Director for GBCanada and he and Beth now have five young children.