Rev. Brian A.F. Beckstrom is a pastor, instructor of religion and leadership, and campus pastor at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. He has over 15 years of experience in higher education, including roles in admissions, church relations, and campus ministry. As an instructor, he specializes in innovative teaching around leadership formation, digital ministry, and exploring faith identity. His work focuses on cultivating Christian leadership and spiritual life for the future of Lutheran higher education.

1. Rev. Brian A.F. Beckstrom
2410 1st
Ave NW Waverly, IA 50677 (319) 290-2584 brianafbeckstrom@gmail.com
Higher Education Professional, Pastor, Religion and Leadership Instructor; passionate about Lutheran Higher
Education, Christian leadership formation and educational innovation.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Wartburg College, Waverly, IA
Campus Pastor (Aug 2009 – present)
Instructor, Religion Department & Leadership Program (Jan 2010-Present)
Community of Grace Lutheran Church, Peoria, AZ
Pastor (Jun 2006 – Jun 2009)
Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN
Vicar (Aug 2004 – Jun 2005)
Director of Church Relations (Dec 2002 – July 2004)
Admission Counselor (Jun 1999 – Dec 2002)
Assistant Swim Coach (June 1999 – April 2002)
Ramsey County District Court, Saint Paul, MN
Bailiff/Law Clerk (January 1998-May 1999)
EDUCATION
Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, MN.
Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Mission and Leadership (expected May 2018)
Master of Divinity, 2006
Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN
Bachelor of Arts, 1997: Religion & Political Science (Magna Cum Laude)
HIGHLIGHTED SKILLS
INNOVATIVE TEACHING AND CURRICULUM DESIGN
• Introduced and developed a co-curricular digital ministry (video, audio, and web) program at Wartburg utilizing
a lean startup model.
• Helped create a new Introduction to Digital Ministry course which is the first of its kind at an accredited College
or University. Currently working to develop a digital ministry minor or major for the College as well as graduate
course offerings.
• Served as an instructor in Wartburg’s interdisciplinary Leadership Program and First Year Seminar. I
redesigned both courses and have experience teaching both online and in person.
• Created and taught a new Religion Course, Church Leadership After Christendom for students considering
ministry.
• Redesigned Wednesday evening worship service at Wartburg.
• Served Community of Grace, an innovative ELCA mission congregation in Phoenix, AZ.
ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
• Led organizational overhaul of Wartburg Campus Ministry; including a new student leadership “community”,

2. staffing model, and Chapel Ambassador program for faculty and staff.
• Created a culture at Wartburg of continual missional discernment, lean startup, action research, and strategic
intervention.
• Currently serving as point person for a review of Wartburg’s Spiritual Life and Campus Ministry. My role is to
provide primary leadership for this process along with our consultant and an on-campus guiding team.
• Helped to organize and grow Knight Vision, a co-curricular student media production organization. Currently
serving on the Executive board.
HIGHER EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, RESEARCH, AND INNOVATION
• Currently leading a Faith Identity Project at Wartburg that explores the institution’s religious identity and
mission in a post-Christian age. I received funding for this project through a grant from Wartburg’s strategic
initiative fund.
• My Doctor of Ministry thesis examines the relationship between espoused and perceived religious identity and
mission at ELCA Colleges. This mixed methods project involves five ELCA Colleges and Universities.
• Serving on the interdisciplinary learning task force as part of Wartburg’s Focus on the Future strategic planning
and capital campaign.
• As Director of Church Relations at Gustavus I was responsible for day to day operations, managing the
department’s budget and staff, running our Retreat Center, and organizing a large annual conference on
campus.
• Extensive experience with Admissions both as a counselor at Gustavus and through partnering with the
Wartburg Admissions Office in large group visit days and individual recruitment.
• In Seminary I was selected as the student coordinator for admissions/financial aid and student life.
LEADERSHIP FORMATION & VOCATIONAL DISCERNMENT
• Developed and led discipleship and leadership formation processes, The Way of Jesus and The Jesus
Experiment, at Wartburg.
• Designed and organized student retreats and introduced vocational “discernment circles” to help students
discover and claim their callings.
• During my seminary internship at Gustavus I redeveloped our congregational internship program for students.
The new format included online spiritual formation, vocational discernment, and leadership development.
AWARDS
• Pastor Trachte Award for Service, Wartburg College
• Outstanding Administrative Staff Award (student selected), Wartburg College
• Plymouth Center Fellow: Emerging Leaders Institute
• Leadership Fellow, Wartburg College
• Selected for Wartburg College Germany Heritage Tour
• Presidential Scholar, Luther Seminary
• George Hall Award, Best Senior Religion Thesis, Gustavus Adolphus College
• Four Year Letter winner, Gustavus Swimming & Diving
• Team Captain, Gustavus Swimming & Diving
• Paul Hedin Award for Team Leadership, Gustavus Swimming & Diving
PUBLICATIONS, PAPERS, PRESENTATIONS
Forming the whole person: vocation, leadership, and young adults (March 2016).
Covenant Cluster Network: Equipping the Saints, Theological Education for All, For the Ministry of All – Ashland,
NE

3. Invited to present at Covenant Cluster annual conference on young adults and the future of theological
education.
Living Lutheran Contributor - http://www.elca.org/living-lutheran/
I am a contributor to the ELCA’s Living Lutheran web site and The Lutheran
magazine’s e-newsletter.
A College of the Church for the 21st
Century
Wartburg College Philosophical and Literary Society
Presented my Doctor of Ministry research and offered a constructive theological
proposal for understanding the faith pillar of the College’s mission.
The Way of Jesus: Reclaiming the Catechumenate
NetVue (Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education) Conference – Chicago, IL
Presentation about the ancient catechumenate and the discipleship process I
developed at Wartburg based on this model of faith formation.
Hospitality Workshop
Camp EWALU-Strawberry Point, IA
Conducted a workshop with the Summer Staff at Camp EWALU about the biblical
practice of hospitality.
Spiritual but not Religious
Canterbury Forum – Cedar Falls, IA
Presentation at the Canterbury Forum, a local gathering of scholars sponsored by
area churches, examining the historical roots and present realities of American
spirituality and religion.
Sharing the Gospel in a Spiritual but not Religious Age
Grandview University – Des Moines, IA
Presented to a monthly gathering of clergy about the rising number of religiously
unaffiliated Americans and strategies for ministry in this emerging context.
Blessed are the Undocumented
Journal of Lutheran Ethics
Contributed an article about preaching on issues of peace and justice, particularly
in relationship to immigration.
COURSES TAUGHT
LS 115: Exploring Elements of Leadership. Wartburg has an interdisciplinary leadership minor with instructors
from numerous disciplines. My section of the course has a strong focus on leadership formation, vocational
discernment, adaptive leadership, experiential learning (leadership labs) and action research. I’ve taught this
class both in person and online.
IS 101: Leading on Purpose. “Inquiry studies” is the name for our first-year student seminar. The course includes
common content through an IS 101 reader but each instructor picks a particular focus and additional materials.
My course focuses on the relationship between vocation (purpose) and leadership (particularly adaptive
leadership).
RE 360: Spiritual but not Religious. Created and taught a course exploring the historical, theological, and
sociological factors in the rise of the religiously unaffiliated in North America. Student reflection on their own faith

4. identity was a major component of the course.
RE 370: Introduction to the Parish: Existing course for students considering ministry that included an internship
as well as classroom learning, vocational reflection, contextual theology, spiritual formation, and leadership
development. I redeveloped this course into RE 374 in response to cultural and contextual shifts in the practice
of ministry.
RE 374: Church Leadership after Christendom: This is a course that I redeveloped for students considering
vocations in ministry. Components of the redesigned course include spiritual formation/discipleship/leadership,
vocational discernment, exploring the current context for ministry in North America, wrestling with missional,
ecclesiological and theological questions, and an internship.
OTHER CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Academic Early Alert Team – Wartburg College
Church Council – St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Waverly, IA
New Testament Search – Wartburg College Religion Department
Service trip advisor – Wartburg College
Vocation Leadership Team – Wartburg College
Volunteer Soccer Coach
Volunteer Swim Coach
Youth and Family Ministry Committee Chair – St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Waverly IA
REFERENCES
Available on request.