Dale Whitehead has been serving as the primary teaching pastor of Valley Bible Church since 1973. As a teenager in Compton, he accepted Christ as his personal savior but his interest in spiritual things waned while he was attending UCLA. After graduating from the university, Dale met Lynn Maret, who helped him get involved in another church, where his spiritual interests were renewed. In 1968, he asked Lynn to marry him.
While working as a police officer in Santa Ana, Dale became dissatisfied with the direction of his life. He decided to attend Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, Oregon. There, he made the decision to become a minister, applying to Talbot Seminary and graduating in 1972 with a master's of divinity. Dale briefly served as a minister of youth and visitation at Faith Bible Church in San Bernadino before coming to VBC.
Dale and Lynn live in Lancaster and have three grown children, Erin, Kristin and Nathan, who "though they no longer live with us are striving to live a life pleasing to the Lord. For this we are grateful to Him," says Dale. They also have 5 grandchildren.