Michael & Bethany Berens

Site Pastors, Exit 59 Downtown Marion

“We grew up in Michigan and North Carolina, respectively, and met at Indiana Wesleyan University. Michael studied ministry and biblical literature; Bethany studied writing and history. We graduated in April 2009, and were married a little over a month later.

Together, we share the role of “Site Pastors” to the Exit Downtown (Marion) community of Exit 59. “Site Pastor” is a fancy name for our role, which comes down to a few key things: planning & coordinating Sunday morning services, meeting with and mentoring people, handling some administrative tasks, and maintaining Exit Downtown's relationship with First United Methodist Church (the church that graciously allows us to share their beautiful building).

We've come to believe that our gifts work best when they're complemented and tempered by each other's. We love being able to learn and live ministry together. We also like books, reading books, God's earth, hospitality, creativity, “unboxing” people, thinking, laughing, and trying to stay far, far away from cynicism.

Our heart for the church is that and that we all keep our eyes open to Christ's ways of changing and growing his body. We pray that Exit would be a group a people seeking to join God’s work of redeeming creation to Himself—His work of bringing the kingdom of light and joy and freedom to earth. We love hearing peoples' stories, and we love to watch Jesus restore broken people, places, things, and situations to life and wholeness in Himself.