Mission Training Center
Meet Your Instructors
Rev. Kyle Blake - MTC 010 - Knowing & Engaging Your Community
Pastor Kyle Blake is a passionate communicator, ministry leader, and community advocate with over 20+ years of experience. He currently serves as the Campus Pastor at Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, TX. It is in his role at Concordia that he seeks share the Gospel with students and their families, as well as others in the surrounding community. He desires to connect people to Christ and help them to grow in, and live out, their faith in Christ. He also seeks to equip individuals to better connect to the community around them, and empower them to make a Gospel impact where they live, learn, labor, or laugh.
Having worked with individuals from a variety of ages and cultural contexts, in both suburban and urban settings, he has come to realize that brokenness is brokenness, it just looks different depending on the community you live in. As a result, he believes that everyone has value, worth, and gifts to share with others. This belief is lived out as he walks alongside, builds relationships, and shares the Gospel with people in the community no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they have done in their past. Pastor Kyle Blake currently lives in Texas, with his wife, Kendell, and two sons, Asher (17) and Zebulun (11). He and his family enjoy hosting community gatherings, hanging with friends and family, and watching a movie together.
Rev. Dr. Phil Booe - MTC 001 - Old Testament; MTC 012 Christ-Centered Worship
Hi! I've been an LCMS pastor for about 16 years, currently serving St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne, Minnesota. My doctoral research focused on catechesis, so unsurprisingly teaching the faith is one of the great joys of pastoral ministry for me. I also have the privilege to host Thy Strong Word, an hour-long Bible study on KFUO Radio every weekday.
At home, my wife Becky and I are in that season where our son is heading to college, our daughter is starting high school, but the house is still plenty full with two cats, a birds, a rabbit, a turtle, and a golden retriever puppy who is currently chewing on something she shouldn't be.
Rev. Dr. Samuel Brandt - MTC 004 - God’s Mission in the Church: History
I currently reside in Naumburg, Germany where I am working on my dissertation on preaching culture in central Germany in the 15th century and occasionally assist my wife as the assistant organist on the Hildebrandt Organ. I grew up in Oregon and studied Protestant Theology in Germany, graduating in 2025 from the University of Leipzig. My interests lay in theological history and pastoral praxis in the Middle Ages and the Reformation period. I regularly attend services at the SELK congregation in Weissenfels.
Eunice Graham - MTC 009 - Teaching the Faith; MTC 011 - Spirityally Caring for Your Community
Eunice is twice a graduate of Concordia College-River Forest (now Concordia University-Chicago), completing both the deaconess program and the bachelor’s in nursing program. She worked a few years as a public health nurse before becoming a full-time mother. She and her family spent two years in China with LCMS World Mission where Eunice served as an English as a Foreign Language instructor. Throughout her life Eunice has been very active in the congregations of which she has been a member, particularly in areas of Christian education for children of all ages as well as adult Bible studies. She is currently active in these areas as well as being the organist/pianist for her congregation. Eunice has taught in varying roles at a technical college for over 15 years, beginning as an English as a Second Language instructor and currently as an instructor in the medical assistant program. She volunteers once a week giving massages at a care center. For fun, she enjoys urban hikes, folk dancing, and ukulele singalongs. She and her husband John have two grown daughters and live in Seattle.
Rev. Brian Larson - MTC 008 - Interpreting Scripture
Bio here.
Rev. Dr. William Miller - MTC 002 - New Testament
A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Will Miller is married to Ana and they have one daughter. He is Senior Pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Nebraska where he leads a congregation that operates both a day school as well as an early childhood center.
Will earned his PhD in Theology and Culture from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis where he was a curriculum writer for the MissionShift Institute. Since taking the Call to serve Faith in Lincoln he has been on faculty as an adjunct with Concordia University in Seward where he is serving in his sixth year. Will has taught both Old and New Testament at Concordia; he is currently teaching New Testament this semester. Will brings over 20 years of teaching experience on three continents, and his theological works are published in both English and Portuguese.
Rev. Dr. Paul Mueller - MTC 005 - God’s Mission in the Church: History
Rev. Dr. Paul W. Mueller has served in elementary and university academic educational communities, church/congregational settings, and in international contexts around the United States and the world.
His work on the continent of Africa for almost eight years planting churches and developing pastoral leadership allowed him and his family to live and work upcountry in the jungle of Liberia with a small people group. After his 12 year university experience, he once again accepted a call to return to Africa to fill the Regional Director – Africa, LCMS World Mission position, managing the work of LCMS missionaries and engaging in active, collaborative partnership conversations, primarily with national leadership in Lutheran Churches in Africa, but also with other Lutheran partners from across the globe. He worked in 26 African countries.
Rev. Dr. Mueller served as the Executive Director of the Center for Applied Lutheran Leadership (CALL) at Concordia University, Portland in a partnership with the Northwest District of the LCMS. He also was Director of Mission Training Center, (MTC), where individuals were prepared to serve in ministry roles, some being licensed as deacons who serve in Word and Sacrament ministries.
Paul continues to collaborate with leaders in the districts of the LCMS, especially the Mission and Evangelism Executives and outreach leadership in congregations and faith communities. He also continues to teach outreach courses in MTC.
Paul, and his wife Joy are retired and have three married children and seven grandchildren.
Rev. Jon Muhly - MTC 003 - The Christian Faith: Doctrine
Bio here.
Rev. Jonathan Priest - MTC 007 - Interpreting Scripture
Rev. Jonathan Priest serves as the director of Mission Training Center, bringing twenty four years of ministry experience in rural and urban settings ranging from Nebraska to New York and Seattle to San Francisco. In addition to serving as a congregational pastor, Jonathan has served as a volunteer jail chaplain, church musician, church planter, district lay training coordinator, campus ministry director, and superintendent of an urban K-8 school. He enjoys composing music, hiking, cooking, and playing games. Jonathan is married to Beatrice with whom he is blessed to raise our daughter, Evelyn in the beautiful city of San Francisco.
Rev. Dr. Dominic Rivkin - MTC 006 - Spiritual Direction & Discernment for Mission
For the past 20 years, the Rev. Dr. Dominic J. Rivkin has served as a missionary pastor and spiritual formation leader with a deep commitment to helping others encounter God’s grace and discern their purpose in Christ.
He has served in parish ministry, church planting, and missional leadership/organizational development across the Pacific Southwest District of the LCMS. His doctoral project, The EXEN Adventure, integrates contemplative practices and Lutheran theology to guide people in discovering their identity and calling through pilgrimage-based spiritual formation and direction.
Dominic’s ministry as Pastor of Discipleship and Mission at Christ the King in Coeur d’Alene Idaho centers on equipping others to live on the mission of Christ as beloved, forgiven, and sent people of God. Drawing on his experience in both congregational and outdoor contexts, he helps people to connect their faith with daily life through practices of Scripture reflection, prayer, and guided discernment.