by Rebekah Lucas
Director of Christian Education Mark 鈥淢arcos鈥� Kempff grew up the son of pioneer Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod (LCMS) missionaries to Latin America. He was called to SA国际传媒, St. Louis in 2008 and is currently serving as assistant to the director and an instructor in the Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS), and for several years, also served as assistant to the director for the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT). Earlier this spring, Kempff announced plans to retire effective Nov. 1, 2022.
He previously served as a missionary educator in Venezuela and Panama from 1974 to 2008, and during his last years of service, was a theological education network facilitator for Latin American Lutheran churches.
鈥淢arcos has blessed our Seminary community and church at-large with a contagious joy in the Gospel and a missionary spirit that moves him to work sacrificially for our students,鈥� said Dr. Leopoldo A. S谩nchez M., director of CHS, professor of Systematic Theology and the Werner R.H. Krause Professor of Hispanic Ministries at SA国际传媒. 鈥淭he fruits of his service among immigrant students and churches will continue to bless the church for generations to come.鈥�
Kempff holds a Bachelor of Science from Concordia Teachers College (now Concordia University Nebraska [CUNE]), Seward (1974); a Bachelor of Arts with certification as a Director of Christian Education (DCE) from Concordia College (now CUNE), Seward, Neb. (1986); and a Master of Social Sciences in family life ministry from CUNE (1996).
SA国际传媒 magazine sat down with Marcos and heard his story.
A: My parents were my strongest influence, especially my father. He took me along on his ministry visits in the mission field, always involving me somehow. At home, all of us 鈥� I鈥檓 the oldest of 10 鈥� would eat together. I dearly remember my father taking the time to sit next to me and talk about the day鈥檚 Bible text. I never felt called to be a pastor and my dad said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all right. The church needs all of us. There鈥檚 room for all of us.鈥� I attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Neb., and suffered culture shock, living in a culture that spoke no Spanish. Growing up with the culture of my parents and the culture of the land in which we lived was very much tied to my decision to enter church work.
A: Accepting the call to SA国际传媒 was a joyful moment and an exciting change for me and my wife, Ruth. We didn鈥檛 have a clue. It was all the Lord. When it is all the Lord鈥檚 doing there is reason for joy!
A: I always consider students as gifts from God. Bishop Tutu used an African expression often: 鈥淚 am because we are.鈥� That鈥檚 my delight in life: I am because of who we all are. In Seminary life, the enjoyment 鈥� and there are always challenges 鈥� is to work with others, to find where we connect. It鈥檚 not about knowing what they need and then helping them. It鈥檚 about how we can do this together.
A: I am committed to our students鈥� success. I want to provide an atmosphere that honors the person, underlining his or her value as a baptized child of God. What a joy and responsibility to work with, lead and teach somebody who has that kind of value. That鈥檚 beautiful. That鈥檚 the motivation. Everything I do focuses on helping students succeed in becoming extraordinary pastors, deaconesses and leaders 鈥� people who are excited to serve their communities as instruments of peace so that others too can confess and rejoice as they have received life from the Lord.
A: I become very emotional each Call Day and Commencement. When I sit there surrounded by families and see the students walk across and receive their call documents or their diplomas 鈥� that鈥檚 just absolute, total joy. I see them standing there, knowing the struggles they鈥檝e had, the ups and downs, that they almost gave up but were encouraged and hung in there, finally getting it done. It鈥檚 just delightful. Absolutely delightful.
A: Listen carefully to God鈥檚 Word. He calls us all to be part of His church. There is room for all! Ask questions of someone you trust: 鈥淪hould I be a pastor? What does it mean to be a deaconess?鈥� This is the Lord鈥檚 church. He will do incredible things, often through something tiny. For instance, during my first year at Seward, I was ready to quit and go home to Latin America. A professor invited me to lunch and said, 鈥淒on鈥檛 you dare leave! We can figure this out.鈥� That lunch was a turning point, a significant 45 minutes. Somebody valued and honored me as a person. Not everybody is absolutely sure about what they want to do or be in life. People might come to the Seminary and think they鈥檙e alone. They鈥檙e not. They are surrounded by all of us. We care very much about them. The beauty is we figure it out together.
A: My prayer is to continue to serve and to do so to the best of my abilities, led by the Spirit Sculptor. And this will include time spent with family in Texas, Nebraska, Washington, Montana, Colorado, New Hampshire and, of course, Latin America. When needed, I would like to serve as a mentor and continue to teach. I will certainly pick up my interest in woodworking. Maybe even do some writing. Above everything, I stand ready to joyfully serve in Christ鈥檚 name.
Deaconess Rebekah Lukas is a communications specialist at SA国际传媒, St. Louis.