Professor Olson Not Adopted

I heard that Lawrence Otto Olson, Waldo Werning Professor of Church Growth, was retiring from Martin Luther College. Needing solid proof, I googled various combinations and found this absurdity...Sadly, Our Staff Infection is not retiring as reported by a New Ulm resident. Ichabod apologizes to all who were momentarily elated.

Project Cost: $50,000 Project # WEL920.2107
Mission Partner Adoption Agreement with Adopt-a-Professor at Martin Luther College

FAST FACTS: WELS College of Ministry since 1995. Approximately 1,000 students, [more like 600 students] drawn from across the United States and several foreign countries prepare to serve the Lord as full-time ministers of the gospel. A faculty of about 90 Christian educators and 40 staff members. [Not mentioned – Soon to be turned into an Extended Care Facility by the Church Growth leaders of WELS.]

Learned readers - did you notice that women who graduate from MLC are full-time ministers of the Gospel? Women's ordination by fiat. "Let there be darkness. And there was darkness".

Professor Lawrence Olson is just one of a number of professors at Martin Luther College who has a story to tell. Here it is.

STAFF MINISTRY PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN WELS I direct the Staff Ministry Program at MLC, and thus my major role at the college concerns preparing individuals to work along with pastors and congregational members in areas such as evangelism, parish education, youth work, family ministry, visitation and administration. Responsibilities vary from parish to parish, but the common thread is that staff ministers focus on a few aspects of the ministry rather than being responsible for and involved with all areas.

When I accepted the divine call and moved to New Ulm in 1993, I became a professor without any students and the director of a program that did not exist! But we developed the program, with both degree and certification options, and began our training of staff ministers.

There are three elements in the program: general education in the liberal arts, a religion component parallel to what teaching candidates take and professional courses designed to equip candidates with the competencies necessary to serve in parish ministry. The professional component includes an internship that helps future church workers learn about the ministry by working closely both with the called workers and with the members of the congregation.

During this past decade, God has blessed the staff ministry approach, and we are thankful to him for giving his people opportunities for kingdom work in offices other than that of the pastor or teacher, and for blessing the members of our congregations who are served by these called workers.

PUTTING FACES WITH THE PROGRAM Let me introduce you to a few people who can help you understand what the Staff Ministry Program seeks to do:

Brent Bitter was a 1998 graduate of MLC, and was the first candidate to complete the dual program that certifies a candidate for both staff ministry and elementary education. He received an Staff ministry student Jennifer Goodger, gained experience ministering to senior citizens during an internship in Cape Coral, FL. exciting call to serve along with Pastor Philip Hoyer in starting from scratch a mission church in Jacksonville, Florida. Their work has developed into Victory Lutheran Church, a growing congregation that has a current membership of 117 souls; they own six acres of prime real estate and have architectural plans for an initial facility of 7,600 square feet. They currently worship in the University Center on the campus of the University of North Florida and use their ministry center on Beach Boulevard for offices, midweek events and fellowship activities. Jacksonville is a rapidly growing city, which bodes well for the growth of the congregation.

Brent Bitter Brent’s responsibilities at Victory include youth and family education, outreach, fellowship and administration. He writes, My life wouldn’t be the same without the training I received in the MLC staff ministry program. My education didn’t just equip me to serve in a congregation; it prepared me to live as a Christian in this world. The staff ministry program didn’t just help me become a called worker; it helped me become a better Christian person. I pray that many other students will reap the benefits of the staff ministry program.

Amanda Meier graduated in 2003, and is also certified for both staff ministry and elementary education. Mandi grew up in a parsonage in Arizona, and had a good deal of experience in her home congregation: canvassing, evangelism, teaching Sunday School and involvement with choirs and the youth group. She attended Phoenix College for a year before transferring to MLC. Her first call, to Shepherd Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, combines responsibilities that utilize both kinds of training for ministry that she received: she was assigned to teach grades 3-5 and to serve in youth ministry.

Tom Benzing, a retired Technical Sergeant from the U.S. Air Force, is an example of the kind of second-career candidate that our program serves. Tom began taking correspondence and extension courses five years ago, and he had already met other program requirements through previous studies. When he retired after 21 years of active duty, he was in a position to come to New Ulm for one year to take the rest of his required courses. Tom graduated in 2004 and was assigned to a tent ministry position at St. Stephen in Fallbrook, California where he serves as the Family Minister. Thank God for our pastors and teachers. Thank God, as well, for his blessing of our efforts to provide other roles in which men and women can use their gifts and experiences to serve in the public ministry.

About the Professor Lawrence Olson Lawrence Olson was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Northwestern College, and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. [Not listed – He earned the coveted D.Min. degree from Fuller Theological Seminary.] He served as the pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Loves Park, Illinois from 1983 to 1993. Since that time he has been a professor of ministry and religion at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota where he directs the staff ministry program, a program that trains individuals to serve as staff assistants in congregations.

He also directs the synods Congregational Evangelist Program, which prepares men and women for service as evangelists in their own local churches. Dr. Olson's wife, Mary, is an early childhood special education teacher in the Mankato, MN public school district. Their six children range in age from 11 to 23; three are in college, two in high school, and one in grade school. [So why is he called Dr. Olson when no such degree is mentioned in his qualifications to teach?]

Mission Partner Adoption Agreement with Adopt-a-Professor at Martin Luther College I/We hereby agree to support MLC Adopt-a-Professor, Project # WEL920.2107 with a total of $_____________________ during the next __________________ years. My/Our gift will be sent $______ monthly $______ quarterly $______ semi-annually $______ annually Enclosed is my gift of $________________. ____ Bill my credit or check card $__________. ____MasterCard ____Visa ____Discover ____American Express Acct #_________________________________ Exp date:____________ Signature:______________________________ ____ I want the convenience of Electronic Funds Transfer. Please include a voided check. Date for automated transfer is the 20th of the month. Please make checks payable to WELS. Send to: WELS Ministry of Planned Giving, 2929 N Mayfair Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53222

Name:_______________________________
Spouses first name:_________________________ Address:_______________________________________________ Date:___________________ City:__________________________ State:_______________ Zip:_____________________ Home phone:__________________________ E-mail:________________________________ Congregation name:_______________________________ Congregation city:_______________________

Note: Gifts given to Mission Partners will be credited to your congregations mission offerings without indicating your name unless you request otherwise.

Please adopt me!