Life transition for Steve Arnold has been a way of life. Learning to cope with transition and change in a positive way has been a result of the various changes that have taken place in his journey:

• Steve’s family moved quite often when he was growing up and as a result he attended 14 different schools before graduating from high school. Continual transition.
• Steve was widowed at age 32, becoming the single parent of two pre-schoolers. An unexpected and out of sequence transition.
• Steve re-married and began the transition into blending two families.
• Steve served congregations (medium to large) in urban settings that were continually confronted with the reality of transition.
• Steve’s doctoral dissertation explored helping adults become equipped for change.
• Steve went through a formation process to become a spiritual director, focusing upon the spiritual journey of adults. Learning to walk with adults undergoing spiritual and life transition.

A more detailed look:

Steven (Steve) F. Arnold is a commissioned diaconal minister of the Lutheran Church. Steve is certified as a Director of Christian Education and as a Lutheran Teacher. Steve had sixteen years of parish ministry, providing leadership and support for the spiritual formation and development of people of all ages. In addition, Steve recently retired after 24 years  in higher education, at Concordia University, St. Paul, MN.,developing and leading programs to equip leaders in the field of faith formation across the lifespan.

Steve is a Spiritual Director, in the Christian tradition, and is a member of Spiritual Directors International. Steve continues in ongoing personal formation as a spiritual director. Steve’s formation as a Spiritual Director took place through The Christos Center located north of the Twin Cities.

Steve was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Karpenko Institute for Nurturing and Developing Leaders (KINDLE) and has served as Chair of the Board of Directors for The Youth & Family Institute (now known as Vibrant Faith Ministries) during a time of great organizational transition and development. The Youth & Family Institute follows a vision to strengthen congregations and families to nurture vibrant faith, pass on faith and live well in Christ.

Steve is noted as a retreat leader, speaker, author, chaplain and bridge-builder. His work has included a number of cross-cultural and international experiences of bringing Christians together from around the world to learn and grow together.

Steve’s doctoral work and research are in the areas of adult education, with emphases in self-directed learning and educational gerontology. Specific application of these studies have been made to transitions in faith formation throughout the life span. Special focus in the research has been to equip adults for developing increased responsibility for personal life and development.

Steve recently completed his fourth unit in the  Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program. Steve’s goal was to learn how to walk with people spiritually in the transitions that accompany illness and change in life.  Steve has begun a process to fulfill that goal by serving as Chaplain at St. Anthony Health Care Center in St. Anthony Village. MN.

Steve is currently taking courses toward an M.A. in Theology at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN .