The Pastoral Studies Institute team of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary gained one more member in 2016. Rev. Jon Bare accepted the call to serve as the international recruitment director. Bare joins Rev. Brad Wordell, world seminary professor, and Rev. E. Allen Sorum, director of the Pastoral Studies Institute. The team’s assignment is to find ways to follow up on requests from groups around the world who want to align with confessional church bodies like the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference through the training of their current church leadership.

As a joint project with WELS Missions, the PSI team collaborates with our WELS mission teams already in place and also collaborate with WELS immigrants in North America. In 2016, members of the PSI team visited groups in six states and seven countries. For more information, visit wls.wels.net.

Did you know? During the 2016-17 school year, 116 students were enrolled at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

“Of all the fancy technology that I have at my fingertips, my favorite is the kitchen table. There, teaching takes place. Relationships are formed. Dreams are inspired. Dreams that God blesses so they become travel plans and mission trips.” Rev. E. Allen Sorum, director of the Pastoral Studies Institute at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

“I love what I do,” says Jessica Zahrt, who teaches kindergarten and first grade at Our Savior’s, Wausau, Wis. “There’s nothing better than seeing progress in young students’ academic and social skills and watching their knowledge of God and faith in him grow.“

When Jessica’s three children were in school, she began looking into master’s programs. “Martin Luther College (MLC) was the best fit for me,” explains Zahrt. “I loved the undergrad education I received there, which was focused on God’s Word and ministering to children and their families. . . . MLC’s completely online format was also convenient for me as a busy mom and teacher, and from what I found, also the most economical choice for our budget.”

Zahrt enrolled in MLC’s program in 2012 and graduated in 2016.

Reflecting on her time in graduate school, she says, “I most enjoyed the camaraderie of learning with fellow Christian teachers who are in classrooms so similar to mine. . . . These classmates, along with caring professors, encouraged me in my ministry to grow, improve, and faithfully continue to ‘run the race’ (Hebrews 12:1).”

Nate Wordell

In August 2016, Nate Wordell was ordained and installed as a tutor at Martin Luther College (also pictured is MLC President Mark Zarling). Wordell is a 2016 Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary graduate and a 2012 Martin Luther College graduate. Shortly before Wordell received his assignment to MLC, he reflected on his time there: “MLC taught me about God’s Word. Whether I become a pastor or not, the most important thing I can do is read my Bible. That is hands-down my biggest takeaway from MLC. MLC also helped me better understand people. . . . MLC taught me how much people need Jesus—myself included.”

Move-in Day

On move-in day, Martin Luther College students were greeted with tables around campus advertising organizations to join and opportunities to build relationships and gain ministry experience. MLC freshman Jonah Backus says, “MLC is an amazing environment for learning and being encouraged in the faith.” MLC’s first semester on-campus enrollment in fall 2016 totaled 742. For more information, visit mlc-wels.edu.