ABOUT
CHRISTIAN CRUSADERS
Our
Mission
. . . to proclaim Jesus Christ as Redeemer of the world and personal
Savior to all those who receive Him. We proclaim Him through radio,
personal visitation, written media and the internet.
Our
Program
Christian Crusaders' thirty-minute worship service delivers a powerful
and concise gospel message based on Biblical truth. Our service
offers traditional hymns, scripture reading, and prayer for those
who cannot attend church. Our listeners may be the homebound, ill,
those who work on Sunday, those without a church home, or those
who simply want to be strengthened and uplifted by listening to
a Christ-centered message. This weekly program gives strength for
facing today's challenges, while proclaiming Jesus Christ as Redeemer
of the world and personal Savior.
Our
Speakers
Rev. Dr. Homer Larsen has been Christian Crusaders radio
speaker since 1962, the third to hold that title since 1936. Rev.
Larsen was born in Westbrook, Maine. He graduated from Dana College
and Trinity Seminary, both in Blair, Nebraska. After his ordination
in 1948, he served at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa.
He accepted a call to Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa
in 1953 and retired as senior pastor in May 1996. Rev. Dr. Larsen
received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Wartburg College
in Waverly, Iowa. Rev. Larsen and his wife, Eunice, have three children:
Natalie (Bob); Julie (Steve); and John (Laurie), and seven grandchildren.
Rev. Steven Kramer, senior pastor of Shepherd of the Valley
Lutheran Church in Afton, Minnesota, has been Christian Crusaders'
associate speaker since 2005. Rev. Kramer grew up in Livingston,
Montana. He graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and
Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1980 he joined Central
Lutheran in Winona, Minnesota as youth pastor. He became the Associate
Pastor at Central Lutheran Church in 1983. In 1986, he accepted
a call to Shepherd of the Valley, where he continues to serve as
senior pastor today. Rev. Kramer and his wife, Julie (daughter of
Rev. Larsen), have two children: Sam and Martha. He currently preaches
on the radio six times each year.
Our
History
In the year 1936, Rev. G. E. Melchert, pastor of Trinity Lutheran
Church in Waterloo, Iowa, and the Brotherhood of Trinity were concerned
that a large number of the elderly and homebound were unable to
enjoy the blessings of a Sunday worship service. Wanting to spread
the Gospel message to the unchurched, as well, they felt called
to start a radio ministry.
So
it was that on September 6, 1936, the first Christian Crusaders
radio program aired live from Trinity on WMT-AM. The first words
the announcer, Byron Benson, spoke that morning proved to be prophetic:
"And
now, we bring you a brand new religious program . . . A program which
we believe will capture the hearts of our radio audience . . . A program
destined to affect the spiritual lives of many."
Originally
titled "Your Hour of Worship," the program consisted of
an opening, lesson for the day, sermon, offertory, prayers, and
special music. Eventually, the costs for an hour radio program became
too much for the Brotherhood to support, so it was shortened to
thirty minutes. Since that time, it has been recorded in a studio
and sent to radio stations to be broadcast over the airwaves. The
program became simply "Christian Crusaders."
Following
Rev. Melchert's retirement in 1956, Rev. Bruno Schlachtenhaufen,
pastor of First Lutheran Church, Waterloo, became the second Christian
Crusaders radio speaker. He served faithfully in this role until
1962, when he was elected the Iowa District President of the American
Lutheran Church.
Rev. Homer Larsen, senior pastor of Nazareth Lutheran Church, Cedar
Falls, Iowa, succeeded Rev. Schlachtenhaufen as radio speaker in
1962, and has been preaching over the airwaves since that time.
Because of the longevity of his service and his powerful messages,
he has become the voice of Christian Crusaders to thousands of listeners
across the country.
In
2005, the Board of Directors of Christian Crusaders asked Rev. Steven
Kramer to serve as Associate Speaker. In this capacity, Rev. Kramer
has preached approximately six times each year, and eventually
will succeed Rev. Larsen upon his retirement. Rev. Kramer is currently
serving as the senior pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Afton,
Minnesota.
This
ministry is served by an eighteen-member Board of Directors, who
meet quarterly to set policy and make decisions based on the mission
of Christian Crusaders. Each member also serves on at least one
of eight standing committees: Broadcast, Budget, Investment, Personnel,
Promotions, Nominations, Strategic Planning and Web Site.
A
staff of two full-time employees, the Executive Director and Administrative Assistant,
and a part-time Marketing Specialist take care of the daily functions and responsibilities of the ministry.
Volunteers help with mailings and other tasks.
Totally supported by donations from its beginning, Christian Crusaders
relies on the gifts of listeners - through GEM Club (Gift Every Month)
members, Broadcast Sponsors, memorial gifts and bequests from estates - to
keep the program on the air. Because of these many contributions,
this ministry is now in its seventy-second year and is the eighth longest-running
Christian radio program in the United States.
Our
Staff
Janet Mennen, Executive Director - began working with the
Christian Crusaders ministry in 2004. Janet was born in Huron, South
Dakota and grew up in Fontanelle, Iowa. She graduated from Wartburg
College in Waverly, Iowa.
Crystal
Gooding Smith, Administrative Assistant - has been with
Christian Crusaders since 1993, serving first as Secretary and currently
serving as Administrative Assistant. Crystal grew up in El Dorado,
Kansas and graduated from St. John's Lutheran College in Winfield,
Kansas.
Anne Wilmoth, Marketing Specialist - is a
graduate of the University of Iowa. She lives in Iowa City, Iowa
with her husband and daughter. Anne joined the staff of Christian
Crusaders in February 2008.
Jerry
Easter, Announcer - has been working with Christian Crusaders
since 2002. He hails from Waterloo, Iowa and has been involved in
radio since his college days. Although retired from his "real
job," he operates Custom Video Productions where he produces
videos for different occasions.
Jeff
and Sandra Isaacs, Program Producers - own Grand
Junction Recording Studio in Waterloo, Iowa. Each week they pull
together all of the pieces of the radio broadcast and mix them to
CDs, which are sent out to each of the radio stations. They have
been with Christian Crusaders since 1998.
Matthew
Hundley, Web Master - has helped with the maintenance and
design of our site since 1999. He recently earned his Masters in
Theological Studies from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. He and
his wife Janey have four wonderful children.
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