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Ever ask yourself, “Who are these people who write for Forward in Christ?” Through this series, you can find out.
For Evan Chartrand, recruitment director at Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis., it’s all about the connections. “It’s all about connecting with people, and it’s about connecting people with the mission of the church, which is to take that good news of Jesus and spread it far and wide,” he says. “It’s about connecting students to the fact that they are part of the Great Commission—it’s not just something for their parents or the adults in their church.”
Chartrand joins Forward in Christ this month as a contributing editor.
Forming connections has been the main theme of Chartrand’s ministry experience, even before becoming a pastor. While Chartrand grew up in Virginia, he attended Luther Preparatory School so he could receive a Christian high school education. He did not intend to become a pastor when he first arrived, but through the encouragement from teachers and coaches, the seeds of ministry were planted in his mind.
Chartrand continued his studies at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and then Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. He served his first call at Luther Preparatory School as a dorm supervisor for two years. Chartrand was then reassigned to be the recruitment director there, forming connections with prospective and current students, parents, and anyone who needs to hear the good news of Jesus.
Working with young people is one of the many highlights of Chartrand’s ministry experience. “Whether it’s grade schoolers or high schoolers who help with a lot of the events that we do, some people tend to think of them as ‘One day they’ll be important to the church,’ ” he says. “But when you work with them, you see that they are the church right now.” Chartrand is excited to continue to help young Christians utilize the gifts with which God has blessed them.
Now that he is joining Forward in Christ as a devotion writer, Chartrand is looking forward to building even more connections with his brothers and sisters in Christ. He is particularly excited to dive deeper into topics such as outreach and evangelism. He says, “I just really enjoy being able to encourage and motivate people to share the good news of Jesus.”
Read Chartrand’s first article.
Author: Nicole Tessmer
Volume: 111, Number 05
Issue: May 2024
