Paul Carlson, Family Life Director
Paul Carlson has been working with youth at Redeemer Baptist since fall of 2014. Prior, Paul worked as a personal care assistant and went to college at Century College. Working as a personal care assistant he discovered his passion and developed his skills for working with youth.
When Paul was in the 5th grade, he was baptized at Redeemer after accepting Christ at a summer camp in Lansing Iowa. Paul was a student in Redeemer's youth program and also attended other church programs where he was a student leader. For Paul, it is important to him that following Jesus Christ is not a one-time event but a lifestyle. He believes that youth need constant growth, learning more about God, and showing others how to do the same.
Now working with the youth, Paul continues to teach others about Christ. Youth Group has developed a fun community that is after the heart of Jesus by learning how to love others and how we love ourselves and Gods plan for us. By growing closer to God they grow closer together. Hebrews 10:24-25 says "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Jezron Rudzitis, College and Career Director
Jezron (Jez) grew up in a Christian household with God-loving parents and believed in Jesus for as long as he could remember. However, he didn't get an understanding of Christ's love until his middle school years. In 8th grade, Jezron had to undergo an emergency heart surgery for an aorta that was on the verge of bursting. Instead of being a low point in his life, the recovery offered an opportunity for God to meet him where he was at in a way he never expected. It was through this miracle that Jezron realized God's call for ministry in his life.
Jezron graduated from Ambassador College of Bible and Ministry with an Associates Degree in Ministry in 2021. Since graduating, he has begun working at Teens for Christ as a Bible Club Director in Oakdale, MN. At Redeemer, he works with the College and Career Age Adults - a group centered around keeping youth involved in church even after they have graduated from highschool and begin to move forward in their lives.
Deuteronomy 32:4 has always been a verse of encouragement in Jezron's life when he needs to lean on God: "He is the rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He."
Nathaniel Albrecht, Youth Director
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Dan Paul, Elder
Dan was born and raised in St. Paul, MN. Throughout his childhood and early adolescence, he attended church regularly and believed in God, but never fully committed his life to Jesus Christ. After regularly listening to Christian radio programs and intently studying the scriptures, Dan realized his need for a spiritual awakening and accepted Christ as his personal savior at 22 years of age. After graduating from Bethel College in 1985 and receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree, Dan concentrated his career in the metal sales industry. Now, Dan has been retired for over five years.
Dan has served as an elder at Redeemer for over 25 years. He currently teaches Sunday School for school-age children and also serves as a children's leader in Bible Study Fellowship.
Dan has an immense love for Isaiah 53:5-6 which states: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Dan’s greatest desire is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God, just as the above verses describe a sinless and perfect sacrificial lamb who takes upon himself the sins of others so that they might be forgiven.
Dan is married to his beautiful wife Karen and is the father of three sons: Peter, Andrew, and James; and two daughters: Shelly and Kayla. Their family currently resides in Little Canada, MN.
Rod Pederson, Elder
Rod is originally from a farming community in North Dakota. The upbringing he enjoyed was solid and carefree. Unfortunately, he took off on the path of least resistance during his teens and became severely dependent on drugs and alcohol. During college, someone shared the gospel with Rod and he learned how to have a born-again relationship with Christ.
Shortly after, he met and fell in love with Kim and they have been happily married since 1982. They have two grown children who are both raising families. Kim and Rod arrived in Oakdale, MN in 2013. They feel very blessed to have found a home at Redeemer Baptist, with a close-knit family and solid Bible teaching. Rod's occupation is long-distance trucking, allowing him the luxury of listening to lots of Bible teaching ministries on his radio. He gets home every night.
Kim works in eye care. They serve in the music portion of the worship service with other singers, leading praise choruses and hymns.
Rod became an elder in June of 2016. In that role, he has been learning what it means to help our Pastor serve the congregation. Rod is also a member of the Mission Committee. "Evangelism is our duty, and God will require each of us to give an account," says Rod, "and that is why we must urgently give people the gospel through tracts and sharing."
A favorite Bible verse is 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Rod says, “We need to let that man sitting on death row know that his fine has been paid and the door of his cell is now open.”
We get to introduce him to the one who paid his fine.
Steve Willson, Elder
Neither hearing the name of Jesus nor going to church were regular parts of Steve and Sharon Willson’s growing up experience. But God got ahold of both of them in unique ways and times – Sharon via a book called "The Cross and the Switchblade," and Steve via the witness of a German Christian woman while he was serving in the Air Force in Germany.
Both of their lives changed radically. Sharon got a new direction in life and also cleaned up her vocabulary, and Steve got freedom from many sinful attitudes and actions.
Sharon finished high school and attended Houghton College, and Steve got out of the Air Force, spent one year in art school, and then began training to serve the Lord as a missionary.
After college, Sharon joined a short-term missions group and went to Austria for two years. After Steve finished his missionary training, he joined the same missions group (unbeknownst to Sharon) and served in South Asia for two years. After their two-year terms finished, they met at the mission headquarters in New Jersey and “the rest is history.”
The Willsons had a 23-year career as Bible translators with one of the minority languages in South Asia. After taking early retirement, they returned to the U.S. and took on careers in the corporate world, Sharon working with several mortgage firms and Steve working as a technical writer for several companies.
Steve and Sharon have four grown children and are thankful to be doing something useful in God’s kingdom. They are not sure what might be next for them, but are trusting the Lord that it will be good, and in the meantime they are “blooming where they are planted.”
Steve and Sharon started attending Redeemer Baptist Church in 2015. Steve currently serves as elder, missions committee chairman, and overseer of the church’s internet website. Sharon serves as the church treasurer and in women’s ministries.
Mike Albrecht, Elder
Mike grew up in Bluff Siding, Wisconsin, where he went to church but didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. As a teenager, Mike's sister shared verses in Romans with him that led him to confess his sins and surrender his life to his Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Mike attended Winona State University, where he met Wendy through InterVarsity Christan Fellowship. They were married in 1997, and started attending Redeemer Baptist Church in 1998.
Mike is the Director of Therapeutic Recreation at a care center. At church, he is a Connection Group leader and enjoys playing on the church softball team. Wendy is the Administrative Assistant at Redeemer.
Mike and Wendy enjoy traveling, hiking, and completing projects together. They have two grown children, Nathaniel and Jordan.
A verse that has been meaningful to Mike is Hebrews 12:2, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Dylan Tew, Interim Pastor
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Joanna Lerud, Worship Leader
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KayLynn Raper, Interim Worship Leader
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