Meet Stephen Wetterlund
Just a few days ago, we welcomed a new member to the Frontline team. Stephen Wetterlund now serves as Director of Mobilization & Member Care — a critical role as God continues to expand our responsibilities in these vital areas. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Stephen and hear his story, and I’m excited to share it with you. I know you’ll enjoy getting to know him!
— Ben Ebner
I grew up in rural Illinois in a Christian family deeply involved in ministry. From an early age, I was surrounded by godly influences, especially my Sunday School teachers, who not only faithfully taught God’s Word but also shared stories of believers risking their lives to take the Gospel to those who hadn’t heard it. These stories sparked my interest in missions, and reading missionary biographies further shaped my heart for God’s work. Mary Slessor’s story had a particularly profound impact—her prayer to serve in a place where she would always have to trust God became my prayer too.
As a child, I struggled with the idea of loving people who were different from me or difficult to like, but Jesus’ example of sacrificial love broke through my resistance. He left heaven and died for people who didn’t love Him. That truth changed my heart. I spoke with my mom, and she pointed me to Jesus, leading me to place my faith in Him.
After high school, I was eager to pursue missions and initially wanted to finish college quickly so I could serve overseas. After completing my undergraduate degree, my dad encouraged me to continue my studies to gain a deeper understanding of God’s Word. Following his advice, I earned a Master’s degree and later an MDiv. During this time, I spent two months in a primitive missions setting, focusing on church planting and pastoral training. Although it wasn’t the quick path I had envisioned, God used this season to prepare me for ministry and grow my faith.
For the past eight years, I’ve served as a pastor in our local church, overseeing missions, children’s and student ministries, administration, and local outreach. Before that, I worked as a mentor for Christian college students, helping them grow in their faith and understanding of God’s grace in their lives.
I’ve been married to my wife, Erika, for 17 years, and we have three teenage children. Our family is grateful for God’s goodness and direction in this next season.
I am deeply humbled to join the Frontline team. The opportunity to equip Gospel risk-takers for the next generation of Gospel advance is incredibly exciting to me. I look forward to seeing what God will accomplish!
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