Pastor Tom Starkjohn

Pastor Tom's Bio

I grew up on Highway 66, between Plattsmouth and Louisville.  My family has farmed in this area since my great-great-great grandpa started farming in Cass County in 1869.  I loved growing up in this area on the farm, and while I can’t say I enjoyed weeding the fields much as a kid, I loved the outdoor world of hunting, trapping and fishing.  The only thing I loved more was reading and studying the Bible. So it was with great pleasure I attended Grace University to get a degree in biblical studies.  It was there I met and married my wife, Elaine.  After I graduated from Grace in 2000, we moved to Illinois so that I could get a graduate degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  It was from there that the Lord led us to plant a church with the Evangelical Free Church of America in the rural town of Winsted, Minnesota.  We moved there in 2003 to start and pastor Harvest Community Church.  We loved the people there and we loved our ministry in the church.  Deciding to leave the church to return to farm in Nebraska was the toughest decision we have ever made because we were so happy with our friends and church in Minnesota.  Yet we wanted to move back to Nebraska to farm, be near our family, and raise our family here.  

For many years I have said that if I could farm and pastor at the same time I would love to do so.  When we originally planned on moving back to Nebraska, I thought I would be farming full-time for a few years before I could dedicate more time to ministry again.  But within weeks after we moved to Nebraska, the Lord opened the door to meet with a few couples to consider if we had a common vision for a church in Louisville.  Over the next few months I became convinced the Lord was leading us to plant a church in Louisville, and we made the decision to again partner with the Evangelical Free Church of America to plant a church.

The Lord has blessed my wife and me with seven children: Ella, Emmeline, Ezra, Elise, Eliza, and Enoch, and Eden.  We live in an old farmhouse between Plattsmouth and Louisville.  I still love to read and enjoy helping people.  If I had a few days for a vacation, I love camping (the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has been a favorite).  I am quite happy my wife and kids love to read and camp as well!