Youth and Family Institute Origins

The Youth & Family Institute was founded on January 22, 1987 under the name The Center For Youth and Family Ministry in memory of David Huglen Strommen, one of the sons of Mert and Irene Strommen. David's life was tragically ended at the age of 25, when he was hit by lightning while leading a high school youth group outing in the mountains of Colorado. At the time of his death David was a student at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Strommen family had a dream of developing a center to nurture youth and family ministry, to create critically needed new approaches to youth and family ministry, and to train and equip leadership for this ministry.

The vision of the Strommen family was to take the best of research, put it in a strong academic setting, and surround it with the strength and foundation of a theology of the cross, and instill an evangelical spirit of ministry to help congregations strengthen families to nurture faith.

Many people stepped forward to help the Strommens fulfill this vision, including nearly 50 partner congregations, Richard and Barbara Nelson, Lutheran Brotherhood with generous grants, and many other concerned individuals who gave financial gifts to make the Center a reality.

In 1989, the Center for Youth and Family Ministry changed its name to Augsburg Youth & Family Institute to develop a closer relationship with the college. By 1996 that name was changed again to the Youth & Family Institute of Augsburg College to avoid confusion with Augsburg Fortress Publishing and, again, to attempt to connect more closely with Augsburg College.

Dr. Strommen began as the executive director of the Institute. As he did with Search Institute, he kept the Institute going through sacrifice, prayer, and good grant writing. Lutheran Brotherhood was extremely helpful with initial grants.

As the Institute grew, more people were brought on staff for a period of time to bring new insights, management, and ministry. Gifted and creative people like Paula Mott-Becker, Karen Fouks, Dr. Curt Paulsen, Cathy Paulsen, and Dr. Chuck Bruning led the Institute through the survival state. Pastor Paul Harris, Dr. Roland Martinson, and others on the Institute Advisory Council supported the Institute during some very difficult years of survival.

President Anderson of Augsburg College gave support for a Masters program in Leadership with a focus on youth and family ministry. Although that program barely got going, it did make steps toward Dr. Strommen's vision.

In 1994 the Minneapolis Area Synod called Dr. Dick Hardel to serve as the executive director with the charge to give creative life to the Institute.

The Institute stayed focused on what God was blessing and moved from survival mode to rapid growth. Dr. Hardel brought with him the research, experience, and knowledge of youth and family ministry to introduce and begin an undergraduate major in youth and family ministry. He designed and taught the core courses and with the help of wonderful friends in the Religion Department they build an excellent major in youth and family ministry. Dr. Hardel led the Institute from being grant based to being financially supported by sales of services, sales of resources, and gifts from donors.

After a few years of rapid growth the Institute grew in staff to carry out its mission flowing from Dr. Strommen's vision:

• Lyle Griner started part-time and quickly moved to full-time and developed the National Training Center for Peer Ministry. Working with Dr. Barbara Varenhorst, the Institute published a Peer Ministry Basic Curriculum Manual. Peer Ministry strengthened the major in youth and family ministry. Lyle strengthened the major and the Institute with his love for the students and his passion for effective ministry with youth.
• Dr. David W. Anderson not only brought the strength of his academic teaching and theological knowledge, but also a heart for nurturing faith in the home. He also connected the Institute to work with the National Church of Norway. It was Dr. Anderson's leadership and passion that developed the FaithLife in the Home Resource Guide.
• Phil Fandrei moved from a member of the Advisory Council to the Director of Marketing and Sales. He gave the Institute a solid foundation by teaching the staff how to sell resources for nurturing faith in the home.
• When Karen Fouks left the Institute, Regina Pekarek joined the team as our only clerical support person and receptionist.
• Marilyn Sharpe joined the staff to help in the area of administration, but soon the team discovered her extraordinary gifts and passion for teaching and equipping leaders in Christian Parenting training and Intergenerational ministries.
• Richard Jefferson joined the Institute team as the warehouse operations manager. As the Institute grew in developing new resources, Richard organized the warehouse and managed shipping and handling.
• Sarah Gustafson served for wonderfully as bookkeeper at the Institute.
• Alice Peppler was hired part-time to develop the FaithLife in the Home Resource Guide. When she moved to Chicago, the Institute hired Kathy Jefferson to work with the resource guide and also to become the first National Coordinator of FaithLife in the Home Resource Center Ministry.
• Upon Phil Fandrei's retirement from staff, (but he continued to support the Institute), the Institute hired Steve Lundell, who became the director of communications. Steve helped the Institute develop a consistent vision and greater visibility on its printed material.

With the growth of the Institute also came difficult growing pains and transition of staff and location. For the Institute to grow as God had given it vision, it was determined that it would be best for the college and best for the Institute to move from the campus and operate as an independent Lutheran non-profit corporation. So on January 1, 2003, The Youth & Family Institute started a new venture in fulfilling and growing the mission of the Institute from the vision God had given the leaders.

A new location was found at Martin Luther Manor in Bloomington, a new logo was developed, and a focus of living well in Christ was expressed. The Institute received support from the leadership team of Martin Luther Manor.

A new Board of Directors was established with Pastor Glenn Seefeldt serving as chairperson, together with Nancy Going from the Religion Department of Augsburg College; Phil Fandrei from SeaFoam; Dr. Roland Martinson of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN.; Dr. Steve Arnold, Dean of the College of Vocation and Ministry at Concordia University in St. Paul, MN; and Tammy Devine, Diaconal Minister and Parish Nurse at Martin Luther Manor.

Dick Hardel served as acting executive director during the transition until the Institute was stable enough to add an administrator to the staff. The Institute staff truly sacrificed to grow the Institute. Despite the difficulties of the transition, The Youth & Family Institute finished it's first year with a net worth of $418,000 and a positive cash flow to continue to grow the ministry. It is all by the grace of God! God blessed the Institute and called the Institute to be a blessing to the entire Church. The staff is dedicated to that call from God.

The Institute continues to grow while remaining close to its vision of passing on faith and living well in Christ.

Passing on Faith from Milestone to Milestone,
The Youth & Family Institute