About Me

I’m a husband to a beautiful and brilliant wife and father to three kids. I serve as a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, collect tattoos, and love music, especially punk, rockabilly, and honky tonk. I am enamored with cars and trucks that have big engines (American muscle only, currently have a 5.7L Hemi, though I am lusting for one of these), mid-century American culture, and zombies. Holding all of this in tension is a tough act. What it all boils down to is that I am your run of the mill sinner/saint (in that order).

15 Responses to “About Me”

  1. dave hahn, on February 19th, 2007 at 5:50 am Said:

    hello there, i’m a lutheran pastor in flag, az. currently i’m serving as campus pastor for lutheran campus ministry at northern az u. appreciate your ramblings and in particular the one on books. i haven’t read either of the books you’ve mentioned but my wife read the velvet elvis one. alright, i suppose but nothing really ground breaking for us and where we’re from theologically. but i have a suggestion, if you take those from total strangers, peter rollins book how (not) to speak of god is probably the most leading book on the emerging conversation right not…amazing! he also does a lot of work with the 12th cent. (i believe?) monk meister eckhardt.

    anyway, thought i’d pass it along. i just started a new blog on the emerging church to be used as a resource for those moderns who haven’t even heard of this yet, as well as sharing my own experience within it and trying to share what i see as a relationship that is misunderstood, but needs to be better cultivated between the modern and postmodern expression of being church.

    peace to you, dave

  2. lutherpunk, on February 20th, 2007 at 3:10 pm Said:

    thanks dave, i’ll check it out.

  3. jarrod, on February 22nd, 2007 at 10:34 pm Said:

    where do you live>??

  4. lutherpunk, on February 23rd, 2007 at 1:18 pm Said:

    Jarrod - Southeastern Synod

  5. Chuck Coats, on April 4th, 2007 at 8:06 pm Said:

    I am a Missouri Synod Lutheran & I have to say you don’t resemble any MS pastors I’ve ever met. I mean that in a totally good way. Although it seems our congregation is slowly trying to enter the 20th century (here in 2007), I love each & every one of ‘em! That goes double for Pastor Dan who would never in a zillion years consider a tat. Anyway, great reading & take care of that monster truck!

    In Christ, Chuck

  6. douglas, on May 27th, 2007 at 5:20 am Said:

    was trolling for some liturgical items. came across your blog. A rockabilly pastor. When I was a punk - I was all into that. Saw the Stray Cats a few times live in Detroit.
    Am an ELCA mission pastor in Fort Worth.

    Have you heard of the Holy Trinity Society? if you are focusing on “immersing myself in the world of Benedictine spirituality” you might want to check out this pan-lutheran group.

    Are you around Atlanta? My cousin goes to brad schmeling’s church. It was great to visit her family and bite our tongues while they talked about it. When you are the guest, you don’t piss in your host’s coffee.

  7. Jeff, on December 27th, 2007 at 3:06 pm Said:

    Hey Lutherpunk. Just found your blog today and I do think I’ll be returning. I was especially interested to see that you’re a fellow tattooed pastor, and I’ve got a question for you. Are any of them visible, and if so how do parishioners react? I’ve thought about getting a tat on my wrist or forearm, but have so far chickened out because of the possible backlash. How do you approach that?

    Again, love the blog.

  8. lutherpunk, on December 28th, 2007 at 1:52 pm Said:

    Welcome Jeff. I am tattooed down to my wrist on one arm. My first call didn’t care (strange for an upper middle class suburban church). My second call (which I started am month ago) probably hasn’t really noticed much yet, though I warned the call committee about it during the interview process. They didn’t seem to be worried. I generally wear long sleeves, especially at times when it might be perceived as inappropriate to be sporting ink. If people get to know you first, then the ink is less of an issue to them.

    How do your folks react now?

  9. Jeff, on December 31st, 2007 at 4:50 pm Said:

    Well, honestly, probably a very small amount of my membership know. I have two, both of which are not in easily visible places unless I’m at the beach. The ones who do know are okay with it (a few of them have some of their own, and I’ll always treasure one person’s reaction: “I didn’t think pastors could have those!”).

    Good point on the “getting to know you” part. I’ve been in this church three years now, and thus it would probably be less of a shock now.

    Oh, I also found your interview meme from entries past, and your answer to the tattoo question there was helpful as well. Again, love the blog.

  10. peewee moore, on January 28th, 2008 at 8:07 am Said:

    hey lutherpunk. I was just searching around, and found your page. I’m a former Tn Rounder, and I thought I’d let y’all know what I’ve been up to.
    I now have a new band called Peewee Moore & The Awful Dreadful Snakes. check out my website for info, or my myspace to listen to songs from my new record that will be released in the next few months.

  11. lutherpunk, on January 28th, 2008 at 8:20 am Said:

    Peewee - you are not with the TN Rounders anymore?!?! Damn that sucks. Since my daughter was born, I’ve been pretty much out of the music loop, but I’ve seen you guys several times. Always loved it when you would break out a little Johnny Burnette. I’m definitely going to check out your new band.

    We’ve actually met before, and I may drop you an email off the blog a little later.

  12. PS, on March 13th, 2008 at 8:22 am Said:

    You might be interested in this:
    http://pursiful.com/?p=637

  13. Pastor G, on March 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pm Said:

    Hey -

    From one tattooed ELCA pastor punk to another… Hi! :) You are not alone…

    Pastorgurl in Seattle…

  14. Lana O'Connor, on April 26th, 2008 at 11:07 am Said:

    been randomly searching for ”Punk Pastors” on google & it led me to this website. Awesome, so you understand me don’t you. I’m a 17 year old evangelist into all real music especially hardcore punk who writes aggresive & artistic music. The thing is you don’t have to be boring to be a server of the Almighty. The more eccentric the better, cuz the more your gonna get noticed. However, if you’re gonna have piercings & tatoos the world will be scared of u so I dress like a pretty ordinary young lady but I like to die my hair & where zips & christian badges- & wear white! My church reckon tatoos are demonic though. There’s something to do with the hebrews inventing them when they turned from God but I need 2 check it out & ask God for myself. My secular msuic teacher even said theres soemhting quite not right about tatoos. I reckon its somehting spiritual. Do you still listen to secular music? see i ahvent really heard of any punk-as people who have gioven up their music 4 the greater good. theres a lot of hip hoppers, even light metallers.

    hey, thanks 4 the company u have made me feel,

  15. Kit, on May 14th, 2008 at 8:55 am Said:

    LP,
    I have a Lutheran technical question for you…I’m looking for a classmate, and the directory addy from our seminary doesn’t seem likely. Would you please contact me at my email? I’d appreciate it greatly!

    -Kit

    kiturgy at yahoo dot com

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