Convention Workbook

Who’s Who Candidate Profiles
Rev. John J. Bombaro, Ph.D.
Home Congregation: Grace Lutheran, Dan Diego
Occupation: Senior Pastor
Experience Pertinent to Position: My parish experience is requisite with the
vocation of pastor, but additional experience has been gained by serving on
the Board of Directors for White Horse Inn and Modern Reformation
(nationally syndicated media) and. At Dickinson College, the John Newton
International Center for Christian Studies.
My Vision for the ministry of the PSW: Pastoral care has been a distinguishing characteristic of
Lutheran Ministry since the reformation. Enhanced district oversight of the needs of pastors and
their congregations will liberate and stimulate missional endeavors, including re-plant parishes.
Robert D. Crossan, II
Home Congregation: Zion Lutheran, Fallbrook, CA
Occupation: Navy Chaplain
Experience Pertinent to Position: Vicar/Pastor – First Lutheran Church,
Ventura, CA (81-85); Navy Chaplain (85-present); Navy Captain (2004present);
Board of directors – American Association of Singapore (98-00);
Advisory Board of Directors – Camp Pendleton Armed Services YMCA (06-
11).
My Vision for the ministry of the PSW: A new acronym, VUCA, has found
traction in military circles of late; we live in a VUCA world. That is to say, we live in a world that is
volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. From Iraq to Afghanistan, I have seen this VUCA
world in combat, on the battlefields, ministering to America’s sons and daughters in life and in death.
Our VUCA world is in desperate need of the good news of a loving, forgiving Savior. But it is a
message that must be told in a compelling, winsome, exciting and intelligent way. Our eternal
salvation is pure grace, the gift of god. But the world in which I have operated for over 27 years and
the world in which the folks who occupy our pews must live in a world which demands results.
Produce or fail. Produce or find work elsewhere. Why should the earthly work of the church, the
most important work there is, not be subject to best business practices and metrics? In a time of
diminishing resources, it is all the more imperative that we be good stewards of the gifts of God. If
we have ministries and programs that are not yielding measurable results, we need to end them.
Why chase God’s good money and resources after bad? In like fashion, those things we do well,
those ministries and programs which yield measurable results, should receive the full measure of the
gifts of God entrusted to our human hands.
Rev. Dr. Daniel Harmelink
Home Congregation: Redeemer Lutheran, Huntington Beach, CA
Occupation: Senior Pastor, Redeemer Lutheran Church and School
Experience Pertinent to Position: Circuit Counselor, Circuit 12, PSD
(2007-present); Member Region 3 Mission & Ministry Council, PSD
(2007-present); Chair, Board of Trustees, Lutheran Bible Institute (2007present)
Experience as member of team ministry in congregation (1996present);
Graduate Instructor, Concordia Irvine, Concordia Fort Wayne,
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