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Pastor Bios
BILL BARND
Bill Barnd was a barber before he became a pastor at Evergreen Community Church-Bloomington 2002. As a pastor his primary responsibilities in serving God include leading, teaching, discipleship and shepherding the high school and college age students of our church.
Back in 1992 becoming a pastor was the last thing on his "things to be" list. Bill just "really liked hangin' with high school students" and was just totally fired up about the new "God adventure" he was beginning. “Right before my very eyes I was watching God transform young lives into new creations, and I could undoubtedly see that He was using little ole me (and others like me) to be a small part of that process. Also right before my very eyes I watched God transform my life into a new creation.”
Bill has been married to his wife Donnelle since 1979 and is a father of two grown children Kevin & Mandy. Both Kevin and Mandy are married with one child each making Bill and Donnelle grandparents.
SPENCER BERNARD
Spencer Bernard has worked as a professional musician and songwriter for over twenty years. He did everything from playing in bars to studio work and anything in between. Spencer joined the staff of Evergreen Community Church-Bloomington, as Music Director, in 1998 and continues to this day. He was also recognized as pastor in 2004.
At this time, his primary ministry responsibilities are rooted in his two big passions: worship and weekend preaching. Spencer envisions and hopes that Christ’s body at Evergreen would continually reflect--in a word--more. That more Christians and more lives would be strengthened and changed, more understanding of God’s Word, more worship, more prayer, and more good deeds! More!
Spencer considers his family and home as his refuge and joy. He was married to Lisa in 1990. They are the proud parents of two children, Chase and Zoe.
JEFF GROEN
Jeff Groen asked Jesus Christ to be his Savior in 1981, but it wasn’t until 1987 while pursuing his Masters of Science at the University of Minnesota that he truly began yielding to Christ as his Lord. (This includes getting baptized as a believing adult.) In 1990, he received his MS in Geology and immediately got involved in leadership at Evergreen Community Church-Bloomington.
Jeff is a former geologist turned pastor. He will always be a man of science and have a love for rocks, but it was his love for people and God’s leading that raised him up as a pastor in 1998 at Evergreen-Bloomington. His pastoral role includes: Weekend and Seminar teacher, counselor, Mission Trips’ leader, and overseeing the Singles, Single Parents, pre-marrieds (Fit-To-Be-Tied), and Growth Group ministries.
Jeff married Sue in 1992. He is the father of three young teen girls: Tessia, Casey, and Sophia. When Jeff is not working he enjoys: Walks or playing cribbage with his wife & girls, working on cars with his dad, sipping café mochas, archery, and watching U of M basketball and wrestling.
BRENT KNOX
Brent completed and received his Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry at Iowa State University in 1979. His faith was tested and strengthened on the secular college campus. During his college years, he had the privilege of being involved in leadership training program through Ames Fellowship Church, a sister church that is member of Great Commission Churches. Upon graduation, he was ordained and served as pastor at the church.
In 1986, Brent and his family accepted an invitation to pastor a small and struggling church in Minneapolis and to start a new church plant. In 1988, he co-founded Evergreen Community Church in Bloomington. Brent's spiritual gifts are teaching and leading. He is known for his clear, linear, relevant, and life-changing applications of God's Word, principles, and stories.
Brent has been married since 1980 to Mary, and is the father of three boys. When Brent is not at church, he enjoys house and yard work (believe it or not) and going on dates with his wife.
KEN JOHNSON
Ken Johnson graduated in 1975 from Bemidji State University with a B.S. degree in Biology. He furthered his education at Iowa State University earning a M.S. degree in Botany in 1978. After graduation, he worked as a lab technician at ISU from 1978-1985. In 1985, he moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where he completed a M.S. degree in Health Physics (radiation safety) at Colorado State University. After graduation, he accepted a job at 3M in St. Paul, Minnesota where he was a Health Physicist from 1986-1991. While pursuing his education and employment, Ken was also actively involved with Great Commission Churches in Iowa, Colorado, and Minnesota.
In 1986, Ken and his family became involved with the Great Commission Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota, pastored by Brent Knox. The Great Commission Church of Minneapolis became Evergreen Community Church in 1988, meeting at Oak Grove Middle School in Bloomington, Minnesota. In 1991, Ken was ordained as pastor. Currently, Ken’s pastoral role includes six areas of focus: Children’s ministry, most Evergreen (Bloomington) ministries, special projects and overseas missions.
Ken has been married to his wife, Diane, since 1976. They met while they were students at Bemidji State University. Ken and Dianne have four children: Kristi, Paul, Julie, and Stephen. The children were home-schooled until ninth grade. The most enriching times as a family have occurred during mission trips to Central America, vacationing in Duluth, trips to Colorado , camping, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.
MIKE OLMSTEAD
Mike Olmstead was a probation officer with Hennepin County, before becoming a pastor. Mike enjoyed having a hand in this "rough culture" that desperately needed people committed to Christ. In 1990, he graduated from Bethel Seminary with the vague idea of doing some sort of "ministry." In the fall of 1991, Mike and his
wife, Janice, attended their very first Evergreen service. During that first service, Mike leaned over and told Janice "I want to be a pastor here".
Mike has been actively involved in various ministries of the church ever since. In 2002, Mike was recognized as pastor of Evergreen-Bloomington. Currently, Mike's pastoral focuses include: working with growth groups, coaching, connecting with newcomers, counseling, helping men lead in their sphere of influence, and support and recovery ministries.
He has been married to Janice since 1987. (They met in 1986 while doing missions work in Brazil.) God blessed them with children-- lots of them: Selma, Liesel, Anna, Samuel, Luke, Carl, Simon, Jewel and Kiel. Some of their most enriching family times have been "upnorth," walking in the woods, going to parks, spending quality time together, and meeting new people while out-and-about.
JON SCHELKOPH
Jon came to Evergreen in 2004 from Cottonwood Community Church, a sister church in Grand Forks, North Dakota in where he spent the first 26 years of his life. He has a Masters degree in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota and has been working in the Civil Engineering marketplace since he graduated in 2002. He married his lovely wife Terri in 2004 and they have four children; daughters Selah, Avery, Noelle and son, Hudson. He has a heart for building leaders, both in the church and in the family.
Haunted by a recent study revealing that the church in the United States is loosing 8/10 of their young people shortly after high school, his heart burns for Evergreen to “beat the snot out of that statistic” and win with the next generation. Jon is serving as a volunteer pastor and not paid staff.
TIM WEBER
Tim Weber was immersed professionally in corporate America, for fourteen years, before becoming a pastor. During this time, Tim’s desire was to eventually become a pastor or be in full-time ministry. Eight years later, in 2000, God answered Tim’s desires and prayers and was ordained as pastor at Evergreen-Bloomington.
As Executive Pastor, Tim’s spiritual gifts of leadership, administration, shepherding, and evangelism mirror his responsibilities. They include: The current facility search (Opening New Doors), overseeing of Evergreen’s executive goals, strategic ministry planning, utilizing gifts, resources, and finances for core ministries, involved with the children’s and youth’s ministries, occasional teaching, and mission trips to Berlin.
Tim has been married to his amazing wife, Brita, since 1987. (They met each other while attending Bethel College together.) They are the proud parents of four incredible children: Tyler, Alec, Ellise, and Myles.
