Why is congregational revitalization necessary now?
The crisis of the church in North America is not simply decline. It is that the conditions that once made congregational life intelligible can no longer be assumed. The central claims of the Christian faith—God, sin, grace, salvation—are no longer consistently heard as referring to what is real. Even where congregations remain active, the shared horizon that once sustained the language and life of the church has eroded.
In this context, the problem is not primarily organizational, demographic, or methodological. It is theological. Strategies of renewal that focus on programming, leadership technique, or institutional restructuring, while often helpful at a secondary level, do not reach the depth of the issue. The church does not first need to become more efficient or more innovative. It must again become intelligible.
The Center for Congregational Revitalization exists in response to this condition. Its work begins from a simple but decisive claim: the church is not called to reinvention but to reclamation. What is needed is not novelty, but clarity—clarity about what the church is, how it lives, and how it is sustained.
Lutheran Vision for the Church after Christendom
The Center for Congregational Revitalization exists to renew the church by returning it to its proper center: the living Word of God proclaimed and the Sacraments rightly administered. In a time when denominational structures are weakening and cultural Christianity no longer sustains congregational life, the church is not called to reinvention but to retrieval. What is needed is not novelty, but clarity—clarity about what the church is, how it lives, and how it is sustained.
CCR is grounded in a distinctly Lutheran confession: the church is where the Gospel is preached in its truth and purity and the Sacraments are administered according to Christ’s institution. This is not a minimal definition in the sense of being thin, but in the sense of being sufficient. Wherever Word and Sacrament are present, the church is fully present. This conviction allows for a form of ecclesial life that is at once deeply rooted and remarkably flexible—capable of taking shape in congregations, homes, campuses, workplaces, and emerging networks without losing its identity.
We envision a “Wittenberg-shaped” ecology of church life—one in which theology, worship, and daily life are once again integrated. Formation proceeds through the classical pattern of oratio, meditatio, and tentatio: prayer, immersion in the Word, and the testing of faith in lived experience. In such an ecology, worship is not an appendage to the church’s life but its generative center; catechesis is not informational but formational; and theological reflection arises from and returns to the practices of the community...
The Ephesians 4 Principle
Ephesian 4 outlines what a revitalized congregation is, and what it must do. As the apostle Paul urged us:
- Live in a way that fits your calling from God—be humble, gentle, patient, and loving. Work to keep the unity the Holy Spirit gives. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God over all.
- Christ gives each believer gifts so the church can grow strong and mature. Good leaders help equip God’s people and keep them grounded in the truth instead of being misled.
- Don’t live like those who have turned from God. Instead, let Him renew your mind. Put off your old life and put on the new life God gives—one that reflects His righteousness and holiness.
Lutheran Vision for the Church after Christendom
The Center for Congregational Revitalization exists to renew the church by returning it to its proper center: the living Word of God proclaimed and the Sacraments rightly administered. In a time when denominational structures are weakening and cultural Christianity no longer sustains congregational life, the church is not called to reinvention but to retrieval. What is needed is not novelty, but clarity—clarity about what the church is, how it lives, and how it is sustained.
CCR is grounded in a distinctly Lutheran confession: the church is where the Gospel is preached in its truth and purity and the Sacraments are administered according to Christ’s institution. This is not a minimal definition in the sense of being thin, but in the sense of being sufficient. Wherever Word and Sacrament are present, the church is fully present. This conviction allows for a form of ecclesial life that is at once deeply rooted and remarkably flexible—capable of taking shape in congregations, homes, campuses, workplaces, and emerging networks without losing its identity.
We envision a “Wittenberg-shaped” ecology of church life—one in which theology, worship, and daily life are once again integrated. Formation proceeds through the classical pattern of oratio, meditatio, and tentatio: prayer, immersion in the Word, and the testing of faith in lived experience. In such an ecology, worship is not an appendage to the church’s life but its generative center; catechesis is not informational but formational; and theological reflection arises from and returns to the practices of the community...
The Ephesians 4 Principle
Ephesian 4 outlines what a revitalized congregation is, and what it must do. As the apostle Paul urged us:
- Live in a way that fits your calling from God—be humble, gentle, patient, and loving. Work to keep the unity the Holy Spirit gives. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God over all.
- Christ gives each believer gifts so the church can grow strong and mature. Good leaders help equip God’s people and keep them grounded in the truth instead of being misled.
- Don’t live like those who have turned from God. Instead, let Him renew your mind. Put off your old life and put on the new life God gives—one that reflects His righteousness and holiness.
Featured Resources
Diagnostic White Papers
-
Focusing on Congregations: Why the Decline is not the Real Problem
This paper argues that the decline of congregational life in North American Lutheranism cannot be adequately explained by demographic trends, institutional weakness, or cultural competition alone.
-
Congregations after Christendom: Why the Focus Must Return to the Local Church
This paper argues that the contemporary crisis of congregational life in North American Lutheranism is not adequately explained by demographic decline, institutional fatigue, or cultural competition alone. Rather, it reflects a deeper shift in the conditions under which congregational life is intelligible.
-
The Contemporary Ethos of Congregational Life: The Problem of God
This paper argues that the contemporary difficulty of belief in God within North American congregational life is fundamentally moral rather than primarily metaphysical or scientific.
-
The Contemporary Ethos of Congregational Life: What to Make of Science?
This paper argues that the contemporary crisis of congregational life in North American Lutheranism is not adequately explained by demographic decline, institutional fatigue, or cultural competition alone.
-
Cross-Pressuring within the Congregation
This paper argues that contemporary congregational life in North America is best understood through the lens of “cross-pressure,” a condition in which individuals are simultaneously shaped by competing frameworks of meaning.
Horizon Studies
-
Where the Word Takes Water A Lutheran confession for the Intermountain West
This essay contends that in the Inter‑mountain West—where clouds grow miserly over sage, where water moves by covenant, and where public lands braid with deeded pastures and treaty ground—the Word of God becomes intelligible again when it takes on the region’s grammar.
-
When the River Clears Its Throat - Speaking the Word with the watershed’s accent in the rural Pacific Northwest
This essay contends that the Word of God is heard as reality in the rural Pacific Northwest only when it is spoken with the watershed’s accent—where salmon runs, treaties, dams and ditches, orchards and mills, smoke and fair dust already tutor a common life.
-
Confessional Gravity in a Post-Denominational Age
This essay argues that the unraveling of denominational systems in the West presents a providential opening to retrieve a lean, catholic ecclesiology ordered by Ephesians 4 and articulated through the Lutheran confessions. It reads unity as God’s given reality, ministry as distributed charisms for equipping the saints, and maturity as the church’s corporate telos in Christ. Drawing on Augsburg Confession VII, Formula of Concord X, Luther’s doctrine of the priesthood of all the baptized, and the catechetical tradition, the paper proposes an architecture for communities that are “decentralized yet sacramentally dense.” Liturgical continuity and catechetical clarity function as a portable constitution capable of binding dispersed Word‑and‑Sacrament communities without bureaucratic mass. Engaging pandemic‑era debates on digital practice—especially online Communion—the essay commends generous digital catechesis alongside a jealous guarding of embodied sacramental life. It sketches light‑touch governance through regional collegia (“Centers for the Word”), frames ecumenical cooperation from confessional strength, and outlines curricular implications for theological education that equip Eph 4:11 gifts across bandwidth‑limited contexts. The conclusion envisions Lutheran networks that are confessional rather than corporate, sacramental rather than centralized, and missional rather than managerial—an ecclesial future that remains resilient in a post‑denominational age.
-
Wind, Word, and the Work of Our Hands Making the Gospel Sound Like Reality on the Northern Plains
This essay argues that the Word of God becomes publicly intelligible on the Northern Plains when the church submits its speech to the region’s ordinary tests of reality—land and weather, kinship and treaty, co‑ops and Extension field days, coffee row and county fairs.
Programs for Proclamation
-
The Table Ordo for Microchurches "The Word Speaks. The Word Feeds. The Word Sends."
The Table Ordo for Microchurches: “The Word Speaks. The Word Feeds. The Word Sends.” presents a theologically grounded, pastorally flexible order of worship designed for small, gathered Christian communities...
-
Prairie Parish Field Manual
Prairie Parish Field Manual translates core Lutheran commitments—AC V–VII, the theologia crucis, Law/Gospel, vocation, and two‑kingdoms clarity—into deployable habits for parish pastors serving the Northern Plains, where reality is tested in weather, work, and law...
CCR PROJECTS
Congregational Formation Project
Studying the Scriptures: The first certificate will focus on fundamental principles and practices for reading and understanding the Scriptures, emphasizing central themes of the Bible with a capstone course at the master’s level from the Biblical Theology department.
missional lens with an emphasis on practical application of Biblical principles.
Congregational Evangelism: The second certificate will focus on the Christian practice of speaking about one’s faith with one another and bearing witness to Christ in the wider community. It will also explore the theological distinctions, especially those in the Lutheran and Reformation traditions, that keep the church centered on the Gospel of Christ in its faith, life, and work. A capstone course from the Philosophy and Theology department will complete this series of courses.
After the two foundational certificates the program branches into several different areas of emphasis and ministry to support the interests, needs, and efforts congregations. Though this list need not be static, these areas of concentration have been identified by CCR and its partners as having particular benefit:
- Certificate in Congregational Spiritual Care
- Certificate in Worship Leadership
- Certificate in Congregational Administration and Leadership
- Certificate in Community Health and Wellbeing
Each of these certificates will work with our partners, faculty, and experienced practitioners in order to deepen a congregation’s gifts and service. The projected timeline is that each certificate can be completed in two semesters, i.e. about 8 months, with the anticipation that for some the program (two foundational certificates and one specialized certificate) will be completed in its entirety in three years.
Ephesians 4 Project
Introduction
Ephesians 4:4-16 (ESV)
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip [καταρισμóν: knitting together as one] the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
The congregation (Body of Christ) is entrusted with the roles necessary for knitting together this Body as one (with Christ as the head) and building that Body up by the knitting additional members upon it from withing the community. These roles (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, and Teacher) are to be exercised by the members of the Body according to the measure of Christ’s gift. The Ephesians 4 Program is intended to provide basic instruction and formation for 4 lay leaders of a congregation who have been set apart for specific roles within the congregation based upon the discernment of their gifts by the congregation. These roles are Preaching (Prophet), Outreach (Evangelist), Care (Shepherd), and Instruction (Teacher). These lay leaders then serve either supporting the congregation’s pastor in each of these roles (Worship Leader, Outreach Leader, Care Leader, and Instruction Leader) or serves in these roles in the absence of a pastor. This program is comprised of 5 courses. The first (introductory) course is to be completed by all 4 lay leaders, with each lay leader completing one of the remaining 4 courses.
the CCR Team
Dennis Bielfeldt
Dr. Dennis Bielfeldt is the founding President of the Institute of Lutheran Theology and the first chancellor of its Christ School of Theology. Having served as Professor of Philosophical Theology since ILT's beginning, Dr. Bielfeldt now teaches primarily in the PhD program. His research interests include theology and science, theological semantics, analytical metaphysics, and Luther studies. Dr. Bielfeldt is General Editor of the academic journal Verba Vitae and is currently working on a manuscript applying model theory to theology.
Education:
- Ph.D. University of Iowa (1987)
- M.A. University of Iowa (1984)
- B.S. South Dakota State University (1977)
Learn more:
cademia.edu
David Patterson
Rev. Patterson is the Dean of the Center for the Word at ILT where he oversees the Library, the North American Lutheran Archive, Information Services, the Office of the Registrar, Research and Academic Grants, and ILT Press. The primary areas of research for Rev. Patterson are Theology and Disability and Theology and Information.
Education:
- M.R. Institute of Lutheran Theology (2015)
- MLIS University of Washington (2002)
- C.P.S. Trinity Lutheran College (2000)
- B.A. Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle (1999)
Learn more:
cademia.edu
Erik Herrmann
Dr. Herrmann is an accomplished historian and professor with an extensive experience in higher education. He is internationally recognized for his research, writing prolifically on Luther, Lutheran Theology, and the Reformation. His work as an editor and as a author includes many articles, such as “Luther’s Divine Aeneid: Continuity and Creativity in Reforming the Use of the Bible,” in Lutherjahrbuch and "Breathed Through Silver: C. S. Lewis and the Truth of Beauty" in Concordia Journal, as well as books such as The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, 1520: The Annotated Luther, and From Wittenberg to the World: Essays on the Reformation and Its Legacy in Honor of Robert Kolb. In the past, he has served as a professor of historical theology at Concordia Seminary, St Louis, MO and as the Director of the Center for Reformation Research. He also has pastoral experience, working as an assistant pastor of Timothy Lutheran Church, St. Louis. He teaches historical theology at the Christ School of Theology with a particular emphasis on Reformation studies and the history of exegesis.
Education:
- Ph. D. Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (2005)
- M. Div. Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (2000)
- B. A. Concordia University Wisconsin (1995)
Learn more:
cademia.edu
Douglas Morton
Rev. Doug Morton is a professor at ILT's Christ College. In addition to teaching at Christ College, Rev. Doug Morton is also the Associate Editor of the academic journal Verba Vitae.
Timothy Swenson
Rev. Timothy J. Swenson is a confessional Lutheran pastor, theologian, and educator known for his unwavering commitment to the theology of the cross. A lifelong resident of the High Plains and third-generation immigrant, Swenson’s faith and preaching have been shaped by the realities of rural farm life—drought, blizzard, and the utter dependence on God’s providence in wresting a living from the land.
He earned his Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in 1990 and was ordained into Lutheran ministry. He served for 22 years as a parish pastor in rural western North Dakota and is now rostered in the Augsburg Lutheran Churches and the North American Lutheran Church.
Since 2010, Swenson has served as Dean of Chapel at the Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT) in Brookings, South Dakota, while also teaching as an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology. In these roles, he leads weekly worship, preaches regularly, and provides spiritual formation for future pastors.
He is the founder of St. Martin’s School of Theological Discernment (St. Martie's Place: St. Martin's School of Theological Discernment), and maintains the YouTube channel @preachermantim, where he proclaims “Jesus Christ, him crucified, and him alone handed over to be the life of dead sinners.” His preaching is marked by clear Law-and-Gospel distinction, honest confrontation of sin, and bold comfort in the free forgiveness won by Christ.
MOMENTUM PATHWAYS
A project of the Center for Congregational Revitalization in partnership with
Church Doctor Ministries (CDM) through its Church4Today initiative and the
Canadian Association of Lutheran Churches (CALC).
Together, these seven Momentum Pathways form an integrated training ecosystem that supports churches from renewal and administration through discipleship, innovation, and sustainability. Training is designed to be flexible, theologically grounded, and practical, equipping churches to face current realities with courage, clarity, and faithfulness.
STRUCTURE AND DELIVERY MODEL
Learning Cycle: 8–12 weeks per pathway
Structure: Four modules per pathway
Learning Model: Blended delivery including teaching, guided reflection, applied practice, and cohort-based coaching
Pathway Logic:
• Foundation Tracks establish leadership health and operational stability
• Missional Expansion Track moves the church outward through discipleship and innovation
• Innovation & Sustainability Track support long-term mission effectiveness and resource stewardship
Church Revitalization & Leadership
Purpose
To equip pastors and leaders to guide congregational renewal by strengthening leadership health, clarifying systems and priorities, and restoring mission-focused vitality.
Ideal Participants: Pastors, key lay leaders, council members
Description
This pathway equips pastors and key leaders to analyze congregational realities, evaluate
leadership health, and design faithful renewal strategies rooted in theological discernment.
Participants learn to distinguish between cultural pressure and Spirit-led change, then apply mission-aligned leadership practices that restore vitality and focus. By the end of the pathway, leaders construct a contextualized renewal action plan that strengthens trust, clarifies priorities, and aligns systems to support sustainable outreach and long-term congregational health.
Primary Learning Outcome Alignment
Theological Discernment. Participants learn to distinguish between cultural trends and biblically faithful renewal and to apply theological reflection to congregational realities.
Modules
1. Facing the Facts with Faith – Congregational reality and leadership health
2. Leading Change and Strengthening Leadership – Culture, trust, and shared leadership
3. Clarifying Mission, Vision, and Strategic Focus – Alignment and prioritization
4. Building Sustainable Outreach and Ministry Systems – Systems that serve mission
Tangible Outcome: Congregational Renewal Action Plan
Church Administration (Level One)
Purpose
To establish core administrative, governance, and operational systems that support healthy
leadership, ethical oversight, and sustainable ministry.
Description
This pathway reframes administration as a missional stewardship practice rather than a bureaucratic necessity. Participants explain the theological foundations of governance, apply ethical decision making frameworks, and organize core administrative systems that support Gospel proclamation and leadership integrity. Through practical implementation, churches develop a clear operations and administration playbook that promotes transparency, accountability, and sustainable ministry rhythms.
Ideal Participants: Administrators, council members, finance and operations leaders
Primary Learning Outcome Alignment Ethical Discipleship and Information Literacy. Administration is framed as stewardship and
vocation, ensuring authority and resources serve the proclamation of the Gospel.
Modules
1. Administration as Mission Support – Stewardship and leadership foundations
2. Governance, Roles, and Decision-Making – Authority and accountability
3. Core Administrative Systems – Finance, personnel, and compliance basics
4. Building Sustainable Administrative Rhythms – Workflows and continuity
Tangible Outcome: Church Operations & Administration Playbook
Discipleship & Multiplication
Purpose
To equip churches to design clear, reproducible discipleship pathways that form mature disciples and multiply faith through lay leadership.
Description
This pathway equips churches to redefine discipleship beyond attendance and design
reproducible formation pathways that lead to spiritual maturity and multiplication. Participants interpret Scripture through a formation lens, map clear disciple-making pathways, and train lay leaders for shared shepherding and teaching. Churches create a contextual discipleship and multiplication framework that moves believers from newcomer to mature disciple who actively participates in God’s mission beyond the church walls.
Ideal Participants: Pastors, discipleship leaders, small group leaders
Primary Learning Outcome Alignment: Scriptural Understanding. Discipleship is reframed from program attendance to Scripture-shaped formation centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Modules
- From Attendance to Formation – Reframing discipleship
- Pathways from Newcomer to Mature Disciple – Designing formation routes
- Training and Releasing Lay Leaders – Shared shepherding and teaching
- Multiplication Beyond the Church Walls – Discipleship leading to mission
Tangible Outcome: Contextualized Discipleship Multiplication Pathway
Missional Entrepreneur
Purpose
To help churches recognize, support, and release leaders with entrepreneurial gifts to launch new ministries and community initiatives.
Description
This pathway helps churches identify entrepreneurial gifts already present, discern community needs, and prototype new mission initiatives aligned with God’s activity in the local context. Participants evaluate opportunities, design small-scale experiments, and test innovative ministry responses while cultivating theological realism and faithful risk-taking. The pathway culminates in a missional initiative prototype ready for refinement, launch, or integration into congregational life.
Ideal Participants: Pastors, innovators, lay leaders with entrepreneurial gifts
Primary Learning Outcome Alignment
Innovative Problem Solving. Grounded in theological realism, participants learn to discern where God is already at work in the community.
Modules
- Recognizing Missional Entrepreneurs – Identifying gifts already present
- Discovering Community Needs and Opportunities – Listening and discernment
- Designing and Testing Missional Initiatives – Prototyping and learning
- Sustaining and Integrating Innovation – Evaluation and next steps
Tangible Outcome: Missional Initiative Prototype
Innovative Mission
Purpose
To equip churches to design, test, and integrate innovative mission expressions that respond faithfully to local context.
Description
This pathway equips churches to interpret culture faithfully, create contextual mission responses, and integrate innovation into congregational life without losing theological grounding. Participants analyze their community context, develop innovative mission experiments, and assess sustainability and alignment with congregational identity. Churches produce an innovative mission action plan that moves outreach from occasional programs to embedded missional practice.
Ideal Participants: Pastors, mission leaders, outreach teams
Primary Learning Outcome Alignment
Western Tradition and Cultural Relevance. Participants learn to interpret the Christian tradition faithfully within contemporary cultural settings.
Modules
- Reading the Context with Faith – Cultural and community awareness
- Designing Innovative Mission Responses – Contextual creativity
- Piloting and Learning Faithfully – Small experiments
- Integrating Innovation into Congregational Life – Discernment and sustainability
Tangible Outcome: Innovative Mission Action Plan
Business as Mission (BAM) Training
Purpose
To equip churches and leaders to explore and design Business as Mission initiatives that serve the Gospel, community needs, and long-term sustainability.
Description
This pathway equips pastors, business leaders, and missional innovators to apply a theology of vocation to entrepreneurial and economic activity. Participants evaluate community needs, design sustainable Business as Mission models, and integrate business initiatives into the church’s broader mission strategy. The pathway culminates in a Business as Mission concept plan that aligns Gospel witness, community impact, and long-term sustainability.
Ideal Participants: Pastors, business leaders, missional entrepreneurs
Primary Learning Outcome Alignment
Vocational Application. Rooted in the Theology of Vocation, this certifi cate treats business and work as primary contexts for Christian witness.
Modules
- Theological and Missional Foundations of BAM – Vocation and witness
- Identifying Opportunities and Community Fit – Discernment and feasibility
- Designing Sustainable BAM Models – Structure and governance
- Integration, Evaluation, and Next Steps – Readiness and alignment
Tangible Outcome: Business as Mission Concept Plan
Financial Stewardship & Resource Development
Purpose
To equip churches to steward financial, human, and relational resources faithfully and strategically in support of mission.
Description
This pathway equips churches to practice stewardship as a spiritual discipline, analyze financial systems, and build a culture of generosity rooted in trust rather than transactions. Participants
design transparent financial processes, develop donor relationships, and mobilize volunteers and shared resources for mission impact. Churches create a mission-aligned stewardship plan that supports sustainability while advancing Gospel priorities.
Ideal Participants: Pastors, council members, finance and stewardship leaders
Primary Learning Outcome Alignment
Professional Competency. Stewardship is taught as a spiritual practice grounded in trust in God’s provision rather than transactional fundraising.
Modules
- Stewardship as a Spiritual Practice – Theology of generosity
- Financial Clarity and Sustainability – Systems and transparency
- Donor Development and Generosity Culture – Relationships and communication
- Mobilizing Volunteers and Shared Resources – People and partnerships
Tangible Outcome: Mission-Aligned Resource Stewardship Plan
Momentum Coaches
Tracee J. Swank
Dr. Tracee J. Swank serves as the leader of Church Doctor Ministries/Church4Today. As a certified church consultant and Christian leadership coach, Tracee serves as a strategic guide to pastors, ministry leaders, and Christian entrepreneurs. Tracee is committed to helping others carry out their vision and mission in the Kingdom using the gifts, skills, and resources God has provided.Tracee enjoys helping others discover and implement creative new ideas for Kingdom projects, speaking at conferences and gatherings, and leading ministry immersion trips with Christian leaders.
Tracee is a graduate of Winebrenner Theological Seminary and holds a master’s degree in theological studies and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Kingdom entrepreneurship. She currently serves on the adjunct faculty at Winebrenner. While not traveling and serving the ministry, Tracee enjoys gardening, cooking, watching Toledo Mud Hens baseball, and all things related to the Ohio State University. (Go Bucks!) She lives in northwest Ohio with her husband, Matt, and their black lab, Beckett.
Tom Schaeffer
Rev. Tom Schaeffer has over 30 years of experience in ministry. During that time, he has led churches through transitions ranging from the mission start of a new congregation to the mission redevelopment of a failing congregation to the launch of a satellite worship at a large congregation. He has served in rural, urban, and suburban contexts. In addition, Tom started an award-winning brewery that, during his leadership, supported his ministry and worked under the motto of “Brew good. Do good.”
Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward has lived a rich and varied life, yet her roots remain firmly planted in her Illinois farm upbringing. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science from the University of California, Davis, and spent nearly 20 years teaching science. Her background includes running an organic vegetable farm in California, earning professional coach training through Falling Awake Life Coaching, and achieving her PCC credential with the International Coach Federation. For two decades, she has provided pro bono coaching for One to One – Women Coaching Women and has served marginalized communities through work in Colombia, New York City, and California. Susan is active at Templeton Presbyterian Church in Templeton, CA, and
enjoys gardening, sewing, puzzling, reading, and time with her eight grandchildren.
Rupert Loyd Jr.
Dr. Rupert Loyd Jr., a United States Navy veteran, has a Bachelor of Arts in history from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, an MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, Massachusetts, and a PhD in leadership from Union University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has over 40 years of pastoral experience in both urban and suburban churches, including multiethnic, multicongregational churches. Throughout his career he has maintained a presence in both the church and the academy. He pastored churches in Luna Pier and Taylor, both in Michigan; Miami, Florida; and Point Place and Toledo, both in Ohio. He taught at Miami Christian College and Trinity College, both in Miami, Florida; Union University in Cincinnati, Ohio; Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana; University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio; and Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio.
Rick Bergh
Rick Bergh is the pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. Ordained over 40 years, he has served primarily bi-vocationally, bringing real-world insight to ministry. Vocationally, Rick has learned to straddle his role as pastor and his work in the secular world while engaging people with the gospel. He was the innovator of the Pastoral Ministry Certificate Program and Shepherd Pathway programs at the Institute of Lutheran Theology.
Trained in narrative therapy, he helps people reframe their stories alongside God’s and shares his message through nine books, speaking engagements, and his podcast series using a non-coercive approach. He supports his wife Erica, a professional choral conductor, running four choirs for people with dementia and their caregivers, and they enjoy their six grandchildren.
Richard Blue Jr.
Rev. Dr. Richard Blue Jr. has devoted his ministry to the renewal and replanting of declining congregations, guiding churches through transformation, confl ict, and system-wide change toward renewed health and mission. With a Doctor of Ministry in Postmodern Apologetics and credentials as a Board-Certifi ed Chaplain, he brings both theological depth and practical experience to helping pastors and congregations rediscover their purpose in the Gospel. Having successfully led a church replant and revitalized multiple congregations facing decline, Dr. Blue understands the complexities of church systems, leadership dynamics, and the spiritual care needed during times of conflict and change. He currently serves as Senior Pastor of St. James Lutheran Church in Greenfield, Indiana, where he has helped lead the congregation into its first season of growth in decades. Richard and his wife, Rev. Amanda Blue, serve together as a clergy couple and are raising their two children, Ricky Lee and Anna Marie, with a shared passion for seeing churches and families renewed by the power of the Gospel.
Leon Miles
Dr. Leon Miles is Vice President of Advancement at ILT and the Dean of Christ College. He received his Doctor of Education - EdD in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of South Dakota in 2023.
Katie Erickson
Dr. Katie Erickson joined Church Doctor Ministries at the beginning of 2021 as the Special Projects Team Leader, and she serves as the Momentum Network Administrator. She previously worked for
almost 17 years as an electrical engineer. Katie earned her Masters of Divinity degree in 2010 and her Doctor of Ministry degree in 2023 from Winebrenner Theological Seminary, with a research focus of Biblical Hebrew teaching methods. She is an adjunct professor at Winebrenner Theological seminary, teaching courses on research and dissertation writing. Katie also serves a few other ministries through writing weekly blog posts, speaking engagements, video editing, podcast publishing, and book publishing. She has a passion for teaching and tutoring, especially the Biblical Hebrew language. She enjoys helping authors publish their books with her editing and graphic design skills, managing her rental properties, and crocheting and knitting in her free time. She lives in northwest Ohio.
Jack Wolfe
Jack Wolfe is a seasoned ministry leader, coach, and consultant with over four decades of experience helping individuals and organizations lead from a healthy soul. A passionate follower of Jesus, Jack brings a rare blend of pastoral wisdom, entrepreneurial thinking, and practical leadership insight shaped by 45 years of ministry, a marriage of 50+ years, and a rich life story. Known as “The Master of Metaphors,” he is the host of the Beyond the Shire podcast, encouraging everyday leaders to embrace courageous, missional living. Jack is the founder and senior leader of Epic Faith and serves with 5Q Central, helping churches and teams apply the fivefold gifts of Ephesians 4. A certified StrengthsFinder, APEST, and MPACT coach, Jack equips leaders to live, love, and lead with clarity, passion, and joyful strength.
Gia Tatone
Dr. Gia Tatone is an experienced leader, educator, and award winning author who currently lectures for Robert Morris University, Penn State University, and Winebrenner Theological Seminary where she teaches organizational leadership, communication, and conflict resolution courses. Dr. Tatone has also developed leadership training for executive educational programs and has previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh as Chair of the External Relations Committee and within local government. She has been featured as one of the top 50 influential women in the US in the book Role Call: Women’s Voices, and has recently co-led an international research team of 12 individuals to investigate God’s calling in the workplace through the prism of scripture. Dr. Tatone presents her scholarship both nationally and internationally, and lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband.
Donate to the Center for Congregational Revitalization
You may donate online through Click & Pledge, or you may donate by check.
(Please write “CCR” in the memo line.)
Institute of Lutheran Theology
Attn: CCR
PO Box 833
Brookings, SD 57006
Donations in Canada:
To receive a Canadian charitable receipt, please give through ILT‑Canada Society (our official partner). ILT-Canada Society (ILT-CS) is a non-profit organization in Canada. Canadian individuals and donors can send donations to ILT-CS and receive the regular tax benefit.
For more information and/or to donate, please contact:
Grace Lutheran Church
1162 Hudson Road | West Kelowna, BC V1Z 1J3
Email: ed.skutshek@gracelutherankelowna.com
Call: 250-801-3860
Donate Online:
Click & Pledge
Our primary mechanism for giving currently is through Click And Pledge. Simply click the Donate button to open a new tab on Click And Pledge. Then fill out the form and submit.
Contact Donor Services
Contact Donor Services at our parent institute, the Institute of Lutheran Theology, either by calling our office at (605) 692-9337 or by sending a message on our contact form below.Request More Information
Please message us if you have any questions or comments.