Staff

Rick Loewen was a police officer for 20 years prior to serving in public ministry. As a police officer he served as a patrol officer, narcotics detective, vice detective, and homicide detective. He taught police officers in the areas of interviews and interrogation, undercover operations, and crime scene investigation. While serving as a police officer and enrolled in the staff ministry program at DMLC, he received a divine call to start the first youth and family ministry program on the White Mountain Apache Reservation AZ. He was then called by WLCFS to develop and implement family ministry programs Synod wide. He served as the director of ministries at WLCFS and oversaw their ministry support services program, family life education program, and counseling division. Rick is currently called by Crosswalk Lutheran Church. At Crosswalk, he serves for a subsidiary ministry called CrossTrain Ministries. CrossTrain Ministries is a self-supporting ministry in partnership with Grace in Action Ministries.

Daron Lindemann serves the kingdom with a passion for developing people. He has built up the saints into a healthy ownership of ministry, equipping and empowering leaders in both a mission setting at Hope Lutheran Church in Irmo, SC for 6 years and a large, downtown setting at Grace Lutheran church in Milwaukee, WI for 13 years. This and a desire to help pastors has led to his involvement as a WELS preaching consultant and editor of Preach the Word newsletter, speaking engagements, and directing Pastor Partners, a pastor development initiative of Grow in Grace at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Daron’s own development has included being coached by Rick Loewen, then advancing to a life coaching certificate and coaching other pastors. He currently serves as mission pastor at Holy Word Lutheran Church in Pflugerville, TX. When he’s not touring Texas on the Harley with his wife, Cara, you’ll find Daron relaxing near the grill or keeping track of his two college-aged sons.​

Tim Glende has served as a WELS pastor since 1998 when he was assigned to serve a mission start-up in Urbana/Savoy, IL. In 2006, he was called to  as the associate pastor at St. Peter Lutheran in Appleton, WI. He is passionate about preaching and sharing Jesus and God’s Word in our ever changing world in both innovative and traditional ways that meet people where they are at.

Tim’s journey to joining the CrossTrain staff began with him being coached by Rick Loewen as a participant. In 2014, he advanced to a life coaching certificate and is currently coaching pastors. He currently serves as the lead pastor of a multi-site church in Appleton, WI, St. Peter Lutheran Church & The CORE. In his free time he enjoys attending his son’s high school sporting events, keeping in touch with his daughter who is now at college, working out, and spending time with his wife, Holly.

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Jim Buske has served as a WELS pastor since 2002 and has served as a tutor at Luther Preparatory School in Watertown W, associate pastor at Christ the King in Bremerton WA. and currently serves as founding Executive Director at Lighthouse Youth Center in Milwaukee WI since 2006. He is passionate about sharing Jesus and helping young people make wise life decisions.

Jim has been coached by Rick Loewen in the Crosstrain Coaching Network since 2011. He has been part of the Crosstrain coaching team since 2016, assisting pastors in their personal finances. When he’s not at the Lighthouse, you can find him enjoying his kids activities, in the garden, on the lake or in the woods.  Jim and his wife Terry have four children.

Tim Dolan has served has served in the public ministry for the past 17 years. He began his ministry as an instructor at East Fork Lutheran High School on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona, where he taught religion, coached, and worked with the youth and family ministry center. He continued his ministry as a tutor at Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan. He served as a parish pastor at Cross of Life in Miami, Florida and Divine Savior Lutheran Church Doral, Florida. Tim moved from the parish ministry to education and served at Luther Preparatory School as recruitment director and for the past 7 years as dean of students. In addition to his duties at Luther Prep, he serves as chairman of the Administrative Committee for Native American Missions which partners with WELS ministries on the White Mountain and San Carlos reservations in Arizona.

Jay Zahn has served has served in the public ministry for the past 17 years. For the first 16 years of ministry, Jay served at Hope in Irmo, SC. He helped the congregation transition from worshiping in a dance studio to their own permanent facility. He also had opportunity in Irmo to serve as a supervising pastor in the vicar program for three years. Since July of 2016, Jay has been serving at Christ the King congregation in Palm Coast, FL. Jay is passionate about reaching the lost and wandering with the saving Gospel and encouraging and nurturing believers to keep on growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

Jay began in CrossTrain ministries in 2011. He is excited to be able to share the blessings he is receiving through CrossTrain as a coach to fellow pastors. Jay and his wife, Jessie, have been blessed with two children, a son and a daughter. In his free time, Jay enjoys family time, fishing, golfing, and working out.

Aaron Boehm has been honored to be called a pastor since 2004. He was first called to Tucson, AZ. After three years there, he headed further west to where he currently serves the east side of San Diego in La Mesa, CA. He also enjoys serving the congregations of the AZ-CA District as Second Vice President. He has been involved with CrossTrain ministries since 2016, and became a certified coach in 2019.

Aaron and his wife, Gena, have four children who would all agree that they have the best parents in the universe. Aaron is intentional about building up his marriage, guarding time with his family, the ongoing pursuit of personal growth, and sharing his discoveries with others. He is also fascinated by succulents, making him super manly. He loves laughing and attempting to make others laugh, and plays indoor soccer as much as he can.

Carrie Blumer graduated from MLC and was called to teach at St. Phillips in Milwaukee along with serving as the music director.  In 2003, her husband Ben, was called to serve at Bethlehem in Lakeville, Mn.  There she served as music director, which included directing choir, music ministry for children and leading music for VBS.  She currently serves in roles as a leader in women’s small group ministry, vocal leader at worship services, and has coached and walked alongside women in our congregation during difficult times.

She joined Crosstrain in the fall of 2018 and is certified as a marriage coach.  Carrie values the blessing of a Christ-centered marriage and has passion for encouraging and supported couples to grow together in their marriage.  She enjoys spending time with her husband and 4 kids, loves music and worship, has a passion for health and wellness, and encouraging others in their walk of faith.

Tracy currently serves as the School Secretary at Salem Lutheran School. Over the years she has served in many roles in Christ’s church including Sunday School teacher, Small group leader, Women’s Bible Study leader and is very active in their church’s VBS programs.  At the same time she manages their home which includes keeping track of their 3 sons and 1 daughter ranging in ages from 13 to 21.

Both Paul and Tracy have a passion for growing their own marriage as well as guiding others to do the same.  They both enjoy camping with their family, water-skiing, walks/runs at a local park and riding motorcycles when they get the chance.

Dustin Blumer has been serving as pastor for 11 years at Amazing Love Lutheran Church. He was assigned to plant Amazing Love in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. His passion is for outreach and preaching. He feels that when we are in heaven with the Lord in year 7,000, we will not regret our time and efforts in sharing Jesus with others.

He also understands the tremendous joy and rigors of serving the Lord in the public ministry. As a member of Crosstrain he has benefited from the emphasis of spiritual, emotional, and physical care. He has completed his training for crisis and trauma coaching, and feels honored to encourage other pastors in their unique contexts of ministry.

Dustin enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Kat, and two daughters. They love exploring the Chicagoland area always finding a new meal or experience whether in the Loop, Mag Mile, Chinatown, or Greektown.