While there are many people who provide leadership to Missio Dei, the following list details those who provide more active day to day leadership across different layers of our church. If you would like more information about the pastors or other leaders in Missio Dei, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The Leadership Team
The Leadership Team is made up of the pastor-elders and deacons. Pastor-elders are ordained by the congregation, and responsible for the shepherding of the Missio Dei Community, including prayer, pastoral care, overseeing doctrine and teaching, and church discipline. The deacons are nominated by the congregation and installed by the elders, and are invested with the authority to oversee the specific temporal matters of ministry work, initiatives and programs. Collectively the elders and deacons serve together as the "Leadership Team" to chart the long-range vision of MDC and and to work through issues related to growing and strengthening our current ministries. Part-time paid staff (see below) supplement this work and help to implement the vision as charted by the Leadership Team. This work is all done with a view toward growing MDC more toward Christ and His Kingdom's rule of love. We believe that this will affect us on four levels, our relationship with ourselves, with God, with others, and with the world we live in. In order to do this well, we believe that God will use not only the pastors but also the people of MDC in our effort to follow His lead.
To learn ore or contact a member of the Leadership Team, please email admin@mdchurch.org
To learn ore or contact a member of the Leadership Team, please email admin@mdchurch.org
The Pastor Team
Joel Wentz
Pastor-Elder (Teaching Pastor, full-time)
Joel has been part of MDC since 2010. He and Jill got married in 2015 and have been serving MDC in multiple capacities from KidsQuest, to worship, and many things in between. Joel worked for 8 years in full-time college campus ministry with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship before joining the MDC staff in January of 2020. He studied as an undergraduate at Huntington University (Huntington, IN) and completed graduate work at both Ball State University (Muncie, IN) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Hamilton, MA).
As Teaching Pastor, Joel's focus is on shepherding, theological content and preaching, and oversight of weekly worship gatherings. Joel also supervises the other paid staff (see below).
As Teaching Pastor, Joel's focus is on shepherding, theological content and preaching, and oversight of weekly worship gatherings. Joel also supervises the other paid staff (see below).
Joey Fassett
Pastor-Elder (volunteer)
Joey and Lisa, along with their children, moved to Maine in 2004 to help start Missio Dei Church. Joey has worked in a number of different areas within MDC. Joey also works outside of MDC in executive leadership within a local business. He loves his family, playing baseball, and training in MMA with his sons.
Doug Tedder
Pastor-Elder (volunteer)
Doug and Gwen Tedder, along with their three sons, started attending MDC in 2012. Since then, they've all been involved in many aspects of the church family and functioning, especially in the area of small, home groups.
Doug has worked in software for all of his career. The Tedder family lives in Portland and enjoys hosting people at their home and making them feel welcome.
Doug has worked in software for all of his career. The Tedder family lives in Portland and enjoys hosting people at their home and making them feel welcome.
The 2023-2024 Deacon Team
Chairperson: Adam Prue
Community: Dan and Lindsey Andreasen
Outreach: Sean Noe & Sarah Gray
Finances: Shannon Brown
Facilities: Tim Brown
Mercy Fund & Missional Partnerships: Bill Bamford
Community: Dan and Lindsey Andreasen
Outreach: Sean Noe & Sarah Gray
Finances: Shannon Brown
Facilities: Tim Brown
Mercy Fund & Missional Partnerships: Bill Bamford
Missio Dei Staff
Betsy Parkerson
KidsQuest, Nursery
Betsy has been serving in KidsQuest for many years. In 2018 she took over the primary leadership role as the director. She loves kids, teachers, and providing organizational leadership to one of our most significant ministries at MDC. We are thankful for her leadership and her love for Jesus and kids.
Karin Sastic
Administrative and Worship Coordinator
Karin served regularly on the worship team before taking over the role of Worship Coordinator. She is passionate about the ability music has to facilitate connection between an individual, the congregation, and God. In 2023, she also stepped into the role of Administrative Coordinator.