Closing Worship

LCMC

Closing Worship

October 2, 2024 • Renae Behrends

Renae Behrends is the lead pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer Iowa, the camp director at Ingham Okoboji Bible Camp, and she serves on the LCMC Board of Trustees. Renae also serves on the Grand Ave Community Outreach Board, is part of the Spencer Ministerial group, and the Northwest Iowa LCMC/NALC fellowship.

Renae and her husband, Brian live in Wallingford, Iowa and they have 5 children; Andrea (who passed away when she was 11 years old), Emily (26), Caitlyn (22), Antawn (26), and Elle (23).

Renae managed Walmart stores for almost 2 decades before she entered the ministry. Renae received her MDiv from Luther House of Study in Sioux Falls, SD.

Renae has a passion for connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds. Renae enjoys leading and encouraging others through God’s Word at women and young adult events. She also teaches Jesus to 80 kids that attend Trinity’s preschool and daycare.

Renae loves to ride motorcycles, hunt, and watch God work at camp and in our communities.

Service Coordinator's Report

September 30, 2024 • Mike Bradley

Mike Bradley is the service coordinator for LCMC. Mike brings 40 plus years of leadership and ministry experience, having served in Lutheran congregations in Nebraska (Christ Lutheran Church) and South Dakota (Trinity Lutheran Church) as a youth pastor, worship leader, associate pastor, and senior pastor. He also served as President for The Master’s Institute Seminary for ten years and most recently, as Director for the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). Mike is passionate about helping leaders and congregations create an atmosphere that is a safe place for developing healthy leaders and disciples in the church, and equipping God’s people for lives of effective witness and ministry in the world. He is the author of the book, Being a Safe Place for the Dangerous Kind, in which he articulates the essential connection between solid theology and healthy practice in mission and ministry. Mike enjoys sports of all kinds, having served as a high school basketball and baseball coach while serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. He and his wife of forty-two years, Debi, enjoy reading, hiking, and swimming, and Mike enjoys the occasional golf outing. They have five adult children, Andrew Michael, Joseph Ross, Rachel Christine, Stephen Daniel and Benjamin John; three grandsons, Michael, Isaac, and Lucas; and two granddaughters, Violet and Ferrah. Mike and Debi live in Gilbert, AZ with their three-year-old white Labrador, Maggie Mae.

Keynote Speaker #1

September 30, 2024 • Kyle Fever

Kyle grew up in the Des Moines area. He has been married to Laura for 25 years, and they have four kids: Jaya, Tate, Jude, and Stella. Kyle holds a PhD in New Testament and Early Christian Origins from Loyola University in Chicago, and currently serves as a pastor in Adair, IA, as well as being the director of academic formation at the Master’s Institute. When he can, Kyle spends his time reading and writing about Scripture and spiritual theology. When not occupied with pastoral or academic things, he enjoys being with his wife and children. With his wife, he enjoys enjoys running, bike riding, rock climbing, making bread and coffee, and good dinners. They are in the thick of navigating life with four kids and trying to notice the presence of the Risen Jesus every step of the way. Together they hope to live attentively to the ways that God is among us and be living witnesses to the life and hope of God made known to us through Jesus Christ, who is making all things new

Keynote Speaker #2 (Part 1)

October 1, 2024 • Stephen Whitmer

Stephen Witmer (PhD, University of Cambridge) is the pastor of Pepperell Christian Fellowship in Pepperell, Massachusetts and an adjunct professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. A council member of The Gospel Coalition and the co-founder of Small Town Summits (an organization that serves rural churches and pastors), he writes regularly for Desiring God and is the author of Eternity Changes Everything (Good Book Company), A Big Gospel in Small Places (InterVarsity Press), and The Preacher’s Greek Companion to Hebrews (Hendrickson Academic). He and his wife, Emma, have three children.