Kingdom Harbor

I want to share an exciting ministry update on some new opportunities that are developing.

MainStreet Covenant has a unique vision of being a “mission outpost” that gathers together in order to go out on mission during the week. We invest time, energy and resources in people and causes beyond our walls, not expecting anything in return other than the joy of blessing others in Jesus’ name.

MainStreet was founded on Paul’s ministry strategy in Acts 17:17 where he didn’t just minister “in the synagogue on the sabbath” (i.e., church services on Sunday), but also ministered “in the marketplace daily” (i.e., on Main Street and in our everyday lives).

Consistent with this vision, MainStreet has supported me in being a pastor-on-mission between Sundays, going around spreading faith, hope and love on college campuses, senior living communities, youth speaking and events, writing and podcasting. This is freedom is a real gift. Few churches pay their pastor to spend so much time ministering to non-members. I quoted Bishop Temple often during the early days of MainStreet who said, “The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.” 

For some time now, I’ve been discerning a growing desire to expand my preaching and teaching ministry beyond just MainStreet. As MainStreet gathers Sunday evenings, I am available Sunday mornings. God has been honoring this yearning in recent days!

I’ve been invited to come preach at First Covenant Church in Red Wing, MN, in late June. I’ll lead two chapel services at Lake Minnetonka Shores this coming Sunday, June 7. Fairview Covenant Church in Mound has invited me to preach on their 125th Anniversary, sharing my research on their founding pastor, E. A. Skogsbergh, of whom many of you know I am a big nerdy fan. I created a website in his honor and I’m currently preparing a print publication soon to be released.

Most significantly, a relationship has been forming with Brookdale Covenant in Brooklyn Center. They are in a season of transition and have invited me onboard as a Visiting Preaching Pastor for a season. I will be preaching about 2x/month there and kicked off a summer series in the Book of Acts last Sunday that I’m doing alongside Pastor Erika Clauson. We’re also excited to explore how MainStreet Covenant and Brookdale Covenant can mutually bless one another in this coming season as this relationship grows. Please feel free to come join us for worship at Brookdale Covenant one of the Sundays I’m preaching at 9:30am.

I spent Memorial Day weekend reading up on more 19th century Swedish Covenant pastors, and marveling at how many different hats many of them wore. E.A. Skogsbergh in particular was a traveling preacher and church planter, songwriter and singer, author and educator and publisher all at the same time. I have always felt like an unconventional pastor who doesn’t fit the current mold. I’m beginning to think I may have fit right in among our early founders and pioneers. I was just born a century late!

Check out my busy “circuit rider preacher and singer” poster below, and please pray for this “Roaming Reverend” as I go about spreading faith, hope and love in all these places God has opened a door for me. This Sunday I’m playing at Excelsior Brewing from 1-4 with my friend Jared for a fundraiser for a mission trip at another Covenant Church. As always, I’m totally dependent on generous donors to do this work. Will you consider becoming a monthly supporter? Learn more here.