- These people are gifted communicators, leaders and teachers who are partnering with Youth Leadership. Some teach in our Youth Ministry Intensives, some come to you to provide tools and encouragement for your team or group. All are full time in other ministry areas and are sharing in their area of expertise. We aren’t going to give them an office, but we think they are really cool and we know you will like them. .
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Efrem Smith | associate staff
Efrem Smith is the Pastor of Sanctuary
Covenant Church in Minneapolis and an internationally recognized speaker who uses
storytelling, comedy, and passion to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ at a level
that people can understand. Efrem teaches in our UNDERSTAND class. Check out his website www.sanctuarycovenant.org.
Ginny Olson | associate staff
A popular speaker, teacher and author, Ginny is a youth ministry veteran and Director
for Youth Ministry Studies at North Park University in Chicago. We love her books
on management skills and ministry to girls so we have her teach in our
UNDERSTAND and
MANAGE classes. -
BOB STROMBERG | associate staff
Internationally known funny man,
Bob is a gifted communicator, storyteller and author who has captivated audiences
for over 30 years. Creator of the hit comedy, Triple Espresso, and new one-man show, Mr. Wonder Boy, Bob is a longtime friend of Youth Leadership and teaches in
our COMMUNICATE class. For
more info, visit www.bobstromberg.com.
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KRIS CAUSTON | associate staff
Kris has 20 years experience in
communicating the Gospel with and among adolescents. As a former youth pastor, volunteer
and waitress, Kris uses her experiences in speaking at youth events around the country
and in teaching at Bethel University in St. Paul. Kris teaches in ESTABLISH and
COMMUNICATE.
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KEVIN HARRINGTON | associate staff
Kevin is a licensed psychologist in private practice in the Twin Cities. He works with adults and children and has been involved in youth ministry for over 25 years. He has spoken locally and internationally on a variety of adolescent issues. Kevin has been married for 20 years and has four children ages nine to twenty-eight. Tiger and Kevin go way back to their early days in youth ministry together and co-teach the COUNSEL and COUNSEL II class.
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KEVIN FARMER | associate staff
Kevin has worked with young people for over 15 years, from Philadelphia to Minnesota.
He is a Youth Leadership alumni and the pastor of Equipping and Formation at Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis. Kevin teaches about youth culture in ESTABLISH.
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ERIC IVERSON | associate staff
Eric Iverson is a twenty-year urban youth ministry veteran, currently serving as the Multicultural Integrity Director for the short-term youth missions organization, YouthWorks. Eric teaches and trains nationally around issues of poverty, race, justice, and youth ministry. His passion for developing youth and empowering those who serve them is a calling that Eric has answered and is excited to share. He tends to show up at our special training events as well as in ESTABLISH and COMMUNICATE.
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AMANDA Berger | associate staff
Amanda is a pastor to middle schoolers at St. Philip the Deacon and is known for her fantastic ways of managing time and keeping a calendar. She has been known to make a guest appearance in MANAGE and is part of Youth Leadership’s speaking team.
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NATALIA TERFA | associate staff
A youth pastor to junior and senior
high students, Natalia specializes in mentoring, marketing and organization. One
of the more normal and fun Type-A’s you’ll meet, we glean from her wisdom
in MANAGE. Natalia also shares her passion and knowledge of youth ministry as part of our speaking team.
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JAMES BROWN | associate staff
James is a fun-lovin guy who likes
long walks on the beach…although his regular job is Experience Pastor at a Crossroads Church in Cottage Grove. Known for his object lessons that have the potential to
set off sprinkler systems, he teaches in COMMUNICATE and LEAD.
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Dave Mergens | associate staff
When Dave isn’t camping, biking or having water balloon fights with students, he serves as Jr. High pastor at Grace Church in Champlin. As a Youth Leadership graduate, he gets youth ministry and shares his experiences and insights in our ESTABLISH class. Dave is also a part of our speaking team.
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Nate Gustafson | associate staff
Nate is a Youth Leadership graduate and for over 9 years, he has served at Cornerstone Church in Crystal. He is passionate about his daughter, his wife, his ministry and come to think of it… just about everything. He brings that passion to the ESTABLISH class and can bring it to your church as part of our speaking team.
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NATE "N8" STENHOLTZ | associate staff
Nate loves Jesus, his wife, his children, prayer, Starbucks, and the Church. He is passionate about helping people follow the life and teachings of Jesus and believes every church needs adults who are first disciples of Jesus and can pass on a living faith that will impact the world today and tomorrow. As a youth pastor at Christ Community Church in Rochester, MN he is consistently trying to live out what he says and what he teaches. Nate is a part of the Youth Leadership speaking team.
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ANDY LANGDON | associate staff
Since 2005, Andy has worked mainly with students in 7 – 12th grade at Prairie Lutheran in Eden Prairie, MN. He says it’s his privilege and honor to show them how God continually shows up in their lives when they’re hurting and confused. Andy is part of the Youth Leadership speaking team.
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JOELLE HASSLER | associate staff
As Pastor of Youth and Outreach at First Baptist in Minneapolis, Joelle blends a passion for youth ministry with the goal of leading the church’s outreach effort. Joelle is a graduate of Bethel University and also Bethel Seminary as is a part of our speaking team.
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MIKE BERNARD | associate staff
As part of our speaking team and a former employee of Youth Leadership, Mike does the hard work of staying on top of today’s changing technology so the rest of us don’t have to. He shares his wisdom by shaming us all with his famed Top 10 culture quiz. When he’s not volunteering at his church or updating his facebook profile, he does marketing at HousingLink in North Minneapolis.
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