Staff
Wendell Brane, Pastor
Wendell started attending the church in 1996 and became its pastor in
2001. His previous ministries include pastoring churches in Rochester NY
and Decatur
IN, and directing the pro-life activist organization
Northeast Indiana Rescue.
He enjoys a wide range of theological interests, but is especially attracted to the subjects of the Trinity and Christology. His leadership combines an intense (but harmless) personality with organizational skills, exegetical teaching, and a commitment to biblical ecclesiology. He served the church as one of its elders before becoming its full-time pastor.
Wendell is a bicycle enthusiast (some would say "fanatic"), riding thousands of miles each summer on his weird looking recumbent. He also enjoys swimming, high-board diving, billiards, astronomy, sleight of hand card magic, and organizing garages.
He and his wife Terry have been married for 32 years. They both love the outdoors and enjoy their quiet home in the woods. They have one daughter and 4 grandchildren.
Personality he most resembles: Dennis the Menace's neighbor, George Wilson.
Dennis Laub
Denny
is TEC's resident "professor." An autodidact, he reads at least 10 books
a week and serves the church as a valuable teacher and resource. His primary academic interests are
apologetics, hermeneutics, and philosophy. He was once scolded for
having a "lust for knowledge" at a local Bible college where
he attended as a student!
Denny began attending the church in 1997 and became its part-time associate pastor in 2003. He teaches our e4 class, organizes the annual Reason For Hope seminar, and oversees the church's extensive library. He also serves as a resource for all our teachers, including those who share in the pulpit responsibilities. Previous ministry experiences include: helping with a church plant in Delaware, running an apologetics ministry, and serving as an interim pastor.
Denny was once a professional magician, and even invented a number of tricks that other professional magicians currently use. Presently, he is writing a biography on the 19th century mentalist, S. S. Baldwin. He also dabbles in gourmet cooking and enjoys trips to libraries and museums.
Denny and Wendell met each other back in 1983 while serving on the front-lines of the abortion battle, and have been friends ever since. He and his wife, Patty, have been married for 33 years. They have 2 daughters and 2 grandchildren.
Personality he most resembles: Francis Schaeffer.
Nate Elkington
Nate
is the newest member of the staff, coming on board in June of 2010. He
has been a part of the church body since 1999, beginning as a member of its youth
group. In recent years, as a young adult, he has faithfully served as
one of its volunteer sponsors.
Nate has 2 main responsibilities at TEC: Youth Minister and Administrative Assistant. He connects well with the teens in our youth group and enjoys kids of all ages. Before joining TEC's staff, he had worked with juvenile delinquents at Lifeline Youth and Family Services. He is currently in his senior year at Grace College.
Nate loves soccer. He plays it. He watches it. He talks about it. He dreams it. Unfortunately for him, no one else in our church cares about soccer, so he must cherish his passion alone. Nate also enjoys philosophy and apologetics, and is quite savvy with skills of logic. His keen mind contributes to his quick wit and striking humor.
Personality he most resembles: Eddie Haskell from Leave it to Beaver (he even looks like him!).
Previous Staff Members
Michael Spencer, founding pastor (1993-2001)
Steve Galloway, youth minister (1995-1999)
Shawn Meyer, youth minister and assistant adult education (1999-2006)
Seth Drayer, youth minister and administrative assistant (2007-2010)