Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
A Note from Pastor Bob Rognlien
Hello PLC family,
My name is Bob Rognlien and I have been married to Pam for 40 years. We have two grown sons, two daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren. We live in Colorado Springs, Colorado in close community with our extended family. As an ordained Lutheran pastor, I served two congregations in California over 25 years; one in Sonoma County and one in Torrance.
About eleven years ago, my wife Pam and I sensed God nudging us in a new direction. Not away from the Church, but to serve the Church in a broader way. It was a call into a ministry focused on helping people, especially pastors and leaders, follow the Way of Jesus more closely in everyday life.
So in 2015 we stepped down from local church leadership, gave up the financial security of a comfortable salary with benefits, sold our home, and started a new 501c3 non-profit ministry called Footsteps Experience/Jesus-Shaped Ministries. God has been so faithful to bless these simple steps of faith. This past decade has been the most exciting, challenging, and fruitful of our lives!
What We Do
Our ministry centers around three primary areas:
Teaching. Through speaking, writing, and creating resources, I help people rediscover what it means to live as followers of Jesus, not just believers in Him.
Training. We work hands-on with pastors and leaders, equipping them with practical tools to cultivate Jesus-shaped cultures in their churches. This happens through workshops, coaching relationships, and training opportunities focused on how to live more fully in the Way of Jesus.
Trips. Pam and I lead what we call Footsteps Experiences: spiritually-rich, historically-grounded pilgrimages through Israel, Turkey, and Greece. These are not like typical tours. They are journeys that bring the Scriptures alive and help you to see the Way that Jesus lived and taught His disciples to live.
Why This Matters to Me
At the heart of everything we do is a simple mission: to help people walk more closely in the footsteps of Jesus as a daily way of life. Not just knowing about Him. Not just believing the right things about Him. But actually learning to live as Jesus lived, living what we call a Jesus-shaped life. That is the heartbeat behind everything we do.
Why PLC?
Over the years, Pam and I have had the privilege of building meaningful relationships with many of your leaders: Sean and Jenny, Rob and Nikki, Greg and Cindy, and others. We have shared meals, conversations, ministry moments, and even miles walking together through the land of the Bible.
So when it came time to consider which congregation might serve as our called and deployed home within the LCMC, PLC felt like a natural fit. Not just because of friendship, but because of shared vision. A desire to see people formed into the likeness of Jesus. A commitment to discipleship that is lived, not just talked about. A church that is actively stepping into what God is calling it to become.
What This Would Mean
If PLC chooses to move forward, the relationship is both simple and meaningful. You would serve as the congregation that calls and deploys me in my ministry. I would remain connected relationally and spiritually to PLC while continuing the broader work God has entrusted to us. There is no financial expectation attached to this arrangement. It is about partnership, connection, and shared mission.
A Personal Word
I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to be considered in this way. And I am grateful for the kind of church you are: the kind that takes calling seriously, that invests in people, and that wants to be part of what God is doing beyond its own walls. That says a lot.
If you would like to learn more about our ministry or our Footsteps experiences, you can visit bobrognlien.com. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me personally. I would love the chance to get to know more of you in the years ahead.
Grace and peace to you,
Bob