Meet Our Pastors & Ministers!

John Piper

• Pastor for Preaching & Vision
• Executive Pastoral Assistant: David Mathis, 612.455.3407

John's life and ministry are driven by a desire to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. This calling began as the son of an evangelist, born in Tennessee and raised in Greenville, SC. He first recognized a call to teach while being taught by Harold John Ockenga at Wheaton College as an English major. He also met his wife Noël at Wheaton. The call grew in their marriage (1968) and through further study at Fuller Seminary (B.Div., 1971) and the University of Munich (D.Theol., 1974) in Germany where their first son Karsten was born. The addition to their family of Benjamin, Abraham, Barnabas, and Talitha Ruth has further fueled this passion for God. It simmered for six years as John taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College and then fairly exploded after he became pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1980.

Pastor John chose to move his family into the inner city of Minneapolis, near the church, where Noël has helped to make their home a "manse" for urban ministry, missions, and internships. Praying, teaching, thinking, clarifying, sharpening, laboring, writing, traveling to share these fruits prayerfully are all evidences of God's continued call on his life to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.

Melvin Brown,

• Pastor for Church & Neighborhood Relations

Melvin was born and raised in a loving Christian home in Mississippi. At the age of 12 he accepted Christ and was baptized in a pond near his church. One thing Melvin remembers about that day is the Deacons going into the water with sticks to drive out the snakes.

Melvin received a BA degree in Business Administration from Alcorn State University in 1972. He received his CPA license in 1996. While attending Alcorn, Melvin met his wife Helen; they were married in 1971. They have been blessed with three children, Melvin M, Roderick, and Traci.

Melvin accepted the call to the ministry in May 1977. Melvin was the Assistant Pastor at Sabathani Baptist Church and later Greater Friendship Baptist Church prior to coming to Bethlehem. Melvin was involved in the planting of two other churches.

For more than 31 years, Melvin has worked as a Revenue Agent with the Internal Revenue Service, where he has been able to use his ministry skills in the administration of the tax law.

Prior to coming to Bethlehem, Melvin spent his entire life in the Black Church. The exposure and experience Melvin have gained from Bethlehem and the Black Church has created a passion to build strong relationships between every tongue and tribe where Christ is the center. Melvin feels strongly that a solid deeply rooted relationship with Christ and every tongue and tribe is the key to destroying "Bad Bridges" and building "Good Bridges" where Christ is the foundation.

Bud Burk

• Pastor for Child & Youth Discipleship
• Ministry Assistant: Suzy Plocher, 612.455.3482

Bud Burk has lived in southern California his entire life. He was born into a believing family who faithfully attended a Brethren Church in East Los Angeles. There was evidence of grace in the early years of his life but it was not until his late high school years that he experienced deep conviction of sin, a renewed interest in spiritual things, a heart for missions work and compassion for the suffering church. Although it is difficult for Bud to pinpoint exactly when he was born again, one thing he knows for sure: "today, by God's grace, I trust in Jesus and His work for me on the cross."

In 1985, Bud received Bachelors in Christian Education from Biola University in La Mirada, CA. After graduation, Bud went to work in his family's steel fabrication business while becoming actively involved in ministry to children at Whittier Hills Baptist Church. The 13 years that followed were formative years. The Lord gave him a passion for ministry to children and families that became evident over time to the leadership of the church. His responsibilities at the church grew. He was eventually offered an internship and in 1998 the church called him to be Pastor of Parent and Children's Discipleship. During these years at Whittier, Bud has proven himself as an effective, deeply loved pastor with an unmistakable call, proven gifts in ministry to children and to the parents and adults who are investing in their lives. He has the heart of a shepherd, a love for truth, a faithful devotion to his wife and children, an ability to get things done, and most importantly, he has an obvious love for Christ that overflows in blessing to others.

Bud and his wife Lisa have been happily married since 1987. They have two children, Tom and Charlotte.

Sam Crabtree

• Executive Pastor & Lead Pastor for Life Training
• Ministry Assistant: Erin Dung, 612.455.3464

Sam's early life was formed on a farm where he gave himself to Christ at the age of five. His family moved frequently, living in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Montana, and northern Minnesota. Sam's main desire in life is to become more like Jesus. He graduated from St. Cloud State in 1974 with two majors: Elementary Education and Psychology. He also met and married Vicki (1973). Further studies at Trinity and South Dakota State concluded in a Master's degree in Education in 1979.

At some point during his 16 years of faithful ministry and assistance to three pastors of the Brookings (SD) Wesleyan Church, Sam became aware of Bethlehem, and God slowly drew him in this direction. His interest in joining our pastoral staff centered "on an earnest desire to come alongside and foster a great and deep appreciation of a grand and glorious God, to engender an unbridled enthusiasm for the preeminence of Christ."

He labors to provide ministry design and coordination, working with our various ministries to ensure that the goals of our church are being worked out. As our "vision keeper," Sam fosters an atmosphere where the Vision Statement can move forward in the life of the church, seeking to ensure an esprit de corps among the pastoral staff, elders, support staff, and congregation. He mirrors the compassion of God relationally within the body, a gift God has grown in him through a wide variety of experiences including the loss of two children, Aryn and Jordan, through miscarriage, and the parenting, teaching, and enjoyment of daughters Dawn and Mandi.

Ken Currie

• Pastor for College Ministry & Director of Campus Outreach Minneapolis
• Ministry Assistant: Erin Martin, 612.455.3448

Ken came to faith in Jesus Christ while a college student at West Georgia College. As a result, Ken has a passionate desire to see students come to Christ, grow in a God-centered worldview, and labor in the lives of others. After graduation, Ken took a staff position with Campus Outreach in South Georgia for four years. Ken then began Campus Outreach in Greenville, SC, where the Currie's lived for ten years (1994-2004.) In August 2003, Ken came to Bethlehem to direct the college ministries of Bethlehem through Campus Outreach Minneapolis. Ken and the Campus Outreach Minneapolis staff are seeking to implement the vision of Bethlehem by building laborers on the campus for the lost world.

Ken's wife, Theresa, also came to Christ as a student at West Georgia and shares his commitment to raise up students who love Jesus and are burdened for the world around them. Ken and Theresa have five children -- Hannah, Taylor, Kenzie, Emily, and Austin. Ken is currently working on his Master of Divinity degree through Reformed Theological Seminary.

Jack Delk

• Pastor for Covenant Member Care
• Ministry Assistant: Lynda Hansen, 612.455.0805

Jack sensed God's call to full-time ministry during the summer of 1996 at the age of 45 and subsequently began the M.Div. program at Bethel Seminary in January 1998, and The Bethlehem Institute's Track Two program in the fall of 2000. Jack graduated from both of these programs at the end of May 2002 and is now part of the adult ministries pastoral team working to ensure that our members do not "fall through the cracks" but instead receive the support, accountability, and nurturing which goes with being a part of the body of Christ. In longing for our neighbors and the nations to behold Jesus as a treasure so valuable that they would forsake everything that this world has to offer in order to obtain that Treasure, we must never forget that there are concentric circles of responsibility for care. Paul writes, "As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).

Jack's closest partner and friend in ministry is his wife, Mary, who is the Minister for Women's Ministries. Jack and Mary partner in many ways but share a passion for seeing young couples become solidly established in their marriages by recognizing and embracing God's role for them as men and women, husbands and wives. They live out this passion through leading small groups geared specifically toward young couples in their first years of marriage, partnering in pre-marriage counseling, and occasionally teaching classes on marriage.

Mary Delk

• Minister for Women's Ministries
• Ministry Assistant: Tracy Cornish for the North Campus, 612.455.0806; Anne Golliher for the Downtown Campus, 612.455.3472

Mary was raised in a religious home in Green Bay, WI, but had never heard a clear gospel message until the age of 24 (1977) while attending a women's Bible study at Ft. Riley, KS. Upon receiving Christ, God placed in her heart a hunger and love for his Word and gave her many opportunities to study the Word as a young mother, raising her family.

Mary began teaching Precept Bible studies in 1984 and has been active in Women's Ministries in churches all over the United States. She desires to equip women to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. She encourages women to embrace the great assurance and hope of their identity in Jesus Christ and to claim and enjoy satisfaction in him. Mary has a passion to teach women how to study the Word of God for themselves and to equip them to use the gifts God has given them for the work of ministry.

Mary is the wife of Jack, who is also on the pastoral staff at Bethlehem Baptist Church. She has two grown sons -- Josh (married to Maria) and living in Austin, TX, and Jacob, living in Minneapolis.

Tom Eckblad

• Pastor for Counseling
• Administrator for Congregational Care: Karla Gregg, 612.455.3474

Tom came to know Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 12. From that time on he desired to know God in a deep and personal relationship and to share this relationship with others through proclaiming the gospel. At the Moody Bible Institute, Tom was introduced to experiencing Christian Hedonism by spending many hours enjoying the presence of a glorious God. He also met his wife, Jeanie. Tom and Jeanie, along with their first child, went as missionaries with the South America Mission to Bolivia. They had two more children on the field. In the midst of a time of political turmoil the Lord blessed their ministry; churches were planted and leaders trained as spiritual shepherds. The ten years in Bolivia enabled them to see God provide overwhelming grace in very difficult situations (11 coups and civil wars), and to develop a growing focus on two areas of spiritual ministry: soul care for every individual Christian and training the church to provide this care. In the years since, Tom has had numerous opportunities to pour his life into these two passions. Tom began his responsibilities at Bethlehem September 1, 2003, and will endeavor to balance the in-depth counseling of a limited number of individuals and couples with creating training programs and training others to use counseling/soul care skills. In addition to these areas Tom also enjoys writing to encourage and train the broader Christian community.

Jon Grano

• Lead Pastor for Operations
• Ministry Assistant: Amanda Johnson, 612.455.3469

Jon has greatly enjoyed supporting Bethlehem's mission and ministry for the past 25 years, first as a volunteer and now on staff as Lead Pastor for Operations. He is very thankful for this opportunity to serve Bethlehem full-time as he leads an excellent support staff focused on areas like properties management, financial administration, office management, information technologies, and human resources, as well as kitchen, wedding, and library coordination.

Jon was born just miles from Bethlehem, and spent his formative years growing up in a Christian home in Duluth. During high school, God used prayers from family members and friends, a letter from his dad describing the importance of trusting and following Jesus, and contact with folks in the Jesus People movement to plant seeds that later blossomed into saving faith. Then, during the fall of 1975 as a freshman at St. Olaf College, God drew Jon into his kingdom and turned his life right-side up through the college ministry of a local church (Emmaus Baptist), the witness of several close friends, and a powerful time of reading Scripture. He was baptized shortly afterwards.

God brought Jon and his wife Pam to Bethlehem within weeks of their 1981 wedding through Pastor John's preaching and Pastor Tom's leadership of Toshavim (and its softball team!). Jon has been involved in various ministries since, including the Council of Elders (and its 1980s precursor, the Council of Deacons), the North Campus building committee, adult small groups and Children's Sunday School small groups, the Worship and Music search committee for Chuck Steddom, and Toshavim worship leadership. Pam has also been involved extensively with worship and children's ministries at Bethlehem. They shared an Elliot Park duplex for nine years with good friends from Bethlehem (the Stellers), and now live in New Brighton, just two miles from the North Campus. Their daughter Rebecca attends Bethel University and son Daniel attends the University of Minnesota.

Before joining Bethlehem's staff, Jon served as a group leader at Parametric Technologies (PTC), a product development software company, where he led its Windchill division Development Services team. Prior to PTC, he was employed by Control Data's ICEM CAD/CAM division as a project leader and software developer. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Duluth, with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Joyce Heinrich

• Minister for Early Childhood
• Ministry Assistant: Cristina Hermann, 612.455.3496

Joyce received Christ as Savior as a five-year-old, and at five she decided she wanted to be a teacher. God gave her this desire of her heart. He also gave her a passion to help little ones know Jesus and a burden to care for needy children. Her B.A. in Elementary Education, along with post-graduate work in Early Childhood Education and Management of Daycare, prepared her to teach pre-school through seventh grade in both public and Christian schools. God also gave her the joy of providing foster care, teaching Hmong children to read and write, and to carry on a Bible correspondence course with many of them. God has blessed Joyce with six children and fifteen grandchildren (so far). She has been a member of Bethlehem since January 2000. Her duties cover equipping and directing the preschools and the nurseries of the church.

Dan Holst

• Pastor for North Campus Worship & Vision
• Ministry Assistant: Glenda Sannes, 612.455.0804

With an unbridled passion to know God in word and worship, Dan serves full-time at Bethlehem as Pastor for North Campus Worship and Vision.

Born into a Christian home in suburban Minneapolis in 1961, Dan was born again as a child of four or five at his mother's knee. When he was ten, Dan's parents sensed God's call to missionary service in southern Africa. "As a child, I saw in my parents a passionate commitment to Christ which resulted in radical middle-aged steps of obedience to go and spread the gospel." After finishing high-school in Zimbabwe, Dan returned to the U.S. to attend Bethel College in St. Paul. Graduating from Bethel in January 1983, with a degree in English Literature, Dan married Liz in early February of the same year. They have four children, Anika, Erik, Mariana, and Anders. They currently live in Mounds View. Dan was employed by Northwest Airlines as a Flight Attendant for 20 years and has been involved in leading worship since high-school. He has been on staff at Bethlehem since October 2002, serving and shepherding the body of believers at the North Campus in Mounds View.

Whether leading worship in small groups or at the North Campus on Sunday mornings, Dan is aware of the twin pillars on which Godward worship rests: "In worship, we seek to inform the mind with biblical truths about God so that the heart will rightly respond to his greatness and glory."

Erik Hyatt

• Pastor for Foreign Missions
• Ministry Assistant: Kari Hoilien, 612.455.3432

Erik was raised in a non-Christian home in Southern California. After reading the Bible for the first time at the age of 19, and through the gospel witness of a church college group, he gratefully received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Growing up in a very multi-ethnic school and neighborhood in Southern California, Erik believes that the Lord prepared him, even before his conversion, to be involved in cross-cultural ministry. His parents rented several rooms in their home to foreign students attending UCLA. Erik has always had an appreciation for, and interest in, other ethnic groups.

Erik has a B.A. in Christian Ministries from University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii, and an M.Div. in Intercultural Studies from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He served with Youth With A Mission (YWAM 1986 - 1991) as a missionary/student for five years - ministering in several different countries in SE Asia and the South Pacific. It was while he was with YWAM that he met his wife Charlotte (married in 1993). As part of his Seminary training, Erik and Charlotte lived in Southern India for six months - training rural pastors and researching the Gujarati people group at Hindustan Bible Institute in Madras, India.

Erik came to Bethlehem Baptist Church (2002) with seven years of pastoral experience. He has served as a youth pastor for several years in Salem, Oregon (1991-1993). He also served at Village Baptist Church in Beaverton, Oregon, as the Associate Pastor of Missions & Young Adults (1995-2000). At Village, Erik was involved in missions education, mobilization, and the leadership of two annual short-term missions trips to unreached people groups. He also oversaw and gave direction to local cross-cultural ministries (five ethnic fellowships, and an International Students ministry).

Before coming to Bethlehem, Erik was on staff with Delta Ministries International (Portland, OR). At Delta, Erik provided logistical coordination and training for church-based short-term teams ministering internationally. He has helped develop missions curriculum for both short-term teams (ten days to three months) and mid-term missionaries (four months to two years). Erik is a frequent speaker in churches. He has also been a Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Course Coordinator and lecturer for many years, and he has led several workshops at ACMC conferences (Advancing Churches Missions Commitment). Erik and Charlotte have 3 daughters (Anna, Kathryn, and Clara) and live in Roseville, MN.

Fred Johnson

• Pastoral Resident for Neighborhood Outreach, North Campus
• Ministry Assistant: Lynda Hansen, 612.455.0805

Fred came to receive Christ as his Savior in his childhood. He began evangelizing as a young adult, and sought to prepare for ministry by attending Moody Bible Institute and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He worked as an Air Force Chaplain, a hospital chaplain, and has served as an associate pastor. Fred has been married to his wife, Tasha, since 2004. They moved to the Twin Cities from Concord, CA, and began working at Bethlehem in summer of 2007. Bethlehem entrusts a "pastoral resident" like Fred with pastoral responsibility while he is developing and growing as a pastor. The aim of the Fred's pastoral residency is to mobilize the people of the church for neighborhood outreach in the areas of evangelism, local missions, and mercy.

David Livingston

• Pastor for Shepherd Groups & Adult Ministries
• Ministry Assistant: Amy Anderson, 612.746.2651

First called to Bethlehem as an Associate for Pastoral Care, David's shepherding skills have often reflected his previous wealth of pastoral experiences at Olivet Baptist Church of Minneapolis and Our Savior's Baptist Church in Elkhorn, NE.

David was born and raised in Denver, CO and received Christ at Junior Boy's Week at Covenant Heights Bible Camp in the Rocky Mountains the summer of his tenth year. After graduating from Bethel College (1968), Westminster Seminary (1971), and receiving his Doctor of Ministry from Bethel Seminary (1991), David has continued to pursue his calling to be a shepherd in the local church and is now Pastor for Adult Ministries and Shepherd Groups. David oversees the leadership training and monthly enrichment meetings of our congregation's network of home "Shepherd Group" leaders and is also one of the regional directors of pastoral care, leading the South Site elder team in its care for the members and attendees attending that 3rd campus of Bethlehem.

David's own family reflects this shepherding vision well. He is married to Karin and is the father of four daughters: Sarah (living in southeast Asia with her husband Eric and their two children, Karsten David, and Aubrey Louise), Anna (a labor and delivery nurse, living with her husband Dan and daughter Moriah Joy in Louisville, KY), Krista (married to Steven Cox), and Lydia (living here in the Twin Cities). The family has served a one year short term with SIM in Nigeria, in 1992-3. David and Karin celebrated their 25th anniversary in July 2001 in Cochabamba, Bolivia, spreading a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all West African and Bolivian peoples as well.

Gil McConnell

• Pastor for Child & Youth Discipleship, North Campus
• Ministry Assistant: Lori Myers, 612.455.0808

God brought Gil into the world in 1972. God saved Gil in 1989, at 16 years of age, in a small church just south of Louisville, KY. He quickly got involved with the church youth group and continued to grow in his faith.

In 1994, Gil moved to Alpena, MI, located in Michigan's northeast Lower Peninsula, to be involved in a church plant. Sensing an intense desire to follow the call of God, he made a one year commitment to serve in the areas of music and youth which spilled over into nine years and many opportunities to depend on God's mercy. During this time Gil served in youth work, Bible teaching, worship leading, evangelism and discipleship, and eventually eldership. Five of these years, he worked as a manager at Wal-Mart to support himself. Meanwhile, he completed his B. A. in Elementary Education with a major in Music at Spring Arbor University. In this setting, God gave Gil the wonderful surprise of meeting JoAnna, who became his bride in May 2002. They spent the first two years of their marriage in Alpena, where they served the LORD together in the same local church. As a bi-vocational elder, Gil taught in the public elementary school system and served as the Principal of a local Christian school. Throughout these diverse experiences, God has continued to grow a passion in Gil to help people learn to live in the truth of God's Word. In August 2004, the McConnells moved to Minneapolis so that Gil could begin TBI Track 2. In August 2005, the Elders approved his position as Bethlehem's North Campus Director for Child and Youth Discipleship and in 2007 the congregation called Gil as our Pastor for Child and Youth Discipleship at the North Campus.

Gil and JoAnna currently live in Lino Lakes and have two children: Sophia and Micah. Believing that "children are a heritage from the LORD" (Ps 127:3), Gil desires to work alongside the families in this local expression of God's Church to steward well this holy heritage by spreading a passion for God's supremacy for the joy of the next generation through Jesus Christ.

Rick Melson

• Pastor for South Site Worship & Vision
• Ministry Assistant: Jeremy Hermann, 612.746.2654

Rick Melson serves as the Pastor for Worship and Vision at Bethlehem's South Site in Burnsville, MN. Rick finds great joy in leading Bethlehem to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ in the south, southwest, and southeast regions of the Twin Cities. He is passionate about leading worship and strives to lead Bethlehem to center their minds' attention and hearts' affections on the Lord, humbly glorifying God in response to who he is and what he has done.

Prior to coming to Bethlehem in 2005, Rick served as a Worship Pastor in Ohio, Alabama, Texas, and South Carolina, and as the Director of Admissions and Student Recruitment, with president R. Albert Mohler, Jr., at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, where he also received a Masters degree in Church Music and Worship (1995). In addition, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music (1991) from Murray State University in Murray, KY, and has done post graduate studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX, toward a Ph.D. in Worship (2000). Rick is married to Tammy (1988), and they currently have three children, Jon (1995), Hannah (1997) and Matthew (2006).

David & Sally Michael

• Pastor for Parenting & Family Discipleship (David)
• Ministry Assistant: Anika Holst, 612.455.3495
• Minister for Resources & Program Development (Sally)
• Ministry Assistant: Suzy Plocher, 612.455.3482

David and Sally Michael are serving together in the Family Discipleship Department. David is Pastor for Parenting and Family Discipleship and Sally is Minister for Resources and Program Development. They have two adult daughters. Amy is married and mother of two daughters (Anna and Katie), living in St. John's New Foundland where her husband Gary is serving as Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. Kristi is a nurse living in Minneapolis and actively involved at Bethlehem.

David and Sally were both born in the east. David was raised in Binghamton, NY; Sally in Virginia, Rhode Island, and Ecuador. They met at Nyack College and graduated in 1976, marrying three weeks after graduation. David attended Bethel Seminary and received his M.Div. in 1979. That year he and Sally moved into the Phillips neighborhood where David spent eight years on staff with Community Emergency Service, a church-based social service agency in Minneapolis.

The Michaels began attending Bethlehem in 1980, and in 1986, David was called as Pastor for Urban and Neighborhood Ministries. For many years, their advice, wisdom, and counsel on parenting have benefited the body of our church, culminating in their call together to our staff in 1996 as Pastor (David) and Minister (Sally) for Parenting and Children's Discipleship. In 2005 the children's and youth department merged and became the Family Discipleship Department. David heads this department and Sally serves as "Minister for Resources and Program Development.

Over the years the Michaels ministry has been marked by a strong commitment to equipping and partnering with parents to support the spiritual development of their children. They have been passionate about developing resources for the spiritual development of children in the home and at church. Today all the curriculum currently being used in our Sunday School and midweek classes was developed at Bethlehem in a way that reflects the passion for truth and the theological and doctrinal that has defined our church for almost three decades. This curriculum is now being used in hundreds of churches across the country and in various parts of the world through the ministry of Children Desiring God.

Although their roles have changed over the years, their vision for urban ministry and missions remains steadfast as they nurture the same desire to spread a passion in our young people for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples, of all ages, through Jesus Christ.

Brad Nelson

• Pastor for Short-Term Ministry Mobilization
• Ministry Assistant: Tina Lowe, 612.455.3439

Brad was born and raised in Minneapolis. He graduated from Bethel College in 1980 as a Chemistry major, and was self-employed in construction when he began attending Bethel Seminary. He met Cindy while attending Bethlehem, and they married in 1987, a few months before he was called as Minister for Youth. Brad and Cindy are the happy parents of Michael, Leah, Abbie, and Emma.

Brad loves young people. The energy and joy he pours into their lives, while strengthening their faith and deepening their Christian love for each other and unbelieving associates, are a means that God is using to deepen the spiritual roots of our young people here and abroad. His desire to reach the city and the nations for Christ is contagious; the young people of Bethlehem mirror a growing enthusiasm for spreading a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ that excites both young and old alike!

We see our young people crying in huddles outside abortion clinics, handing out tracks outside the Metrodome, leading worship in our youth rooms, the sanctuary, and the parks of our city. Many are reaching out to those in crisis situations, sometimes traveling great distances to help in practical ways. God's supremacy overarches canoe trips to the Boundary Waters, miniature golf games, and athletic camps, as well as teaching programs within Bethlehem. Jesus, lead on!

Chuck Steddom

• Pastor for Worship & Music
• Ministry Assistant: Jesse Harms, 612.455.3425

Raised in Iowa in a Christian home, Chuck accepted Christ at the age of eight. Music was his focus early on and he graduated from Wheaton in 1982 with a B.A. in Music Education/Voice. He married Carol that same year. He later received a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from St. Cloud State (1990). He was a Minister of Youth and Music in Iowa where he also taught Physical Education at a Catholic school for two years. God called the Steddoms to Monticello, MN, in 1984 as Minister of Music and Christian Education at Riverside Alliance (formerly Monticello Alliance) where they stayed for six years. In 1990, they were called to Prairie Bible Institute where Chuck would teach and later chair the music department and then become the Associate Dean of the college.

Chuck's authentic leadership flows out of his music-filled heart as he sings, teaches, pastors, and leads us to be more and more open to the filling of the Spirit in heart-felt worship of him who alone is worthy of it. His desire is to win unbelievers, to strengthen, encourage, and fire the faith of believers, and to support the hands of those who serve through music and the Word. His wife, Carol, is the principal accompanist at Bethlehem's Downtown Campus. The Steddoms have four children: Daniel, Allison, Alexander, and Kiandra.

Tom Steller

• Pastor for Leadership Development
• Administrator for The Bethlehem Institute: Connie Kopischke, 612.455.3420

Tom was born in Excelsior, MN. He grew up Roman Catholic. When he was 16, he committed his life to Christ. After he graduated from Bethel College with a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies, he pursued further training at Bethel Seminary (St. Paul, MN) and Fuller Seminary (Pasadena, CA). He graduated from Fuller with an M.Div. From 1980-82 he worked part-time with college students at Bethlehem, taught Greek at Bethel College, and finished his seminary studies at Bethel Seminary. In 1982 Tom was ordained and came on Bethlehem's staff full-time as Pastor for Students and Adult Education. In 1984 his position was changed to Pastor for Students and Missions.

In 1989 his position was changed once again to Pastor for Missions and Leadership Development. In 1990-91 Tom and his family served at the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary. After returning to Bethlehem, Tom resumed his position until 1996 when he was asked to devote some of his time to developing and serving in the position of Executive Pastor. In 1997, after Bethlehem called its first full-time Executive Pastor, Tom was given a study leave at the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton, IL, where he designed TBI (The Bethlehem Institute for Bible, Theology, and Missions). In 1998 Tom returned to Bethlehem and implemented the vision for TBI. Upon the arrival of Bethlehem's first full-time Foreign Missions Pastor in the spring of 2002, Tom's pastoral heart and missions passion began being expressed as our Pastor for Leadership Development and the Dean of TBI.

Tom and his wife, Julie, are the happy parents of Hannah, Ruth, Katie, Nate, and Emma. They live in the Elliot Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, just a few minute walk from the church.

Kenny Stokes

• Lead Pastor for Spreading
• Ministry Assistant: Sarah Porter, 612.455.3436

Kenny was born and raised in Minneapolis. He came to know the saving grace of God in Christ during the summer of 1973, while a camper at a Bible camp. After high school graduation, he enrolled at Bethel College. At Bethel, he met his wife Kathy and was married in December 1979. He graduated with a double major in Psychology and Biblical/Theological Studies in 1981. One year after graduating from college, he entered Bethel Seminary. Led by the Lord to grow in the area of pastoral counseling/pastoral care, he increasingly focused on that area in his studies. He continues to be thankful to the Lord for the internship experience God gave him at Bethlehem. As an Apprentice in Bethlehem's program for seminary students, his internship was focused on pastoral care, pastoral counseling, pre-marital counseling, and marriage and family ministries. During seminary, he was selected to receive the Gordon Johnson Scholarship for Expository Preaching (which he declined). He graduated from Bethel Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 1988.

In August 1988 the Lord called Kenny to Oak Hill Baptist Church in Humboldt, IA. After ten years preaching and pastoring in the local church, the Lord then called Kenny back to Bethlehem as Pastor for Urban Ministries in September 1998. Then, in March 2003, in response to the elder's growing sense the God was calling Bethlehem to develop an intentional church planting strategy, Kenny was appointed the Pastor for Church Planting and Strategic Mobilization. He currently is the Lead Pastor for Spreading, overseeing the outreach ministry departments at Bethlehem.

Since 1979 Kenny and Kathy have been happily sustained by grace in their marriage and are the parents of four wonderful children. Kenny plays the guitar, swims, and coaches baseball and soccer.

Kempton Turner

• Pastor for Young Adult (Sr High) Discipleship, Downtown Campus & South Site
• Ministry Assistant: Alli Shipley, 612.455.3484

Kempton spent the first years of his life in East St. Louis, Illinois. During his early teen years, Kempton's family moved to Houston, Texas, where he attended high school. Although he responded to the Gospel and was baptized at age 12, it was not until age 19, following some years of careless living, that Kempton came to the end of himself and experienced true repentance and the transforming power of Christ.

The passion of Kempton's heart and vision for ministry is to partner with parents at Bethlehem to see GOD raise up a generation of Christ-centered (Colossians 1:15-20), Spirit-intoxicated (Ephesians 5:18), Bible-saturated (Colossians 3:16), young adults that have been so transformed through the ministry of the Word (John 17:17, Romans 12:2) that they fervently live out the great commandment and the great commission with all their heart, mind and strength (Matthew 22:37-39; 28:18-20) as blazing lights shining in this dark world, equipped to make Disciples of Christ from their Jerusalem to the ends of the earth for the joy of all nations and the glory of God (Philippians 2:15, Acts 1:8, Psalm 67)!

In 2004, Kempton graduated with a degree in Biblical Leadership from the College of Biblical Studies in Houston. In 2005, he enrolled at Dallas Theological Seminary where he is pursuing a graduate degree in Theology and Christian Education with an emphasis on family ministry. He is working on his degree at a pace compatible with his full-time pastoral duties and the health of his family.

Kempton and his wife Caryn have been happily married since 1999 and the Lord has blessed them with two children, Christian and Carysse.