Jonathon is an ordained and certified pastor of the Lutheran Congregations in Mission to Christ (LCMC) who serves as Lead Pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Orange Grove, Texas. First Lutheran sits in a strategic position for the advancement of the mission of Jesus Christ in the Coastal Bend of South Texas.
A graduate of Concordia Senior College (B.A.), Seminex (M.Div.), and Trinity Seminary, Jonathon has pastored a unique variety of churches all over the United States for over 30 years. Passionate about reaching the lost and those without an active faith life, Jonathon likes to go “where the church is not” and provide opportunities for people of all levels of faith commitment to get to know Jesus–actively shepherding the congregation, as well as providing quality pastoral care to all who are in need. Jonathon led the Community Outreach team for the Heartland Festival with Luis Palau when it ministered to over 150,000 people in Omaha in 2007.
Jonathon’s passion for reaching out to those “outside the traditional faith community” led him to chair the Jones County Long Term Recovery Team, the FEMA designated flood relief agency seeking to help county residents recover from the flooding of 2008. In the past, Jonathon has served countless law enforcement agencies all over the world as a consultant and as a Chaplain, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Illinois State Police, and countless other county and city agencies as well. Jonathon retired from active duty as a volunteer Firefighter, EMT, and Chaplain with the rank of Captain.
An avid photographer, videographer, and computer tech-head, Jonathon has assisted numerous non-profit agencies tell their stories through video presentations meant to assist with them with the achievement of their mission statements. He has provided leadership for organizations all over the world.
Jonathon loves cooking, reading, salt-water fishing, going for long walks with his wife of 34 years Cheryl, as well as traveling to see their two sons and awesome daughters-in-law in both the greater Minneapolis area as well as New Haven, CT. An avid football fan, Jonathon cheers on just about every team from Texas as well as the Michigan Wolverines and the Florida Gators.
