Keynote Speaker

Kent R. Hunter
Founder, Church Doctor Ministries

Kent R. Hunter is the founder of Church Doctor Ministries. Kent says his reason for being on this earth is to help Christians and churches become more effective for the Great Commission, to make disciples of all peoples. He recognizes that America is the third largest mission field in the world, behind China and India. His passion is to come alongside pastors and church leaders to provide encouragement, direction, and focus and to turn challenges into opportunities for mission through the local church.
 
Kent lives on a certified tree farm in northeast Indiana with his wife, Janet. Kent and Janet have two grown children, Laura and Jon.

Bible Study

Jo Kinnard
Associate Pastor, Resurrection Lutheran Church

Raised Hindu in Chennai, India, I was retrieved by Christ from a personal crisis and brought to faith in my forties, here in the USA. At the same time, by calling him to be my baptismal sponsor, God reclaimed my husband Mike who had been raised Lutheran but had turned away from God in his twenties. I was baptized at Hosanna! Lutheran Church (LCMC) in St. Charles, IL. Right away I knew I could not continue to live the “same old life.” I felt called to introduce everyone to Jesus.I earned my M.Div. at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, IA. My testimony has been published in my book Out of the Fog, Into the Sun: My Journey from Hinduism to Christ. (Wipf and Stock, 2010).  
God continually amazes me in putting to work all my education, work (higher education and software development), and personal history, including a doctorate in Hindu philosophical systems from the University of Madras, India, to help people encounter Christ in their lives.  

I am blessed to serve on the ministry team at Resurrection Lutheran Church (LCMC), Monticello, MN, as Associate Pastor for Adult Spiritual Growth, Congregational Care, and Community Outreach Ministries.

I love dancing for the Lord, and harnessing God’s gift of laughter. Mike and I enjoy worship, music, sci-fi, hiking, and coffee. We live in Monticello, with our dog-children Java and Hershey.

Worship Preachers

Mark Vander Tuig
LCMC Staff

Mark Vander Tuig is the Service Coordinator for Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ.  Mark works to expand and develop the network of congregations in LCMC, offer leadership training and ministry resources for pastors and leaders in the local church, and represents LCMC when meeting with other church bodies in the U.S. as well as abroad.  He also oversees the professional staff of LCMC.  He began this position September 15th, 2010. 

For the first 10 years of his ministry he served congregations in Minnesota:  Montevideo and St. Cloud.  In 1990, he and his family moved to Altoona, Iowa where he served Lutheran Church of the Cross until 2010.  During those 20 years the congregation grew from 74 in worship to over 1100 each weekend.  Pastor Vander Tuig and Lutheran Church of the Cross are charter members of LCMC.  Mark also served on the Ministry Board of LCMC for seven years.

Mark graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1976, with Bachelor’s degrees in both Religion and Psychology, from Luther Seminary in 1980 with a Master’s of Divinity degree, and from St. Mary’s College in 1985 with a Master’s of Counseling and Psychological Services.  Mark also holds a certification from the University of Minnesota in Chemical Dependency Counseling and Education.

Mark and his wife Candice were married in 1974, have two grown daughters:  Laura Vander Tuig of Des Moines, Iowa and Emily (and husband Noah) Ruppert of Ankeny, Iowa.

Perry Fruhling
LCMC Staff

Pastor Perry Fruhling is the Coordinator for Pastoral Ministries for LCMC.  Perry administers the certification process for pastors and seminarians who desire to be rostered with LCMC. Along with developing call committee coaching, he leads workshops for call committees across the country. Perry relates to the Ministry Board which develops leadership events, relates to seminaries, and oversees our list of pastors serving in many different capacities. He hopes to use his training in conflict resolution to assist congregations and pastors in creating healthy relationships in leadership and congregational life.

Perry grew up in Champaign County, IL, the son of farmers and dedicated servants in the local church.  His home church, Immanuel Lutheran of Flatville, IL, was once dubbed “the largest rural Protestant congregation in America” with a rich heritage of pastors in ministry.  Perry attended Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, and attended Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, IA, including a year as  exchange student with Augustana Hochschule, in Neuendettelsau, Germany.

Perry has served congregations in Texas (Zion Lutheran in Fredericksburg) and in Iowa (Bethany Lutheran, Thompson; Immanuel Lutheran in Independence; and St. Mark’s Lutheran, Marion).  Perry brings his experience with congregations of many different sizes to this position, as well as his training, background and passion for the Church of Jesus Christ.

Perry and his wife, Marlys, met in the Wartburg College Choir and have been married since June, 1985. They live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  They have three children: Chantal, 26, in Cedar Rapids; Ashley, 23, in Atlanta, GA; and Caleb, 20, attending the University of Iowa.  The family enjoys music (all the kids are involved in some level of worship leadership at various churches and ministries), traveling, card and board games, and the Chicago Cubs (along with other sports teams as well as playing sports recreationally).