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.
Keynote Speaker #2 (Part 2)
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.
Keynote Panel Discussion
September 30, 2024 • Paul Owens, Erica Varcoe, David Christensen
A keynote panel discussion on engaging your cultural moment featuring LCMC pastors Paul Owens, Erica Varcoe, David Christensen, and Becky Hand.
Opening Worship
September 29, 2024 • Paul Hennings
As lead pastor, Paul has the privilege of leading FaithLife (St. Mark's Lutheran Church) into the future of what God has in store for them. It is an awesome Spirit- filled future! He loves preaching, teaching, and hearing all the stories of how Jesus is at work in people's lives. Have a story to tell? He'd love to hear it!
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.
Bible Study #1
September 30, 2024 • Gabrielle Arland
Gabrielle is the student pastor at Shepherd of the Valley Church in Afton, http://minnesota.she has a degree in Biblical Studies from Bethel University and a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Seminary. Gabrielle enjoys reading, hiking, making bread, and watching Big Ten college basketball.
Bible Study #2
October 1, 2024 • Gabrielle Arland
Gabrielle is the student pastor at Shepherd of the Valley Church in Afton, http://minnesota.she has a degree in Biblical Studies from Bethel University and a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Seminary. Gabrielle enjoys reading, hiking, making bread, and watching Big Ten college basketball.
Bible Study #3
October 2, 2024 • Gabrielle Arland
Gabrielle is the student pastor at Shepherd of the Valley Church in Afton, Minnesota. She has a degree in Biblical Studies from Bethel University and a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Seminary. Gabrielle enjoys reading, hiking, making bread, and watching Big Ten college basketball.
Counterfeit Gospels, Bankrupt Hope
October 2, 2024 • Steve Turnbull
The Gospel of Jesus meets the deepest needs of human life. But when we underestimate the Gospel, in faith or
ministry, those real needs will drive us to look in vain for satisfaction everywhere it can’t be found. In this breakout, we’ll explore the multiple benefits of the Gospel and consider the ever- present temptations to look elsewhere for what only Jesus provides.
Engaging Unchurched and Dechurched People Today
October 1, 2024 • Sam Dittrich
The need to engage with our friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors in faith-related conversations will become more and more valuable with the increase of the “nones” and a decrease in people attending church in America. As the cultural landscape has changed, our methods must adjust to continue to share the good news of Jesus and invite them into the life of the church. We will explore methods that help us engage culture both on a personal and congregational level.
Building a Culture of Evangelism in the Church
September 30, 2024 • Jerry Watts
In this breakout, Jerry Watts will help us embrace the moment before us in regard to building a culture of evangelism in the local church. We will identify both the opportunities and challenges of building a culture of every-member evangelism to help us impact our communities with Gods’ love and God’s power.
