On November 22, 2019, the Rev. John Kieschnick received the Fred E. Lietz Individual Ministry Award at the 2019 Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) Leadership Conference.
This annual award goes to an LCEF employee or volunteer who has shown extraordinary dedication to sharing the Gospel, the ministry of church extension and a willingness to lend his or her gifts to sharing the love of Christ.
After serving for 33 years at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas, Kieschnick and his wife, Elaine, felt it was time for retirement.
That’s easier said than done, however, for a man who believes there is “no biblical basis for retirement, only for repositioning.”
So, after a long and productively faithful obedience as pastor, Kieschnick joined LCEF’s Capital Funding Services, now known as ministry support, as a campaign consultant and advocate.
The same energy and enthusiasm for God’s word and God’s people he put into his role as a pastor, Kieschnick poured into his work as a campaign consultant. And it showed.
Kieschnick was one of LCEF’s leading consultants, propelling dozens of congregations forward in ministry. One person went as far as to say that “John is the rock star of the LCMS campaign world.”
In fact, his reputation often preceded him: there were many times when congregations would specifically ask for Kieschnick and put their campaign on hold until John was available.
Simply put, when John had completed a campaign, that congregation was richer in immeasurable ways.
His ability to teach stewardship and bring joy in giving along with a clear vision of a congregation’s future and ability to present that to them made Kieschnick an enduring blessing to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).
John has recently retired from his service to the Church through LCEF and resides outside of Houston.
The Fred E. Lietz Individual Ministry Award is named after the LCMS’ first Executive Secretary for Church Extension, who later served as LCEF’s first president after incorporation in 1978.
