About Steve

Steven (Steve) F. Arnold, Ph.D.,  has served on a roster of the Lutheran Church for over 50 years.  Steve is currently a diaconal minister on the Roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) as a Deacon (Minister of Word and Service).   Steve is a member of the Community of Lutheran Deacons which exists within  The Lutheran Diaconal Association

Before serving as a Deacon in the ELCA,  Steve was certified as a Director of Christian Education and as a Lutheran Teacher in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod serving the church through parish ministry, teaching at a Lutheran high school, and serving on the faculty (currently emiritus) of Concordia University, St. Paul, MN where he taught parish leadership and lifespan faith formation.  Steve currently serves as a Chaplain at a 300 resident facility for senior living that encompasses assisted living, memory care, transitional care, and long term care.

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 has served as an organizational consultant and also has served on many local, national, and international boards and committees over the years. 

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

Steve’s doctoral work and research are in the areas of adult education, with an emphasis on self-directed learning and educational gerontology. Specific applications of these studies have been made to the 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.

His current writing, workshopping, and blogging emphasizes aging boldly.  Rather than resist aging, one can learn to embrace the aging process in order to not become a victim.  The avoiding of making informed decisions regarding life events means that others make those decisions with or without one’s voice being included. 

Recent Items

  • The Loneliness Factor

    I was at a luncheon that was serving as a listening post for seniors to describe their sense of loneliness and isolation. I knew that the population invited to this luncheon was one that would probably have a higher sense of isolation, but, what I heard was much more intense than I expected. A man […]

  • Social Networks and Aging

    It is interesting that research is showing two demographics experiencing social isolation in such as way as to impact health: Young Adults (18-22) and Senior Adults (65+). I have worked with both populations over the past 50 years and I continue to be amazed at the similarity of the questions raised by both groups and […]

  • An Eye-Opening Awareness: One More Transition for this Guy

    I sat at a luncheon two weeks ago that opened my eyes to a reality that I knew was there, but as the discussion unfolded I began to realize how the discussion, about to take place, was going to expand my thinking. As I listened to the needs of the people with whom I shared […]

  • TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE: LETTING GOD SET THE AGENDA

    When it comes to the human condition and a desire to change, we can become easily frustrated: we think that we want to change … but we really don’t. Paul expresses this contradiction well in Romans 7:15-24: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do […]

  • The Crisis of Loneliness

    THE NATIONAL CRISIS CALLED LONELINESS From “LINKED IN” “America is becoming Isolation Nation. Nearly half of respondents to a nationwide survey by health insurer Cigna say they always or sometimes feel alone, and 54% say they feel no one knows them well. Such loneliness is connected to increased risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death. The […]