Tom was born in Excelsior, Minnesota. He grew up Roman Catholic. When he was 16, he committed his life to Christ. After he graduated from Bethel College with a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies, he pursued further training at Bethel Seminary (St. Paul) and Fuller Seminary (Pasadena, California). He graduated from Fuller with an M.Div. In 1980–82 he worked
In 1989, his position was changed once again to Pastor for Missions and Leadership Development. In 1990–91 Tom and his family served at the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary. After returning to Bethlehem, Tom resumed his position until 1996, when he was asked to devote some of his time to developing and serving in the position of Executive Pastor. In 1997, after Bethlehem called its first full-time Executive Pastor, Tom was given a study leave for work at the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton, Illinois, where he designed The Bethlehem Institute for Bible, Theology, and Missions. In 1998, Tom returned to Bethlehem and implemented the vision for TBI. Upon the arrival of Bethlehem’s first full-time Foreign Missions Pastor in Spring 2002, Tom’s pastoral heart and missions passion began being expressed as Pastor for Leadership Development and Dean of The Bethlehem Institute. In 2009, TBI became Bethlehem College and Seminary, where Tom served as Academic Dean from 2009 until 2016. In 2016 Tom’s role changed to Senior Advisor to the President and Dean of Global & Alumni Outreach. In August 2020 Tom's role changed from pastor to Global Partner.
Tom and his wife, Julie, are the happy parents of Hannah, Ruth, Katie, Nate, CJ, and Emma. He and Julie are now glad to be grandparents as well. The Stellers live in the Elliot Park Neighborhood, just a