Jon & Mary live in rural New Prague and started attending Bethlehem’s South Campus in October 2008. They became members in May 2009. Jon says, "Although I came to trust Christ as Savior at an early age, attending Bethlehem has helped me better understand God's sovereign work in all his creation. This has changed my worship of him and increased my desire to know and serve him."

Jon serves on the South Campus Building Committee. He has enjoyed helping to search for and evaluate potential sites for a new South Campus and looks forward to seeing how God will lead in this direction.

Jon also serves as an usher and is a small group leader for boys in grades 7–8. He has gone on several short term trips and has also led one. Mary frequently serves at the South Info Booth, and she plays piano for the choir and MOMS meetings. Jon & Mary have been married since 1985, and they have four adult children: Bryn, Ben, Lauren, and Carson.

Terry & Eileen have been involved at Bethlehem for more than 15 years and have been members since 1993. They have two married sons and six grandchildren who live in the Twin Cities. Terry owned a manufacturing company in Burnsville for 25 years and now works at Desiring God as Director of Finance & Planning. He and Eileen live in Bloomington. Terry became serious in his walk with the Lord through a small group Bible study about 35 years ago. He says, “My experience at Bethlehem has awakened me to truths about God that have transformed the way I enjoy worship, and they have given me a greater understanding of the wonderful unity of Scripture and the joy of involving God in every area of my life.”

First called to Bethlehem as an Associate for Pastoral Care, David's shepherding skills have often reflected his previous wealth of pastoral experiences at Olivet Baptist Church of Minneapolis and Our Savior's Baptist Church in Elkhorn, Nebraska.

David was born and raised in Denver. At age 10, he received Christ at Junior Boy's Week at Covenant Heights Bible Camp in the Rocky Mountains. After graduating from Bethel College (1968), Westminster Seminary (1971), and receiving his Doctor of Ministry from Bethel Seminary (1991), David has continued to pursue his calling to be a shepherd in the local church, serving as Pastor for Adult Ministries and Shepherd Groups for many years at Bethlehem.

In 2015 the congregation approved the elder recommendation that David become our Pastor for Global Outreach Member Care.

David & Karin have four daughters: Sarah (living in Asia with her husband, Eric, and their four children, Karsten David, Aubrey Louise, Simeon Livingston, and Demaris Marie), Anna (living in Colorado, with her husband, Dan, and children Moriah Joy and Emmett Asher), Krista (married to Steven Cox, living in North Carolina, with their daughter Elliana Nadine), and Lydia (living here in the Twin Cities with her husband, Sean Mailen).

The family served a one-year short term with SIM in Nigeria, in 1992–93. David & Karin celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2001 in Cochabamba, Bolivia, spreading a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all West African and Bolivian peoples as well. And in 2009 they traveled to Africa, Britain, and Colorado on four months of sabbatical renewal and retooling for the "finishers' era" of their lives (see Acts 20:24)!

Mark Lundstedt grew up on a farm in Iowa in a Christian family, but he didn’t get excited about Christ until he studied philosophy at Iowa State University. It was then he realized the credibility of Christianity and the incredibility of other philosophies and religions.

Mark pursued degrees in both of his main interests—missions and medicine. He and his wife, Tedde, were missionaries to Africa for 14 years, and currently both work as registered nurses. In Africa, Mark was involved in church planting and theological education.

Together, Mark & Tedde have four happily married children and 13 grandchildren. They thank God that their children are committed to Christ. Their oldest son, Luke, is a Bethlehem global partner to Bolivia.

The Lundstedts began attending Bethlehem when the South Site opened in 2006 and they became members a few months later. Mark serves as a small group leader (he loves to help others grow in their faith) and teaches Sunday School. He has taught several TBI courses.

Mark & Tedde have been on the South Global Outreach (GO) Team since 2010, and they follow the Global Partners assigned to the South Campus body—they read all their email updates, meet with them when they return for home assignment, pray regularly for them, and meet regularly with the GO Team. 

The Lundstedts are passionate about supporting and encouraging the global partners sent out by Bethlehem Baptist Church, and one main reason Mark became an elder was to provide an elder presence on the South GO Team.

Phil Nelson grew up in the church as the son of a pastor. But during those years, his experience was religion rather than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Later in life, Phil realized that the world’s pleasures were only temporary, and he began to seek deeper meaning in life.

Through the years, God drew Phil to himself and put Christian men in his life to disciple him. In 1998, God opened Phil's eyes and heart to see God for who he truly is, and Phil surrendered his life to him.

From there, Phil's spiritual growth continued through the encouragement of Christian men and seven years in Bible Study Fellowship (as a class member and leader). Phil and his wife Holly began attending Bethlehem in 2009 and became members in 2010. Through the teaching, training, and community at Bethlehem, and through personal quiet time, the Holy Spirit continues to grow Phil's faith and understanding of who God is. With this increased desire to surrender his life to God and his purposes, Phil's love for Jesus, desire to spend time with him, and passion to tell people about him also increases.

Phil teaches an adult Sunday School class and serves in the men’s ministry. He serves as a communion server, and as a greeter at Bethlehem's South Campus. He also has had the privilege of discipling four men in one-on-one relationships. Phil & Holly have been married for 35 years and have three married children and three grandchildren.

Pavel Nesvetaylov was born in April 1964, in the coal mining city of Gorlovka, East Ukraine, to a family of Evangelical Christian Baptists. In 1981, his family moved to the northern part of Caucusus, Russia, to be closer to relatives.

By God’s grace, Pavel received Jesus Christ as personal Savior in 1981 and was baptized in 1982 in a small Baptist church in the town of Nartkala. Since then he has experienced continued spiritual growth. Pavel was actively involved in the life of the local church in the town of Prokhladny, as a youth pastor and preacher. In March 1988, he married the love of his life, Vera Afanasyev. Pavel & Vera have five children: Olga, Mariya, Viktoriya, Jennifer, and Alena.

The Nesvetalov family immigrated to the USA from Russia in 1993 and have lived in Minnesota for more than 20 years. All this time Pavel & Vera were actively involved in the life of the local Russian Baptist churches in various locations, and Pavel’s roles were in preaching and being a worship leader. Pavel completed a course on systematic theology through the Southern Baptist Convention seminars, and has attended the TULIP seminar and various Desiring God conferences. 

Pavel & Vera came to Bethlehem in 2012 and have been thankful to God that churches like Bethlehem exist in the U.S. and Minnesota with explicit biblical teachings and strategy and vision for church leadership, as well as for Pastor John Piper’s ministry and books. Pavel shares, “It has really motivated me to grow spiritually in this new environment and I would be honored to share what I have learned from Bethlehem with my friends and brothers & sisters in Christ from the Russian speaking community. For the last two years, I went through intensive teaching about biblical eldership, the Bethlehem Elder Affirmation of Faith, and other documents of our church. Right now, I am serving at Bethlehem by leading a Sunday School class, translating the Sunday sermons, and Vera & I have small group at our house every other week. I also play the guitar at services. I frequently go to do a Bible study and speak personally with men at the Rehabilitation Center organized by one of the local Russian churches.”

Bruce and his wife, Karen, grew up in Rochester, New York, and met in high school. After graduating from college, they married in June 1979. The Lord had been drawing Bruce to himself for a couple of years prior to that and, shortly after marrying, Bruce committed his life to Jesus Christ. From early childhood, Bruce had a desire to be an airline pilot. In 1984, the Lord graciously allowed him to fulfill that desire when he was hired by Northwest Airlines which brought him and his family to Minnesota. Bruce has been actively involved in several types of ministry over the years, including one-on-one discipleship, small group leadership, and teaching Sunday School and Eldership. The Powers came to Bethlehem in 1998 and have rejoiced to see God moving through his people here ever since. They currently live in Eagan, and Bruce currently teaches an adult Sunday School class at the South Campus. Karen has been involved in youth ministry for many years. The Lord has blessed Bruce & Karen with two daughters, Sarah and Rebekah.

Raised in Iowa in a Christian home, Chuck accepted Christ at the age of 8. Music was his focus early on and he graduated from Wheaton College in 1982 with a B.A. in Music Education/Voice. He married Carol that same year. He later received a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from St. Cloud State (1990). He was a Minister of Youth and Music in Iowa where he also taught Physical Education at a Catholic school for two years. God called the Steddoms to Monticello, Minnesota, in 1984 where Chuck served as Minister of Music and Christian Education at Riverside Alliance (formerly Monticello Alliance). In 1990, they were called to Prairie Bible Institute, where Chuck would teach and later chair the music department and then become the Associate Dean of the college.

Chuck’s authentic leadership flows out of his music-filled heart as he leads the South pastoral team, sings, teaches, pastors, and encourages us to be more and more open to the filling of the Spirit in heartfelt worship of God who alone is worthy of it. His desire is to win unbelievers, to strengthen, encourage, and fire the faith of believers, and to support the hands of those who serve through music and the Word. His wife, Carol, is the principal accompanist at Bethlehem’s South Campus. The Steddoms have four children: Daniel, Allison, Kiandra, and Alexander, who is now with the Lord.

Peter Thorpe grew up attending Bethlehem. Upon being made alive together with Christ through faith and repentance, he was baptized and became a member in 1994. In 2000, he joined a church revitalization effort in Richfield, Minnesota, where he joined the staff to give oversight to the operations of that church for more than 10 years. God called Peter and his family back to Bethlehem in 2014.

Since returning to Bethlehem, Peter has served as a small group leader and adult Sunday school teacher, and he has helped with the men's ministry at the South Campus.

Peter met his wife, Stacy, at Bethel University while discussing theology. They were married in 2002 and have three children: Lydia (2007), Abigail (2009), and Benjamin (2012). They live in Lakeville and enjoy the outdoors together—walks, parks, and sledding.

Alan came to trust in Jesus as his Lord and Savior at the age of 26–27 through the witness of his younger brother, much reading, reflection, and prayer. His life verse is Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Along with all of Scripture, this verse has been an anchor for Alan throughout his years as a follower of Jesus.

Alan has been married to his lovely wife Julie since 1999. They first met on a "blind" date. Now they enjoy walking and talking together. Alan & Julie have 4 children: Katrina, Chloe, Caroline and Jacob. As a family they enjoy camping, outdoor activities, board games, and just spending time together.

The West family has attended Bethlehem since Spring of 2012 and they became members in 2014. They love the focus on sound doctrine, the God-centered vision of the church, and the church-wide desire to grow to fullness of maturity in Christ together. Alan volunteers as a Sr High mentor and a small group leader, and he is involved in the men's ministry.

Bill & Emily have been members at Bethlehem since December 1990. They have two daughters, Abby and Anna. The Zwickys are one of the many families who have an intentional, committed involvement at Bethlehem’s South Campus. Bill has been in various ministries at Bethlehem, including significant IT and Web assistance for the church. Bill & Emily have served in the Welcome Ministries at the Information Booth and have been leaders in Family Discipleship.