By Gannon Parker
Fairmount Wesleyan Church has been in existence for 162 years, and Jeff Luedtke has been the Lead Pastor since 2012.
Luedtke said the mission of the church is to help others grow and be alongside them as they walk in their relationship with God.
“It starts with being biblically grounded in our sermons, so when people come to church, we want to be able to point them to God and connect with them,” Luedtke said. “We were created for community, so we promote small groups, getting involved in different activities and we want them to understand their purpose and to find out who God created them to be.”
After taking over as the Lead Pastor, Luedtke and the board of the church opened The Branch, a coffee shop in Fairmount that is tied directly to the church.
“We use that building as a tool, and I tell the congregation that this is a tool we can use to have conversations about Christ and to meet people outside of church,” Luedtke said. “It’s been an open door, and I’ve been able to have conversations at The Branch that I’d never be able to have at church.”
Marlene Overmeyer, an attendee of Fairmount Wesleyan Church, said Luedtke desires to challenge your walk with God to be stronger.
“He has a heart for the lost,” Overmeyer said. “He leads by example and is willing to work alongside you for the Kingdom.”
Luedtke also serves as an assistant coach for Indiana Wesleyan University Men’s and Women’s golf.
Eli Gilmore, the Co-director of Children’s Ministries at Fairmount Wesleyan, said Luedtke’s attention to detail is part of what makes him such a great leader of the church.
“He doesn’t do things in a way that’s tyrannical. He gives out helpful suggestions solely with the congregation in mind,” Gilmore said. “It’s been cool to see his heart behind the ministry, his humility behind the scenes and his willingness to do what it takes to see his church grow, whether that’s in numbers or in their own personal walk with Christ.”
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