Our Leaders
Pastor Jim Steen
Pastor Jim was raised in the Valley Springs area during junior and senior high school. He and his wife, Colleen, have two married daughters and five grandchildren. Spirit of Truth is the fifth (and final) congregation that Pastor Jim has served, and he came to Spirit of Truth in 2020 when he left the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to become a pastor of the NALC (North American Lutheran Church). Pastor Jim loves to share the Word of God in worship and Bible studies, and he enjoys helping others to embrace the opportunity to share their faith in Jesus Christ when discussing God’s Word and sharing Christian fellowship.
Parish Secretary Linda Hoeck
Linda grew up on a farm north of Hills, Minnesota, and is a graduate of Hills-Beaver Creek High School and Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota. Her secretarial career began at the public library in Marshall but then moved to Sioux Falls in the mid-1970s, and she has since worked for the Great Plains Zoo, City of Sioux Falls, and East Side Lutheran Church before arriving at Spirit of Truth. She is excited to be at Spirit of Truth and to grow in the life that God has prepared for her. Outside of work, Linda also enjoys bus trips, reading, and baseball.
Our People
Nathan
Abraham
Ron & Claudia
Abraham
Jami
Andersen
Jane
Andersen
Tyler
Andersen
Sophia, Dane, Claudia
Jeff & Karla
Arlt
Kaitilin
Bob & Roxy
Arp
Jim & Pat
Ausen
Jim & Nancy
Bahr
Brian & Brenda
Bjorum
Krista, Brandy
Mike & Ardell
Bonde
Merlin (Butch) & Bonnie
Brenden
Our Values
Christ Centered
We confess the apostolic faith in Jesus Christ according to the Holy Scriptures. We affirm the authority of the Scriptures as the authoritative source and norm, “according to which all doctrines should and must be judged” (Formula of Concord). We accept the ecumenical creeds and the Lutheran Confessions as true witnesses to the Word of God.
Mission Driven
We believe that the mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel and to make disciples for Christ. We believe that making disciples — in our congregations, in our communities and nations, and around the world — must be a priority of the Church in the present age.
Traditionally Grounded
We affirm the ecumenical creeds and the faithful witness of the Church across time and space. We endorse the form and practices of the universal Church that are consistent with Scripture, particularly the office of the ministry and the tradition of worship under Word and Sacrament. We seek dialogue and fellowship with other Lutheran churches and with faithful Christians of other confessions.
Congregationally Focused
We strive to be a church body that is organized to facilitate the ministries of local congregations in a posture of servanthood and a spirit of partnership, through the provision of resources, connections and information.
Our History
Spirit of Truth Lutheran Church was formed in May of 2012 with the intent of remaining true to biblical teaching. Our name comes from John 16:13: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.”
During our first three years, we met in various facilities in Brandon. We leased (in 2015) and then purchased (in 2019) our facility at 112 E. Annabelle St. in Brandon. Since then, we have been able to grow our programs to include education for all ages, vacation Bible school, weekly adult Bible studies, and youth ministry, as well as making our facility available for community groups like quilters, 4-H, and AA.
As members of a Christ-centered faith, we profess the only way to heaven is through belief in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have always been and will continue to be guided by traditional biblical values. The Ten Commandments and the specific words of Christ lead our teachings, and we seek their guidance in our lives. Our services are traditionally Lutheran in nature, and you will regularly hear old favorite hymns sung in harmony.
We have always had a very strong mission focus in our congregation. There are more than 20 regional Christian programs we financially support monthly. We have strong ties to Robin’s Nest Orphanage in Jamaica, which our entire congregation regularly prays for and financially supports, and to which some of our members go on an annual mission trip. Groups from our church also traveled to Rosebud Indian Reservation several years for the Feast of Nations (pre-COVID) and completed other mission projects on the reservation. Many members participate in St. Dysmas Prison Ministry at the state penitentiary in Sioux Falls. Our Sunday School supports Operation Christmas Child through the shoebox program each year, along with additional mission giving through VBS. We have hosted a community Live Nativity with live animals, carols, and a “real” baby Jesus. A Good Friday drama started in 2023. Most recently, we have opened a “blessing box,” which is a free food pantry stocked by donations and maintained by volunteers. The box is affixed to the east end of our building and is available 24 hours for anyone in need.
Within the NALC, we are congregationally led. Business items presented at NALC convocation must then be ratified by the congregations. We feel this allows the synod to be led by the believers rather than a larger governing body. We are more cohesive between and within our congregations when theology and doctrine contain no hidden agendas.
Spirit of Truth is a young congregation with a lot of experience. Many of us worshipped together for years before the forming of this congregation. But we are an open group, ready to accept and embrace like-minded Christians who want a true worship home and family. We want to grow God’s family through strong evangelism programs and mission work in our community. We invite others to grow with us “in” the world, rather than “of” the world. We are keeping a seat open for you.