You will have an opportunity to attend three of the following sessions.
After you read through each session description, write down your first three choices and select them on the registration.
You can help us plan the sessions by knowing your first three choices when you register.
After you read through each session description, write down your first three choices and select them on the registration.
You can help us plan the sessions by knowing your first three choices when you register.
Description of the 8 Breakout Sessions:
1. Victors in Christ - Rick Loewen
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There is an old saying that says "if you don't know what you are aiming for you probably won't hit it!" The Apostle Paul reminds us the target is heaven. By God's grace, most of us have received the prize through our baptism. But the journey here on this earth is filled with many obstacles. I am excited to talk to you about biblical habits and instruction that will help you and those you love, on how to navigate that journey. We are not victims of this world but we are victors in Christ!
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Rick served as a police officer for 20 years before transitioning into public ministry. During his law enforcement career, he worked as a patrol officer, narcotics detective, vice detective, and homicide detective. He also trained fellow officers in interviews and interrogation, undercover operations, and crime scene investigation.
While still serving as a police officer, Rick enrolled in the staff ministry program at DMLC and received a divine call to establish the first youth and family ministry program on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona. WLCFS later called him to develop and implement family ministry programs on a Synod-wide scale. As the director of ministries at WLCFS, he oversaw ministry support services, family life education, and the counseling division. Rick is currently called by Crosswalk Lutheran Church, where he serves with Crosswalk through its subsidiary ministry, CrossTrain Ministries. Additionally, he serves as the director of CrossTrain Kids Ministries. |
2. Is Climate Change a big deal? What does the data say? - Kevin Peil
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We are inundated with a constant stream of opinions ranging from climate change denial to climate change pending catastrophe. This talk will listen to all voices and develop a calm, Christian response to all matters related to climate change.
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Kevin Peil has a PhD in Chemical Engineering and has been speaking throughout the country on all matters related to Science and The Bible for more than 30 years. Kevin is a WELS member living in Auburn, Michigan and is retired from the Dow Chemical Company where he was a Research Scientist for 34 years.
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3. Forge Ahead in Faith in a Politically Charged World - Michael Berg
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Christian live in two kingdoms. How should we navigate this? We will learn about how God rules in two realms, how we never want them to mix, and how we can carry out our vocations as citizens without losing our minds!
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Rev. Dr. Michael Berg is an associate professor of theology at Wisconsin Lutheran College. He is the author of Vocation: the Setting for Human Flourishing (1517), The Baptismal Life (Northwestern), On Any Given Sunday (1517) and an upcoming book on the Theology of the Cross (Northwestern). He is also co-host of the podcast “Let the Bird Fly”. He is married to Amanda, a teacher at St. Philip’s Lutheran in Milwaukee. They have three daughters.
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4. Forge a Stronger Marriage - Randy Hunter
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Participants will explore actions by which each might bring glory to God and joy to his wife.
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Married for 40 years, pastor at St. Andrew in Middletown, Wisconsin, author of "5-minute Bible Studies for Couples", owner of www.graceformarriage.com resources, past chairman of WELS Adult Discipleship, an author and teacher of courses taught to thousands through WELS Marriage Enrichment and Getaway Weekends.
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5. Diamonds on the soles of our shoes - Aaron Wakeman
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The Gospel is so, so good. And evangelists are good news tellers.
Through his own personal testimonies and stories from missionaries around the world, Aaron will help us explore this multi-dimensional diamond of the Gospel that we hold. He will give us encouragement and practical tools that help Christians remove the stigma, guilt, and fear around the topic of evangelism. And by God's grace, we will leave the session ready to be good news tellers in our lives and communities. Soli Deo Gloria |
Aaron Wakeman has been actively involved in mission work since 2004 when he and his wife, Cora, moved to Wuhan, China to be evangelists and church planters. They returned to China several years later with their three children, Will, Andy and Anna. During that time Aaron served as the Field Coordinator and lead trainer for about 50 global evangelists. Aaron now serves as the Executive Director of Friends Network, a role he has held since 2018. Friends Network is a WELS-affiliated mission agency that recruits, trains, sends and supports missionaries around the world. Over the past several years Aaron has lead dozens of workshops and training seminars around the country on the topic of evangelism and outreach.
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6. Upright Sheaves: Gathering, Supporting, and Encouraging Christian Teens - Adam Lambreckt
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The Bible does not lack agricultural metaphors for God's truth. From Jesus' powerful parable of the sower and the seed to his beautiful description of the vine and the branches, these metaphors help us understand key principles as we apply God's Word to our lives as Men of His Word. As we consider the challenges facing Christian teenagers in our homes, schools, and congregations, perhaps we can discover a useful picture in the familiar story of an Old Testament teenager: Joseph. In the first of his two dreams as a 17-year-old favored son, Joseph described a sheaf of grain that rose and stood upright, while other sheaves gathered around and bowed down. Without pressing the picture, how can we help Christian teens become upright sheaves in our world, standing up for the truth of God's Word? With whom can we gather and bind them to demonstrate the beauty and function of the body of Christ? In what ways can we support them through the intense pressures and challenges of our world to make God-pleasing decisions? What encouragement can we provide to teach them to rely on their Savior for comfort and guidance throughout their lives?
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Pastor Adam Lambrecht has served as a Campus Pastor at Luther High School in Onalaska, Wisconsin since 2023. Prior to this, he served as a missionary in Laramie, Wyoming following his graduation from the seminary in 2019. Before he attended the seminary, he served as a youth ministry volunteer for WELS Kingdom Workers in Farmington, New Mexico. He also served as a WELS Staff Minister in three congregations in Colorado (Battlement Mesa, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo West). Adam and his wife Sarah have been blessed with 4 children.
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7. Faith, Football, and the Ultimate Game Plan - Carl and Dr. Jeff Lemke
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Just like the heroes of the Bible, your own sports stories can reveal powerful lessons about faith, perseverance, and purpose. Join a father-son coaching duo as they share inspiring local football stories that connect directly to our walk with Christ. Through real-life gridiron moments, they'll illustrate the need for a Savior, truly undeserved love, winning as the approach, and the unique calling each of us has in God's plan. Be inspired to craft your own Christ-centered story as you press forward with confidence and purpose, to forge ahead in faith.
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Carl Lemke and Dr. Jeff Lemke are a father and son team who coached high schoolfootball together for more than 15 years, more importantly, working with young men on knowing their Savior. Carl coached more than 40 years and is listed as one of the winningest coaches in high school football, with championships in three different states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota). Jeff, now serving at Bethany Lutheran College, is dedicated to equipping men and women in various Christian vocations and helps coach ministry leaders in developing financially strong, impactful ministries. Above all, they are men of faith, committed to God's Word, and blessed to be surrounded by an incredible family of strong, faithful women.
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8. The Culture Factor: How a Healthy Church Culture Leads to Growth that Matters - Matt Ewart
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Every church has a culture - an invisible force that shapes the values and behaviors of the congregation. It influences everything from how first-time guests feel to how church ministry is carried out. In this session, Pastor Matt Ewart of NorthCross Lutheran Church will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how they've built an intentional, unified culture that supports both mission and momentum. You'll walk away with practical insights to assess and strengthen your church's culture, no matter its size or starting point.
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Pastor Matt Ewart has served in a variety of church contexts—from a slow-growing mission startup to a well-established congregation with a school and large staff, and now at NorthCross, a fast-growing church of over 1,300 members. Throughout these different settings, he's become deeply passionate about shaping intentional church culture that reflects the gospel and fuels mission. Matt is the author of Unshakeable: Finding Your Identity in Who God Says You Are and a regular contributor for Time of Grace Ministries. He's known for his clear, relatable way of connecting biblical truths to everyday life.
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Download the Sessions and Speakers PDF here:
| 2024_mohw_session_descriptions_roch.pdf |