Presentation: Brokenness of Culture and Church
Everyone is aware of the "something missing" experience in their soul caused by core sin, so we try to fill it especially when it comes to identity and our bodies. We will explain and answer the challenges of the culture's counterfeit gods, and the compromise occurring within the church which underestimates the impact of sin while missing the healing power of the Gospel.
Bio:
Rev. Alfonso Espinosa earned the Ph.D. in theology from the University of Birmingham, England, the M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, La Mirada, CA, and the M-Div from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN. For 18 years, he served as an adjunct professor of theology at Concordia University Irvine, CA for undergraduate and graduate courses. He has published chapters in many books in the areas of sanctification, creation, christology, nursing as ministry, apologetics, and other areas. He was on the study notes team for The Lutheran Study Bible. In 2018 Concordia Publishing House released his first book Faith That Sees Through the Culture. CPH also released his Faith That Engages the Culture (2021) and Faith That Shines In the Culture (2023). He has been a regular guest on Issues, Etc. and Faith Radio. He has served on the LCMS Board for National Mission for 10 years and is currently the chair of that board. During his service, he has been the leading advocate for family ministry which contributed to the synod passing a resolution in 2016 to add a seventh national Mission Priority: "Strengthen and support the Lutheran family in living out God's design." He is the senior pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Irvine and has served St. Paul's for over 19 of his 32 years as a pastor (when they were in Laguna Beach 1996-2002 and from 2011-present in Irvine). He leads their "Light of the World" podcast on faith and culture on several platforms including YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Audible. Pastor Al is married to Traci and they are blessed with eight children, six wonderful in-law children, and 11 grandchildren. He loves Mexican food, Christian works of art, traveling, music, and has an earned black belt in traditional Taekwondo.
Biography:
Anne Edward--formerly Anne Paulk--is the executive director and a board member of Restored Hope Network which is a coalition of over 50 ministries, pastors, spiritual mentors, and licensed therapists in the U.S. supporting individuals who are dealing with unwanted LGBT issues in their lives and who want to align with their values. She is the author of Restoring Sexual Identity: Hope for Women Who Struggle with Same-Sex Attraction and co-author of Love Won Out.
Anne left lesbianism 40 years ago because she wanted to align with her faith and found greater meaning, identity, emotional, and relational thriving than in her prior experience. For decades, she has advocated for men and women who are in various stages of dealing with unwanted same-sex attractions through writing books, articles, and giving radio, TV, and print interviews. Some of these included Oprah, Good Morning America, The Gospel Coalition, Focus on the Family, FamilyTalk, Newsweek, People, CBS Evening News, Coral Ridge, the 700 Club, and the Brad Dacus Show.
Bio:
Formerly a gender fluid, lesbian, April discovered a new identity and purpose through Christ. April is now a retired cop and Army Veteran staying very busy as a full time stay at home mom, homeschooling 3 children and is involved in her local church discipleship ministries for women.
Video testimony: https://youtu.be/April_Changed
Presentation: Transgender Confusion
This presentation provides an overview of the major influences in our modern culture that endanger the development of gender identity which influences persons to live appear and live as the opposite sex. We will look at the painful reality and roots causes leading others to leave the design God created them to be. The topic is addressed through the compassion and grace of God that brings healing not condemnation to the hurting and lost.
Biography:
Denise Shick is the founder and executive director of Help 4 Families Ministry and executive director of Living Stones Ministries. She is the author of seven children’s books and several nonfiction books, including My Daddy’s Secret, Understanding Gender Confusion—A Faith-Based Perspective, and Transgender Confusion—A Biblical Q&A for Families. She is an ordained minister, has a BA in psychology and a certified life coach.
She is also a conference speaker and presents workshops on transgenderism and its impact on families. Denise has been interviewed on many faith-based radio and television programs. She has published articles in The Federalist, LifeSite News and American Thinker.
Denise has led church-based support groups for people with sexual addictions and has assisted groups in an alcohol and substance abuse clinic. She served seven years in a Christian pregnancy center in several roles and implemented an abstinence program, for which she was the director.
Bio:
Jonathan Hunter is founder/director of Embracing Life Ministries (est.in 1985), formerly an outreach of Desert Stream Ministries where he served for 20 years. He has authored various publications: the Embracing Life Series Guidebook and booklets Breaking Free from the spirit of death; More Life! Guidebook Edition and co-authored More Glory! God’s Healing Word for Shame and Self-Hatred with Gwen Gibson and More Hope! An Interactive Guide for Women Emerging from the Shadow of Breast Cancer with Beth Webb and Andrea Hunter. Jonathan has appeared across media platforms and frequently as a guest teacher in universities, seminaries and churches worldwide.
Testimony Description: Jonathan will be sharing his testimony of his same-sex struggle, drug use, and near-death experience. More importantly, he’ll recount God’s saving grace and redemptive work in transforming his affections and identity, leading to the founding of Embracing Life Ministries which he leads to this day.
Bio:
Melinda Serrano is the office assistant for Help 4 Families and Living Stones Ministries located in Glendora, CA and Ashville, North Carolina. Melinda's son once identified as gay and immersed himself in the gay lifestyle. She and her husband faced many challenges, but remained faithful to God and always trusting him through their circumstances.
Presentation: Hope for the Future
It is easy to become discouraged in a culture whose narrative is centered in the natural order. The Gospel transcends the curse in the Fall and a dying and decaying world. This session applies the truth of Ephesians 3:20 that He is able to do immeasurably more.
Bio:
Rev. Brian Barlow offers a clear voice of hope and perspective to pastoral care having been called out of a life disordered by homosexuality. With over 20 plus years ministering to the sexually and relationally broken, Rev. Barlow addresses the necessity of keeping a clear gospel when walking along side individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who desire freedom in Christ. He and his wife have four boys ages 11, 9 & 5 and 8 mos. Brian is the Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Banning, CA. In addition to pastoring, Rev. Barlow serves with many local and national ministries including Lutheran's for Life, Y4Life, and LINC-LA.
Presentation:
Join Rev. Salemink and Heather Ruesch for an intimate and informative discussion on gender brokenness. As experienced spiritual mentors with over a decade each working alongside those facing gender brokenness, they'll explore the heart of the matter deeply and personally. They'll cover a range of topics, from holistic and cultural insights to theological truths. This is a chance to engage with the brokenness of the human self and the far-reaching effects of sin and to discover the Remedy that is found in the midst of it all. You're invited to be a fly on the wall for a candid conversation filled with genuine insights and understanding.
Bio:
Heather Ruesch is a seasoned life-issues educator with 20 years of experience in teen, family, and church culture. She is the author of "Sexuality Mentality: Creating a Culture of Biblical Integrity" (CPH, 2019) and founder of L3 Resources, a nonprofit overseer to the nationally renowned You Matter Tour and The Cure-Teen Coaching & Life Skills Workshop. Her background in child development and psychology allows her to approach important cultural issues with a deep understanding of human behavior and development. Heather and her husband, Rev. Matt Ruesch, reside in Northern Michigan with their three children, Bella (Wesley), Paul, and Sofia. Connect with Heather and explore her impactful work at www.youmattertour.org and on social media.
Presentation: Brokenness of Self
Christians believe that the ultimate blame for confusion about sexuality and gender lies with sinfulness. In this session, Pastor and Heather will engage in dialogue about how sin poses difficulties greater than behavior. Each of us both deals and receives its damages, and it affects the sexuality and identity of everyone. We’ll explore the ways sin deviates from God’s gift and design, enslaves and deadens, and even reaches beyond human control. And we’ll take comfort in the Gospel remedy of forgiveness and faith that promises relief and healing of it all.
Biography:
Pastor Salemink has served Lutherans For Life since 2015. His prior parish experience includes a decade at a large congregation with a vibrant day school and lots of catechism classes, chapel services, and Bible studies. A father of three boys, fan of sports and music, and avid runner, he writes regularly and speaks nationwide - including youth gatherings and teachers' conferences - equipping Lutherans and their neighbors to be Gospel-motivated voices For Life.
Presentation: Making the Case
Gender brokenness. Is it really even a life issue? The answer of course, is yes. And we Christians have an opportunity to address the issue openly and with HOPE. This session will not only define life issues and explain where gender brokenness fits in, but it will also explain the importance of addressing life issues with a Gospel-motivated voice. Find out what God intended for us in relation to the fall and how a rejection of gender is really a rejection of Him.
Bio:
Michelle Bauman joined the Lutherans For Life team on June 1, 2019. She earned her Lutheran teaching degree in secondary education from Concordia Nebraska in 1998 and a master’s degree in English from the University of Indianapolis in 2011. Before joining Lutherans For Life, Michelle taught middle school English from 1998 to 2002 at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and English, Drama, and Speech at Trinity Lutheran High School in Seymour, Indiana, from 2002 to 2019. Michelle also served as Trinity’s Recruitment Director from 2004 to 2017.
As Director of Y4Life, Michelle helps high school and college students learn about life issues and how to address them from a Gospel-motivated perspective. She also supports the building and maintaining of Y4Life Teams on high school and college campuses across the nation. When not presenting, writing, or creating social media posts for Y4Life, Michelle loves gardening, taking long walks, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her husband, sons, and daughter-in-love. She lives in Columbus, Indiana, with her husband, Pastor Doug Bauman, and attends St. Paul Lutheran Church, Clifty, where he serves as pastor.
Presentation: Brokenness of the Family
American families, especially Christian families are under assault in ways that most of us did not foresee just a decade or two ago! But God’s Word, and His Church guided by the Holy Spirit can bring healing, love, forgiveness and reconciliation!
Biography:
Dr. Richard “Rick” Marrs is professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Called to the faculty in the fall of 2006, he served previously as the dean of faculty (2010–13), director of Continuing Education and Parish Services (2007–09) and director of the Master of Divinity (M.div.) and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) Programs (2013-21). His areas of interest and expertise include pastoral care and counseling, Christian counseling and Christian reconciliation.
Before coming to the Seminary, Marrs served at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Junction City, Kansas. (2000–06). He was a professor of psychology and a counselor at St. John’s College in Winfield, Kansas. and at Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Illinois. (1986–98). He also has done counseling, clinical and consulting work with wide variety of other counseling agencies.
Marrs earned his Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary. He also holds an Associate of Arts (A.A.) from St. John’s College; a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Concordia College, River Forest, Illinois. (now Concordia University Chicago); a Master of Science (M.S.) in counseling from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.; and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in counseling psychology from Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. (1994). He has been licensed as a psychologist since 1996.
In 2019, Marrs published the book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered, which focuses on the relevance of Luther’s soul-care theology in Christian counseling (WestBow Press). He continues and expands that discussion in a blog series on Concordia Theology.
Marrs is married to Laura, who operates her own professional organizing business. They have two adult daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. Marrs coached the seminary’s varsity tennis team from 2007–16 and still enjoys playing tennis. He also competes nationally in stair-climb races and is usually ranked about sixth in the nation for his age group.
Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer
Presentation: Your Body, a Good Gift from God
You are fearfully and wonderfully made by your loving Creator. The Son of God became a man, truly human, to redeem us. And we look forward to the resurrection of our bodies to live in the new creation eternally. These realities provide the lenses through which to see ourselves most clearly. With a better understanding of what our bodies mean, in light of God’s Word, we are enabled to be a blessing in marriage, family, school, and society. Many of the problems people face today are rooted in a false understanding of what God intends for life in our bodies. This session will share Biblical insight to help us find peace and bring Christ to others.
Bio:
The Reverend Doctor Scott Stiegemeyer teaches theology and ethics at Concordia University, Irvine, California. Scott is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan (B.A.); Concordia Theological Seminar, Fort Wayne (M.Div.); Trinity International University, Deerfield, Illinois (M.A.), and Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois (D.Bioethics). Prior to coming to Concordia University, he served as a pastor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Director of Admission at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, and as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, Illinois. In addition to teaching at Concordia, Scott serves the students at his university in a variety of capacities, writes, and speaks regularly across the Church.
Presentation: Speaking Privately and Publicly 4 Life
Sometimes it’s easy to be a Gospel-motivated voice For Life. You simply wait for God to open a door, and then you walk right through. But sometimes God opens doors to paths we’d rather not travel, paths with life issues we weren’t expecting, life issues we’re sure we’re really not ready for – like the issue of gender. This session will take a look at best practices for engaging in conversation both privately and publicly and provide encouragement for Christians who are designed to be lights in a world full of darkness and fear.
Bio:
Chief of sinners. Child of God. Pastor Harrison Goodman preaches Christ crucified as a light that shines in darkness and a hope for the hopeless. As content executive, he helps to make these same gifts known online by employing the many voices and talents of our brothers and sisters in Christ. He believes that while the internet cannot replace Word and Sacrament ministry, it doesn't need to try. He shapes HT content to point youth and young adults toward the gifts given in your sanctuary.
