Who We Are

Bethany Lutheran Church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).  We are one of almost 200 congregations in the South Dakota Synod.  Our ministry and mission is focused on Jesus Christ.  Sometimes we’re dead;  we’re wrapped up in our “grave clothes” like Lazarus.  But we believe the power of Christ’s love is more powerful than death.  Jesus’ love unwrapped Lazarus from death, and we believe that he will unwrap us from our own.  We believe our role as a church is to make God’s love visible by engaging in our rural town and by serving others.

Our Mission:

Strengthening our relationship with God by growing through God’s word and serving others.

But Jesus looked at them (disciples) and said, “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26 

Pastor Leif Johnson

MEET OUR PASTOR

Pastor Leif was raised in Spicer, Minnesota.  He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead with a degree in Business Administration. From 1999-2023 he coached tennis at Life Time Fitness in Minneapolis where he did “tennis ministry.”

Pastor Leif did his internship at St. Mark’s Lutheran in Sioux Falls, and he graduated from United Theological Seminary in St. Paul.  He began his call at Bethany in 2023.  He is a “cradle Lutheran” who hopes to pass on his love of the Bible to the next generation.

Our History

Bethany was founded on January 28th, 1903 by a group of Norwegian Lutherans. On June 26th, 1986 Bethany Lutheran was struck by a bolt of lightening and was burned to the ground. A new church sanctuary was built just east of Howard on highway 34, and on December 8th, 1990 we moved in our new church and held our first service. Belleview Lutheran Church was founded in 1882, and the  congregation built a sanctuary in 1886. It was founded by a group of who left their birthplace in the Nordfjord region of Norway. For 112 years Belleview and Bethany Lutheran agreed to jointly call a minister. In 2016 Belleview was closed. Bethany welcomed Belleview members to join them in working together in God's kingdom.

Belleview Lutheran Church