Tim Ysteboe, a Lutheran Brethren pastor who also taught at Lutheran Brethren Seminary and served in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren's Office of the President, had a labor of love for at least the last 15 years of his life here. The result of his labor is the book We Believe: Commentary on the Statement of Faith, to be released in June. The motivating forces for this work were love for his Lord, love for the Lord's Church, and a God-given passion to provide sound theological understanding to those who lead and teach in local congregations.

Who was Tim Ysteboe and why did he write We Believe?
Tim Ysteboe went home to his Lord in November 2009 at the age of 61. As a child, Tim was a charter member of Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church in Moorhead, MN. After graduating from Lutheran Brethren Seminary, he pastored Lutheran Brethren congregations in LeSueur, MN and Succusaunna, NJ.

Tim loved God's Word, loved learning and loved teaching. His wife Rachel said, "Tim has had a passion and concern for elders and all leaders of congregations that they know and understand our Lutheran perspective well enough to teach it to others." For Tim the learning process was interactive. He would find himself reading and reacting to many books at the same time. Rachel said, "He loved to read and debate scholars in his mind and sometimes aloud (!). He would have lengthy conversations with Dr. Boe on books they were reading, and of course with Bruce Hillman here at Hillside Lutheran Brethren Church."

When Tim earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA in 2006, his dissertation was titled, Varieties of Elder Practice in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America. The topic was an indication of Tim's longstanding interest in developing and equipping leadership in local church bodies.

How We Believe came to be
According to former CLB President Robert Overgaard, Sr., "Pastor Timothy Ysteboe served for over a year in a joint assignment with the Lutheran Center for Christian Learning and the Office of President as he was transitioning to his long term of service with LCCL. He worked to generate extended discussions and commentary on the Statement of Faith to assist the revision process." This meant that a number of other thinkers and scholars in the CLB, notably Dr. Eugene Boe of LBS, were engaged in the process with Tim along the way.

Tim himself explained, "This commentary arose out of my concern that we know what we believe. Versions of it have been on my various hard drives for at least 15 years. It began as teaching notes for Lutheran Brethren Seminary students and became an expanded discussion on the Church of the Lutheran Brethren Statement of Faith for people inquiring about the CLB." The material was continually "road-tested." Rachel Ysteboe recalls, "Tim used this class to teach at the seminary, weekend retreats, weekly Bible Studies and other venues. It was well received and many expressed how they had gained a new perspective on the Lutheran Brethren theology and it had come ‘alive' to them."
Finally, the encouragement of CLB President Joel Egge brought about the final editing and publication of We Believe.

A gift to our congregations
Tim Ysteboe wanted to give something of value to the congregations. LBS Professor John Kilde observed, "In writing this commentary on the Statement of Faith of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, my friend and colleague Tim Ysteboe has exercised one of his spirited gifts to serve many of us in the CLB."

The work was personal for Tim. Robert Overgaard wrote, "Over the years he made this commentary his own through working and re-working it as he taught. Fortunately, he was able to give it to us as his parting gift."

Tim offered his gift with these words from the preface to We Believe, "I hope this commentary gives support to those who teach in the church, to those who lead small groups, and to those who are in church governance positions... So here is what we believe."

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