About

This precarious pastor is in Minneapolis, MN and I’m part of a movement trying to wring the institution out of the church so it can be something we are, not something we go to. I’ve spent the last 20 or so years finding ways to get people woven into significant relationships around the stuff that really matters in ways that really matter. Part of that began in 2006 when I started a community to realize that which has become Fabric Minneapolis. In 2024 I turned over the leadership and am focusing on other arenas for my efforts including family, the larger world around us, and helping the church get out of it’s own way (not to mention a bunch of DIY projects).

I’ve walked a long path getting to this point of the journey. Growing up in Wisconsin, the son of a Lutheran pastor, driving forklift, love affairs with math and science, St. Olaf ParaCollege, Yale University Divinity School, living in Papua New Guinea for almost 7 years, executive pastor with a large ELCA congregation in south Minneapolis for 15 years, and more. All strangely, circuitously, and effectively pointing me to where I am now.

This precarious pastor is also married to Kris who keeps me honest, informed, inspired and adventurous.

I’m grateful for four great kids whom I enjoy immensely, all out on their own these days with their own paths in the world. Five grandkids to date whom Kris and I can’t live without. They and the world they will inherit helps drive the work I do.

I’m a learner (and working on the unlearner in me), risk taker, sailor, wilderness canoeist & backpacker, biker, runner, xc skier, reader, preacher, teacher, speaker/consultant, writer, technology geek (depending on the scale you’re using). I love music and am an amateur naturalist. I’m a coffee and beer snob, but drink whatever wine tastes good, and like gin and scotch that is too expensive for me to buy. I won’t even get started on food… I also get tired, grouchy, make mistakes and overlook important things, but do I have to get into all of that?

Email me: precariouspastor@gmail.com