Present Position (since Fall 2006)
Associate Professor of Religion –Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN (Tenured 2012)
Executive Director – Augsburg University Christensen Center for Vocation
- Director, Theology and Public Leadership major
- Director, Youth Studies minor
- Director, Augsburg Youth Theology Institute
- Faculty Lead, Riverside Innovation Hub
Denomination Affiliation
Ordained Deacon of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), membership at Saint Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Saint Paul, MN.
Education
| 2008 | Doctor of Philosophy(Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN)Department: Pastoral Care and Counseling, Youth and Family MinistryExam Areas: History of Youth and Family Ministry, Theology for Youth and Family Ministry, Youth Culture and Spirituality, Images of God and Religious ExperienceDissertation: “Proleptic Vocational Recapitulation as Experience of God’s Presence and Activity among Youth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America”Dissertation Committee: Dr. Roland Martinson (chair), Dr. Mary Hess, Dr. Andrew Root |
| 2002 | Master of Arts(Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN)Area: Youth and Family Ministry |
| 1997 | Bachelor of Science(University of Minnesota, Minneapolis)Major: Child Psychology |
Ministry and Work Experience
| 2006 – present | Assistant/ Associate Professor (Religion – Youth and Family Ministry)Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN |
| 2004 – 2006 | Project Director(Samuel Service Project)Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN |
| 2003 – 2004 | Adjunct Faculty(Youth, Family, and Education Ministry)Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN |
| 2000 – 2004 | Director of Youth and Family MinistryChrist Lutheran Church, Valparaiso, IN |
| 1997 – 2000 | Director of Youth and Family MinistrySt. Philip’s Lutheran Church, Fridley, MN |
Prior Teaching Experience:
| Adjunct: | |
| 2003 – 2004 | Valparaiso University (Valparaiso, IN)Courses: Contemplative Youth Ministry, Foundations of Youth and Family Ministry, Theology for Youth and Family Ministry |
| Teaching Assistant: | |
| 2006 | Under Dr. Andrew Root, Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN)Course: Relational/ Incarnational Youth Ministry |
| 2004 and 2005 | Under Rev. Hal Weldin, Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN)Course: Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling (on-line) |
Courses Taught:
REL100: Christian Vocation and the Search for Meaning
REL210: Research Methods in Religion
YFM205: Topics – (Service Learning in Youth and Family Ministry, Youth Ministry at Society’s Margins, Youth-Led Community Organizing, Interfaith Engagement with Youth)
YFM207: Contextual Education
YFM208: Vocational Formation I
YFM209: Vocational Formation II
YFM235: Foundations for Ministry with Youth and Families
YFM305: Ministry Practices
YFM358: Life and Work of the Church
YFM399/RLN399: Internship
YST210: Rethinking Children and Youth
RLN390: The Art of Public Ministry
AUG101: Augsburg Freshman Seminar
Scholarship
Books:
Liberating Youth from Adolescence (Fortress Press, 2018).
Articles:
“A Church for the World,” Connect: Journal of Youth and Family Ministry (Winter 2014), 7-9.
“Teaching Interfaith Engagement as Faith Formation: Towards a Necessary Framework, Knowledge Base, and Skill Set,” The Journal of Youth Ministry 11:1 (Fall 2012), 65-88.
“Cultivating Faith through Interfaith Engagement,” Immerse: A Journal of Faith, Life and Youth Ministry 2, no. 2 (2011), 46-47.
“Ten Theses on Youth and the Church,” Dialog: A Journal of Theology 50, no. 2 (2011), 110-11.
“Have We Given Them Any Other Option?” Concord 32, no. 1 (2011), 12-13, 19.
“The Freedom of a Teenager: Vocation and Service Learning as the Future of Youth Ministry,” Dialog: A Journal of Theology 47, no. 4 (2008), 327-338.
“Discipleship Happens,” Connect: Journal of Youth and Family Ministry (Spring 2008), 5-6.
“Adolescent Experiences of Christ’s Presence and Activity in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,” Journal of Youth and Theology 7, no. 1 (2008), 27-43.
“Backyard and Beyond,” The Lutheran 20, no. 2 (February, 2007), 34-35.
“From Practical to Practicing: A New Adjective for Youth Ministry,” Clergy Journal 81, no. 5 (March 2005), 6-9
“Got Questions?” The Lutheran 16, no. 3 (March 2003), 40-43.
“Rooting Youth in the Spirit,” The Lutheran 15, no. 7 (July 2002), 32-33.
Presentations:
“Public Church. Public Youth” Lutheran Heritage Lecture at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, March 2019.
“Does Church Really Matter? What Young Adults Want You to Know” keynote at Minneapolis Area Synod Ministerium, March 2019.
“Liberating Youth from Adolescence” workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, Jacksonville, FL. January 2019.
“My Neighbor is a Muslim” presentation given with Fardosa Hassan at Trinity Lutheran Church, Long Lake, MN, February 2017.
“Reforming in Public” workshop presented at Luther Seminary’s Midwinter Convocation, January 2017.
“The Family in the Formation of Faith: Effective? Private? Public?” paper presented to the Convocation of Teaching Theologians at Gustavus Adolphus College, August 2016.
“Mission Possible: Called to Serve Our Neighbor,” Keynote address for Northwest Minnesota Synod Middle School Retreat in Alexandria, MN. November 2014.
“Framing Youth: A Vocational-Theological Understanding of Adolescence,” a workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, St. Louis, MO. January 2014.
“Hearing the Call to the Public Square,” a day-long workshop for the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin’s Lay School of Ministry in Chippewa Falls, WI. January 2014.
“Framing Youth Vocationally” and “Framing Ministry Publically”, two half-day workshops presented at the Northeast Minnesota Synod’s Bishop’s Theological Conference in Duluth and Brainerd, MN. March, 2014.
“Going Public: Faith Formation in the Public Square for the Common Good,” a workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, Anaheim, CA. January 2013.
“Youth and Public Church Initiative,” colloquium at the Religious Education Association conference, Boston, MA. November 2013.
“Going Public: Faith Formation in the Public Square for the Common Good,” a workshop presented at the Minneapolis Area and St. Paul Area Synod’s joint Bishops’ Theological Conference in Trego, WI. September 2013.
“If the Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, then why are only the ‘nones’ rising?” Gustavus Adolphus College, Exploring Religious Questions, 2013
“Lutheran Theology: How is God at Work in the World?” a workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, New Orleans, LA. January 2012.
“Lutheran Theology: How Do Lutherans Read the Bible?” a workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, New Orleans, LA. January 2012.
“Public Youth Ministry,” five sessions offered over two weeks while on teaching staff at Holden Village Lutheran Retreat Center, Chelan, WA. July 2012.
“Rethinking Adolescence,” a 4-session, 3-day retreat for youth ministry professionals at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Bible Camp in Hillside, CO. March 2011
“Tingling Ears: Hearing God’s Word in an Age of Hypertext and the Hyperreal,” a 5-session, 2-day introduction to the Bible, biblical interpretation, and reading the Bible with youth for youth ministry professionals presented at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Bible Camp in Hillside, CO. March 2011.
“Write On! Creating Engaging Curriculum for Your Church,” a workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, Kansas City, MO. January 2011 (co-led with Amanda Berger, Pastoral Associate for Middle School Ministry, St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, Plymouth, MN)
“Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew,” presented during the adult education hour at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Minneapolis, MN. January 2011
“The Gospels and Their Context,” presented during the adult education hour at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Minneapolis, MN. January 2011
“Christ and Community in Time and Space: Camping Ministry with Youth,” a presentation given as part of staff training at Ox Lake Lutheran Bible Camp, Amery, WI. May 2010
“Youth and Religion: From Apathy to Freedom,” presented during the adult education hour at Central Lutheran Church Minneapolis, MN. May 2010
“Keeping our Youth on the Street: Youth Ministry and Community Engagement,” a workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, Charlotte, NC. February 2010.
“Intro to Islam,” presented to confirmation students and parents at Trinity Lutheran Church, Long Lake, MN. January 2010
“Hearing our Youth into Scripture,” a workshop presented at Luther Seminary’s Book of Faith Jubilee in August 2009 and at Luther Seminary’s Mid-Winter Convocation in January 2010.
“On Teenage Liberty”, a 12 hour continuing education course for youth ministry professionals at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, New Orleans, LA. January 2009
Keynote Speaker, Texas-Louisiana Synod Youth Worker/ Volunteer Training, August 2008
“The Freshness of God in the Lives of Our Youth,” a workshop presented at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network conference, Anaheim, CA. February 2008
“Implications for the Church, Ministry and Families,” talk given at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church in Fridley, MN. April 22, 2007
“The Current State of Youth and Religion,” talk given at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church in Fridley, MN. April 15, 2007
“The Current State of Youth and Religion,” talk given at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN. February 2007
Other Significant Work:
Getting Ready Materials, 2015 – Develop six-month curriculum for congregations sending youth and adults to the ELCA youth gathering in Detroit during July 2015 (expecting 25,000 participants).
Practice Discipleship Initiative, 2014 – Work in partnership with Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes (California Lutheran University) to develop seven session training curriculum for children, youth and family ministers, pastors and volunteers to be delivered through in-person workshops and on-line webinars.
Practice Discipleship, 2013 – Develop seven session training curriculum for children, youth and family ministers, pastors and volunteers to be delivered through in-person workshops and on-line webinars.
Practice Discipleship, 2012 – Work in partnership with Dr. Terri Elton (Luther Seminary) and Tiger McLuen (Youth Leadership) to develop six session training curriculum for children, youth and family ministers, pastors and volunteers to be delivered through in-person workshops and on-line webinars.
Getting Ready Materials, 2009 – Develop six-month curriculum for congregations sending youth and adults to the ELCA youth gathering in New Orleans during July 2009 (35,000 participants).
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