Rev. Darren Olson to Serve as Part-Time Theology Teacher, Chaplain, Church Planter at SFLS
Sioux Falls Lutheran School is pleased to announce that the SD District Board of Directors (BOD) and the SFLS Board have entered into an agreement allowing Rev. Darren Olson to serve half-time at SFLS as one of our high school theology teachers and part-time chaplain. In addition, he will begin laying the groundwork for planting a church on the SFLS campus—a mutual desire of the SD District BOD, the SFLS Board, and school leadership.
The South Dakota District Board of Directors’ first call to a full-time Missionary-at-Large candidate was returned earlier this spring, which prompted initial conversations about Rev. Olson’s ability to serve in a half-time capacity at SFLS during the 2020-21 school year. Leadership from both the SD District and SFLS agree that the value of having a pastor on the SFLS campus, particularly during this time of pandemic, is paramount. Rev. Olson’s presence on campus throughout the upcoming school year will certainly bless our school community, while simultaneously advancing the work of church planting at this time when more than 60% of the population of Lincoln County is unchurched or de-churched.
Rev. Olson’s teaching/chaplain responsibilities will include:
teaching one high school theology class
being an on-site spiritual resource for all students, families, faculty and staff
building relationships, especially with unchurched and de-churched students and families
serving as the liaison between SFLS and school association pastors by contacting the appropriate association pastor with any concerns regarding one of their members at the school
His work for the church planting effort will continue to evolve over time, however, preliminary duties could involve:
gathering together church workers and lay people in the Sioux Falls Circuit for a Bible study or a book study regarding the mission of God
teaching (and recruiting school association pastors to assist in teaching) an LCMS 101 class for non-LCMS staff members
doing thorough demographic studies of Lincoln County in preparation for the arrival of a called Missionary-at-Large
Please take time to get to know Rev. Olson by reading the Q&A below. In addition, please keep Rev. Olson, our school community, and those whom God plans to place in our midst to serve with the life-saving Gospel message of Christ Jesus, in your prayers as we move forward together with this exciting kingdom-building effort!
For those who may not know, describe your role and responsibilities as Executive Secretary with the SD District of the LCMS.
I have a wide range of responsibilities as Executive Secretary. One of my primary roles is to work alongside the Lutheran schools in South Dakota as a resource and to assist them with National Lutheran School Accreditation. I also serve as a resource to our South Dakota District congregations and professional church workers in many ministry areas—parish education, parish administration, stewardship, missions, youth ministry, etc. I oversee our District’s Lay Leadership Institute, which is a program designed to train lay men and women to assist their pastors in various areas of ministry. I am also tasked with providing continuing education opportunities for our District’s professional church workers. I oversee some of our District programs such as our District Student Aid for people preparing for professional church work careers and our Harvest Grant program to District congregations and schools.
What excites you most about the opportunity to serve as a theology teacher, chaplain, and preliminary church planter on a Lutheran school campus?
What’s not to be excited about?!? I get to teach and have conversations about Jesus with high school students as a theology teacher. I get to share the joy, love and forgiveness of Jesus with faculty and staff, students and families, as the chaplain. I get to talk to people about Jesus’ mission to seek and to save all people and help them to envision how to share the Gospel with people today as the preliminary church planter. Then I have a front row seat to watch the Holy Spirit work in the lives of God’s people as He creates, sustains, and strengthens their faith in their Savior Jesus Christ. Please join with me in praying that God would bless this work!
About Sioux Falls Lutheran School
At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, our mission is to develop capable, Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We are passionate about giving our students the tools they need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We strive to accomplish this goal by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview drawn from Scripture. Ultimately, we are committed to partnering with parents and the church to raise lifelong learners who use their gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.