IN THE PIPELINE (EIGHTH IN A SERIES)
This series profiles the men and women who are preparing for the public teaching and preaching ministry at our Immanuel Lutheran College and Seminary in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Sam Naumann
Age: 25
Program: Seminary
Year in School: Senior
Where were you born?
Ketchikan, Alaska (the last frontier)
Where did you grow up?
Well, I’m a pastor’s kid. I grew up in four places. We lived in Ketchikan, Alaska; Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; and Clarkston, Washington while I was growing up. Later; I spent my high school years at ILHS in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Married? Unmarried? Tell us about your family.
I’ve been married to my wonderful wife Katie (née Oster) for over two years now. We just had our first child, Margaret, in July of 2018. Katie has lived in Eau Claire her entire life, but is excited to see where the Lord is going to take us.
What hobbies, sports,
or extracurriculars interest you?
I’m an avid outdoorsman and enjoy hunting, camping, and hiking. My wife and I like to make it out camping at least three or four times a summer and will hike anywhere there are waterfalls, mountains, or views.
Tell us one thing about yourself
that most people don’t know.
I’m currently employed as a Community Service Officer for the City of Eau Claire Police Department. My job primarily entails working animal control and handling parking complaints throughout the city. Animal control is always an adventure. Catching dogs, cats, and other animals and helping return them to their owners is both exciting and rewarding.
Which academic subjects especially interest you?
Liturgics and hymnology both fascinate me greatly. The dynamic history of the texts and music that the Christian church has used over the years displays the richness and quality of what we have today. God has surely given us some of the greatest words of praise. I’m excited to continue to adorn them with music worthy of our God.
I also love President Sippert’s Gospels class. It might be obvious, but everything that came out of Jesus’ mouth is pure gold. Everything He said is so full of wisdom, insight, truth, and love, and it is all meant to bring sinners to Him. What could be more enjoyable or applicable to study?
How did you first come to consider the public teaching or preaching ministry as a career?
I’ve wanted to be a pastor ever since I was a little child, until my junior year of high school anyway. For about a year and a half I was planning on pursuing a career in nuclear or chemical engineering. Thankfully, the Lord soon led me to realize that these careers were not what He had in mind for me. I enrolled in the Pre-Theology program at Immanuel Lutheran College a few days before the deadline.
What have you appreciated most
about your time at ILC?
That’s a tough question. Blessings abound at Immanuel, so it is tough to sort through all of them and pick out just one. I’ll settle for two. The Christian friendships that I had and still have from Immanuel are hard to overvalue. Being able to mature and grow while being surrounded by fellow heirs of heaven makes learning worthwhile values and morals much easier. A large part of who I am today came from my Christian classmates at Immanuel.
The second benefit I appreciated most is the daily Law and Gospel that I received from morning chapels. The best part about this benefit is that I’ll be able to continue receiving it, because morning chapel services are now available through the Morning Chapels from ILC podcast.
What qualities do you think will most
be needed by the future leaders of the church?
The same qualities that God has always given to the leaders of His Church. Steadfast faithfulness to His Word. Popular opinion comes and goes. Style goes out of style and comes back into style every twenty years or so. There are ups and downs in everyone’s life. The only constants in the world are the Triune God and His Word. Come what may in the future, faithfulness to the Word of God in all its fullness is what the Holy Christian Church—and every local church—needs the most.