There's nothing like being the instrument through which God brings a little child or an adult into His Church.”John Bussman, Pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
CULLMAN – For the past three years, John Bussman has been the sole pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. One of the younger ministers in the community, St. Paul’s is Pastor Bussman’s first parish, and from the looks of it, he’s doing an excellent job. He loves people and cares deeply about their eternal salvation. He also has a deep concern for the truth of the Scriptures, which he feels has been greatly corrupted in our nation for far too long. He has dedicated his life to proclaiming Christ so that all those who hear might live.
John has been married to his beautiful wife, Emily for just over two years and together they have a 1-year-old son named Gabriel. He graduated undergrad from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska where he majored in history and focused on the Biblical languages Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. He was in Seminary school for four years at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis where he received his Masters of Divinity. He is currently working on his doctorate that will probably take another three years to complete.
Pastor Bussman truly loves his ministry. He considers the people of his congregation to be his religious responsibility. The members of St. Paul’s are one big family, and they strive to treat each other as such.
“We strive to love one another as Christ loves us in order that His kingdom might advance,” Bussman explained. “The biggest challenge is certainly seeing all of my people. I love to be in my members' homes simply for a leisurely visit. Most of the time, however, is spent seeing them in the hospital, before surgery/after surgery, and nursing homes. Just because someone isn't physically well enough to come through my door doesn't mean I can't take the Gospel to them,” he smiled. “We have several hundred members, and it's difficult to see all of them as often as I'd like.”
Christ teaches this and later commands that from that point on—to the end of the world—the Church should observe that…
Posted by St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cullman on Saturday, May 16, 2015
When thinking about pastoring to the congregation, Pastor Bussman just grins happily and chatters away.
“The most rewarding moments are administering the Sacraments,” he begins.
“There's nothing like being the instrument through which God brings a little child or an adult into His Church. Then when my people come to the altar to receive Christ's body and blood for the forgiveness of their sins, it truly is a privilege to be able to give that to them. This might sound morbid, but funerals are also rewarding. They are an opportunity for me to bear witness to our Lord Christ who has defeated death by His resurrection and to proclaim that same resurrection is awaiting those who fall asleep in Him. It's like preaching Easter Sunday over and over and over. It's certainly a time to mourn but to mourn with hope.”
Pastor Bussman is an intelligent man that strives to pass his knowledge of God on to others. St. Paul's Lutheran Church is located at 513 4th Ave SE, Cullman, AL 35055. For more information, call 256-734-3575 or visit stpaulsl.com. Follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/StPaulsCullman.
