As an associate pastor I work with various teams as we attempt to live out our faith where God has placed us.  I believe God has something special for each of us.  His presence in our daily lives has to be our highest priority.  I am fascinated and humbled by the following passage:  "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."  The NIV says, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing."  Psalm 23:1.  This is personal, everlasting and true.  At RHC we are applying ourselves to the task of following our Shepherd.  

My wife, Melanie and I have three adult children and three grandchildren. In our spare time we love to garden and spend time with family and friends.

He has been involved in vocational ministry since 2009, serving in a variety of roles including worship leader, camp director, and youth pastor. Christian grew up in Centerville, South Dakota, graduating in 2008 after being actively involved in sports and music—two passions that continue to shape his life today.
Christian originally attended South Dakota State University to study Music Business, but during that time sensed God redirecting his path toward pastoral ministry. He later studied Ministry Leadership at Moody Bible Institute and went on to earn a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership from Kairos University (formerly Sioux Falls Seminary).
Christian is passionate about worship that does more than fill a moment on Sunday morning. His heart is to help the church encounter God through worship in ways that shape everyday discipleship—forming people who love God deeply, grow in community, and live out their faith in the world. Christian and his wife Kara, who holds a Master of Divinity and serves their family as a stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher, live in Sioux Falls with their two sons, Caleb (5) and Joshua (1). Their home is often filled with music, laughter, and the joyful chaos that comes with raising young boys. Outside of ministry Christian enjoys sports, songwriting and
poetry, working on a book project, and spending time on the golf course or the disc golf course whenever he can.

I’m Dawn!  An educator with a passion for sharing Jesus with every child.  As an elementary school teacher, I’ve been able to show God’s love to students for over 2 decades.  At Rustic Hills Church, my passion is for helping children encounter Jesus through simple Bible stories, songs, crafts, and games.  I believe that each child and family is uniquely created by a loving Father.  It is a blessing to be part of our amazing children’s ministry team and serve the Lord as part of his good plan.  My favorite Bible verse is Romans 15:13 – it is my prayer for each person reading this!  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit".