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Mark Kjenstad

Staff Minister for Nurture

What do you do?

I am the Staff Minister for Nurture. What does that mean? I get the privilege of helping the people of St. Andrew stay connected to God’s Word beyond what we hear in church. For young and old, for new believers to lifelong Christians, Scripture says it’s important for us to grow in the faith that God has given us. I am here to serve the people of St. Andrew by assisting that spiritual growth in any way I can. Just like a garden needs regular watering to produce those yummy fruits and vegetables, our faith should feed regularly on the “Water of Life.”

How did you come to St. Andrew?

After serving God’s people in Crete, Illinois, for 20 years as a teacher and coach at Illinois Lutheran High School, the Holy Spirit led the people of St. Andrew to call me to this ministry. God placed on my heart a desire to move in this direction, and it is a tremendous blessing to be a part of the ministry team and the congregation of believers at St. Andrew. I’ve grown in my love for digging into the Word and helping people do the same, so I’m thankful for this opportunity. God always has a plan, and I can certainly see how he prepared me for this ministry. Now I lean on him to carry it out.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

Romans 8:38-39—”For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Tell us about your family

I married Jessica in 2003. She is a graduate of Martin Luther College and has served in the teaching ministry for 20+ years.
We are blessed with two children. Ryen (adopted in 2007) and Reah (adopted in 2014).

What is your favorite vacation location?

I love my annual summer fishing trip to catch walleyes in South Dakota. Besides that, any place we set up our camper quickly becomes a favorite.

Where did you receive your training?

I graduated from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota, with a degree in secondary and elementary education. While serving as a teacher in Crete, I was able to earn a Master of Arts in Religion from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon.