Chris Reinertson
LEAD PASTOR
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Chris Reinertson is the Senior Pastor of Southtown Baptist. He is deeply in love with Jesus and his family. He is a passionate spokesman for Jesus. He is a visionary, motivating coach-type leader. He naturally loves to rally individuals, teams and congregations around the vision of Jesus. There is nothing he would rather do than work with people to ignite a passion in them and train them to reach those who are far from God.
Chris is a native Minnesotan who loves the outdoors and bleeds purple (Vikings). He was raised on a small lake in Robbinsdale, which allowed him to begin his love of waterskiing at a young age. He has been active in sports his entire life and continues to instill the love of these games into his children and the youth teams he coached. His body is now better geared for non-impact sports so he continues to stay active bicycling, waterskiing and walking. He loves to experience culture and then discuss that experience; reading a book, going to a movie, experiencing art and enjoying the beautiful Twin Cities and northern Minnesota.
Pastor Chris was blessed to marry an incredibly talented, creative, beautiful woman. He and his wife, Jude, have four children and a bonus son: Kia & husband, Eli; Anikka; Tre and Taiva. As a family they are very close and active in sports, church ministry and playing games together.
LEAD PASTOR
email Chris
Chris Reinertson is the Senior Pastor of Southtown Baptist. He is deeply in love with Jesus and his family. He is a passionate spokesman for Jesus. He is a visionary, motivating coach-type leader. He naturally loves to rally individuals, teams and congregations around the vision of Jesus. There is nothing he would rather do than work with people to ignite a passion in them and train them to reach those who are far from God.
Chris is a native Minnesotan who loves the outdoors and bleeds purple (Vikings). He was raised on a small lake in Robbinsdale, which allowed him to begin his love of waterskiing at a young age. He has been active in sports his entire life and continues to instill the love of these games into his children and the youth teams he coached. His body is now better geared for non-impact sports so he continues to stay active bicycling, waterskiing and walking. He loves to experience culture and then discuss that experience; reading a book, going to a movie, experiencing art and enjoying the beautiful Twin Cities and northern Minnesota.
Pastor Chris was blessed to marry an incredibly talented, creative, beautiful woman. He and his wife, Jude, have four children and a bonus son: Kia & husband, Eli; Anikka; Tre and Taiva. As a family they are very close and active in sports, church ministry and playing games together.
Ben Wagner MINISTER OF MUSIC
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Benjamin Wagner is the Minister of Music at Southtown Baptist Church. He has an incredible love of ministering through music and the arts and is thrilled to bring his zest for multiple styles of worship to the Southtown Community.
With a diverse background of musical styles, Benjamin has served as a professional musician or coach for organizations including the MN Opera, Children's Theatre Company, History Theatre, Steppingstone Theatre and Youth Performance Company. He has also toured as a saxophonist and backing vocalist for Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, serves as president of the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir and founder of the Embrace Worship Collective, a professional, freelance worship group based out of Minneapolis.
Benjamin lives just down the road from Southtown with his beautiful wife Katie, 4 Daughters (Grace, Ruth, Ellie and Sophia), 2 Dogs (Shelby, Lucy), 2 Cats (Nick, Jojo), 1 Beta Fish (Sparkles) and a 3 legged Guinea Pig named Nibbles.
email Ben
Benjamin Wagner is the Minister of Music at Southtown Baptist Church. He has an incredible love of ministering through music and the arts and is thrilled to bring his zest for multiple styles of worship to the Southtown Community.
With a diverse background of musical styles, Benjamin has served as a professional musician or coach for organizations including the MN Opera, Children's Theatre Company, History Theatre, Steppingstone Theatre and Youth Performance Company. He has also toured as a saxophonist and backing vocalist for Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, serves as president of the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir and founder of the Embrace Worship Collective, a professional, freelance worship group based out of Minneapolis.
Benjamin lives just down the road from Southtown with his beautiful wife Katie, 4 Daughters (Grace, Ruth, Ellie and Sophia), 2 Dogs (Shelby, Lucy), 2 Cats (Nick, Jojo), 1 Beta Fish (Sparkles) and a 3 legged Guinea Pig named Nibbles.
Carla Bergman ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
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Carla has served Southtown as Administrative Assistant for over 30 years and has attended the church since her birth. She received a two-year degree from Normandale Community College and worked both summers as a "Kelly Girl" (secretary temp) at various companies. In 1980, she graduated from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas with a BBA degree and that May was offered the position at Southtown.
Carla brings to her position a rich background through her knowledge of both the people that make up the family of faith here as well as her familiarity of the church's history and heritage. Her other activities in the church include singing in the choir, assisting the Sunday School administration team, and Hospitality Committee. She is also involved in the Bloomington network of Church Office Professionals.
In her personal life, she is an avid creator of stamped greeting cards, loves to read and shop, and enjoys organizing and decorating her home.
email Carla
Carla has served Southtown as Administrative Assistant for over 30 years and has attended the church since her birth. She received a two-year degree from Normandale Community College and worked both summers as a "Kelly Girl" (secretary temp) at various companies. In 1980, she graduated from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas with a BBA degree and that May was offered the position at Southtown.
Carla brings to her position a rich background through her knowledge of both the people that make up the family of faith here as well as her familiarity of the church's history and heritage. Her other activities in the church include singing in the choir, assisting the Sunday School administration team, and Hospitality Committee. She is also involved in the Bloomington network of Church Office Professionals.
In her personal life, she is an avid creator of stamped greeting cards, loves to read and shop, and enjoys organizing and decorating her home.
Kia Broman
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY DIRECTOR
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Kia Reinertson was made for having fun with kids. She loves her job introducing young people to her best friend, Jesus.
Kia is a 2016 graduate of Azusa Pacific University in Southern California. She was a math major and realized she really doesn't want to do anything with numbers after spending 4 years with them on a daily basis. She has also attended Bethel Theological Seminary.
Kia and her husband, Eli, are passionate about Jesus, fitness & weight training, waterskiing, healthy eating, music, and exploring ethnic food eateries. She loves hanging out with her family and is a huge cheerleader and encourager to everyone she knows.
In addition to her part-time position as Children's Ministry Director, she also works part-time at another church doing Communications. She and Eli have their first apartment home in Richfield.
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY DIRECTOR
email Kia
Kia Reinertson was made for having fun with kids. She loves her job introducing young people to her best friend, Jesus.
Kia is a 2016 graduate of Azusa Pacific University in Southern California. She was a math major and realized she really doesn't want to do anything with numbers after spending 4 years with them on a daily basis. She has also attended Bethel Theological Seminary.
Kia and her husband, Eli, are passionate about Jesus, fitness & weight training, waterskiing, healthy eating, music, and exploring ethnic food eateries. She loves hanging out with her family and is a huge cheerleader and encourager to everyone she knows.
In addition to her part-time position as Children's Ministry Director, she also works part-time at another church doing Communications. She and Eli have their first apartment home in Richfield.
Nico Reinertson Bonanni
STUDENT MINISTRY DIRECTOR email Nico Nico feels privileged to serve the teenagers and families at Southtown. He loves getting to know the students, hanging out with them and teaching them more about Jesus. His natural friendly personality is also why Nico is a greeter and host at Southtown Church. Nico is a duo citizen of America and Italy. He was born in Minneapolis but grew up in Northern Italy in a town called Vignale Monferrato, between Milan and the Mediterranean Sea. Every summer since he was seven, he travelled usually solo to visit his American grandparents in MN. After graduating from high school in Italy, he spent a wonderful life-changing year in Lancashire, England at Capernway Torchbearers Bible School. He then attended Bethel University in Arden Hills and graduated December 2015. During that time he worked as a paid intern for one year with a student ministry at a local church in Eagan. Nico loves to read, especially the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky and go to action/drama movies. He is an die-hard Vikings fan and also follows the European soccer circuit. He likes to travel, have fun with friends and spend time with his family. |
OUR CHURCH PLANTERS
Kevin Yi Chen
CHURCH PLANTER Chinese Church, St. Paul email Kevin Kevin Yi Chen is one of our church planters reaching out to the Chinese speaking residents of the Twin Cities area. Kevin was raised in a Christian family in China. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior in his early 20's. He served as a full time seminary lecturer and a part time minister in China for ten years. He loves to share the word of God, enjoy the time with family and friends. His wife, Joy, enjoys cooking food and organizing their home. They have a daughter, Yunru and a son, Zheru. |
