Speakers

Rev. Dr. Paul Hill - Executive Director of the Youth and Family Institute Paul joined the Youth & Family Institute July 9, 2007. Prior to that, Paul served as the Director of the Center for Youth Ministries at Wartburg Theological Seminary from 1994-2005. While there, he developed Wartburg’s Youth Leadership School and Youth and Family Ministry Certification School. Most recently, he has served on the team in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry of Luther Seminary. Dr. Hill also brings expertise in development and outdoor ministries.

Dr. David W. Anderson -  David is the Director of Home and Congregational Renewal at The Youth & Family Institute in Bloomington, MN. He has been instrumental in developing a new paradigm for youth and family ministry, The Child In Our Hands Initiative, and resources to accompany it. He is also the co-developer of the Hand in Hand and Four Key Congregational Training events that tailor the Child In Our Hands Initiative to individual congregations. Dr. Anderson is an ecumenically and internationally recognized leader in faith and family life enrichment. Working with numerous denominations across the United States and around the world. He has taught pastoral theology at Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN) and St. Thomas Divinity School (St. Paul, MN) and is adjunct faculty at the Center for Youth Ministries of Wartburg Seminary (Dubuque, IA) and Concordia University, (St. Paul MN). Dr. Anderson has been an editor of adult Christian curriculum at Augsburg Fortress Publishers, parish pastor, and hospital chaplain. He has written extensively on partnering home and congregation in faith formation. David W. Anderson received his Doctor of Theology degree in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Anderson brings both pastoral experience and scholarship to his ministry.

Rev. Dick Hardel brings the vision and skills of 36 years of ministry as an ordained Lutheran pastor. Over 20 of those years he spent as a parish pastor in congregations in South Dakota and Florida. He has served as pastor of three-point parishes and very large congregations. For 3 1/3 years he served as assistant to the Bishop of the Nebraska Synod of the ELCA. Since 1994 Dick Hardel has served in the following roles at The Youth & Family Institute - Executive Director, Director of Vision and Creative Ministry, and Director of Wellness Ministries. Dick is a creative thinker, author, teacher, pastor, international speaker, editor, publisher, coach, consultant, retreat facilitator, and clown (trained by older Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus clowns). He is husband, father, grandfather, brother, godfather, uncle, and friend. Some of the resources authored or co-authored by Dick include: Blest Be The Pie That Binds, The Cross in the Sawdust Circle, Passing On The Faith. FaithTalk® With Children It’s For L.I.F.E!, Tag, You’re It.

Rev. Mike Carlson
Pastor Carlson is a Youth and Family specialist who has provided solid ministry as a youth and family minister in the parish and in the community. Mike has developed programs in Peer Ministry that have proven to be powerful tools for ministry in the lives of hundreds of people. He is a trained trainer for the Peer Ministry division of The Youth & Family Institute and has trained hundreds of youth and adults. His energy and practical application have proven to work well in any size group.

He is a pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, MN, where he lives with his three boys and his wife Tammy. He received his M.Div. from Wartburg Theological Seminary. He is also serves as a Speaker, Trainer, and Consultant all over the United States, teaching and preaching on the wonders of God's powerful and transforming love.

Mike keeps groups spell bound as he weaves Biblical foundations with life stories that apply to the priesthood of all believers. He is an accomplished speaker at Synod gatherings, graduations, school groups, and churches as well as being a powerful trainer. Mike is dedicated to empowering all people to find their gifts of ministry.

Workshop and seminar areas include: Surviving Learning Disabilities, Sexuality, Parents Passing on Faith, Intergenerational Ministry, and Sunday School.

Marilyn Sharpe knows it’s all about faith! She is the Director of Christian Parenting and Intergenerational Ministries at The Youth & Family Institute. A parent for 34 years, she knows first hand the joys and sorrows, the triumphs and challenges of being a family. A Certified Family Life Educator, Marilyn has been a parent educator for 28 years, committed to helping parents become the best and most effective they can be. She teaches parents to celebrate their strengths, give and receive support, and glean wisdom from other parents. Marilyn helps parents and congregations work together to pass on faith and values to the children we all cherish. Formerly a high school English teacher and a confirmation teacher and director for 23 years, Marilyn has a passion for kids and their families. She believes that families are the classroom for teaching all that is most important, the crucible for refining the best in each of us, and a safe harbor from life’s storms. She presents with energy, passion and contagious enthusiasm. With a BA from Wellesley College and an MAT from Harvard University, she takes extraordinary joy in both learning and teaching. Marilyn is adjunct faculty at Luther Seminary and Concordia University, St. Paul and a guest speaker at Augsburg College.

Linda Staats - Linda’s deep roots in the Lutheran church and her broad experience with families through all of life’s ages and stages fuels her passion for passing on faith from generation to generation through a vital partnership between church and home. With a Masters degree in Human Development and the Family from the University of Nebraska, Linda brings a life span approach to ministry. She is known for her knowledge of resources and for her ability to combine research, theology and people’s own holy stories to engage and empower all generations for serving at home and in the world. Linda’s career reflects her ability to listen, equip, link, support, and teach: Assistant to the Bishop, Minister for Faith Formation in the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod; Adjunct Faculty, Center for Youth Ministry, Wartburg Seminary; Minister for Faith in Daily Life in an 1800 member congregation; Statewide Director for Building Developmental Assets in Youth for the Arizona Ecumenical Council; college faculty; parent group facilitator for a university research program; certified trainer for Prepare/Enrich, a national resource for couples; therapist, Building Family Strengths instructor; retreat facilitator, and creator of new ministries based on successful grant writing.