Associate Pastor

Pastor Justus grew up in a godly home in Granada, MN where his dad pastored Calvary Baptist Church. When Justus was 7 years old, his older sister talked to him about John 3:16 and how much God loved him. Though he had heard the gospel many times before, he finally began to understand what Jesus really did for him on the cross and he accepted Jesus’ love and free salvation. As a Pastor’s son he had the wonderful opportunity to see and experience the joys and heartaches of full-time ministry up-close. Having seen his dad deal with the messiness of people’s lives, Justus decided at a young age that he wanted nothing to do with pastoral ministry.

After graduating High School, Justus attended WalkRight Baptist Bible Institute to appease his dad who insisted all his children would attend at least one year of Bible college. While at WalkRight, through the teaching of the Word and God’s gentle breaking of Justus’s will through circumstances, Justus submitted his life to whatever God would have him to do. (Anything except pastoral ministry). At WalkRight he met his wife Kayla, and they married two years later. Kayla also grew up in a loving Christian home in Elkhart, IN. Kayla accepted Jesus as Savior when she was four years old and surrendered her life to ministry when she was fourteen years old.

Shortly after their wedding in 2015, Justus worked as the full-time youth intern at Grace Bible Church in Elkhart IN for nine months. It was here that God began to grow a desire in him to be a Pastor. A year later he worked at Camp Shiloh in southern MN as a counselor. There at the camp he had attended and worked at as a teenager, he decided to give himself wholly to God. (Even for pastoral ministry). Justus decided to pursue further education at Pastoral Training Institute in MN while serving as a lay-person youth leader at Calvary Baptist Church in Granada MN.

In January 2020, Justus and Kayla decided to move to Austin, MN for a more stable job at a cabinet shop. With the move to Austin, Justus and Kayla began serving in different areas here at Grace Baptist before the church affirmed Justus’s calling and gifting of a pastor’s heart. In May of 2021 Grace Baptist called Justus to be the Associate Pastor. Pastor Justus continues to attend Pastoral Training Institute to grow his knowledge and pastoral skills.

Justus and Kayla are enjoying the wonderful responsibility and opportunity to train their daughters Shiloh and Alethea in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Both Justus and Kayla enjoy singing. Justus plays guitar and Kayla plays flute. As a family they enjoy long walks together, camping, fishing, and campfires in the back yard.

 

A conversation with Pastor Justus:

What are some of your favorite things to do?

I enjoy carpentry, woodworking, disc golf, hunting, reading, game nights with other families, and family time.

What are you passionate about?

Music has been a love of mine since I was 12. The gift God has given us to be able to sing to Him and encourage each other in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is one of the blessings from Him I hold dearest.

What is one thing you would really like to do?

Sing with a live professional orchestra or live in a mountain cabin for 6 months.

What is your favorite book of the Bible?

The practicality in Colossians to put Christ first and to kill off the old flesh grabbed me hard in high school.

What is your favorite verse?

I will always be amazed and dumbfounded that, “God commends His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

What is your favorite Hymn?

Be Thou My Vision

What is your favorite Song?

Is He Worthy

Info
507-437-2473
1700 W. Oakland Ave.
Austin, MN 55912
United States