Wayne Brouwer

Born and raised on a Minnesota farm, Wayne Brouwer is a son of the American Midwest and an explorer of the world. Wayne and Brenda (Karsten) raised three daughters through a career journey that took them across Canada and the U.S., and to Europe, Africa and Central America. After serving several congregations as pastor, Wayne now teaches full-time at Hope College, and part-time at Western Theological Seminary.

Wayne’s communication skills have been in high demand. He is a sought-after guest speaker for conferences, seminars and worship services, and receives stellar praise from his students for both insightful lectures and passionate story-telling. For nearly a decade, Wayne has been the voice of “Reflections,” a Sunday morning program on WHTC radio, garnering a large and devoted following. His written skills are impressive, with nearly twenty sole- or joint-authored books, and more than 800 published articles in dozens of popular magazines and academic journals. Wayne’s books range from inspiring practical Christian living ("Hear Me, O God: Meditations on the Psalms") to solid biblical study ("Covenant Documents: Reading the Bible Again for the First Time") and serious academic theology.

Although agriculture, from his farming youth and first rural pastorate, remains close to his heart, Wayne has invested in many sub-careers. He worked as an announcer, producer, and program director at three radio stations during his college and seminary years. He spent time in schools and training programs in Mexico, Alaska, Israel, California, and Scotland, and has translated these experiences into consultations with churches and ministry organizations, and executive mentoring with dozens of pastors. Wayne and Brenda were missionaries in Nigeria (they gave birth to their third daughter there!). Wayne has even served as a Chaplain on a number of cruise ships. The Brouwers have traveled to thirty-eight countries on six continents, and look forward to their next explorations.