About our Pastor

Pastor John Bonk

John Bonk was born in Monterey California on April 7, 1956. At least that is what he tells people; actually, his father was in the military and he was born at Fort Ord, just outside of Monterey. He was raised in Minnesota.

The Lord entered his life in 1980 when, in a hotel room in Chicago, he read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke and came to know Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. With the aid of his wife Linda he sought to become a pastor and serve the Lord, graduating from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1987. His first call was to Redeemer Lutheran Church in Aurora, MN.

Currently, Pastor Bonk serves as pastor of a partnership between First Lutheran in Ely and the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Babbitt. MN. He and Linda have 14 children. They live in Embarrass, Minnesota in a log house that they built themselves.

When asked, "Why are you a pastor?" he replied, " I have seen what a merciful God we have. Knowing the forgiveness and love God has for me in His Son, Jesus, I want others to discover that great relationship they can have with the Almighty Creator of all things."

Contact Pastor Bonk.