Check Out John Karolus’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Karolus.

Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was raised in a small town in Northern Wisconsin where my dad remains a pastor of a Lutheran church and my mom worked in education and fundraising. After high school I earned a Bachelor’s in Philosophy from Concordia University Wisconsin (Milwaukee, WI) and went on to earn a Master’s of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. During that time I was involved in a lot of mission work in Guatemala, and I interned at a church and school in Boca Raton, Florida. Following graduation, I was extended an invitation to join the staff at Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church and Preschool, as Director of Digital Mission. Since jumping on board I have been actively involved in our digital outreach, preschool ministry, student youth group, and service leadership.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The path has not always been totally obstacle free! Small-town Wisconsin is a far cry from the busy coastal life of South Florida, and even has its differences from St. Louis, and certainly the Phoenix metro! Over the years of my education, there were significant family issues that arose causing some delay in realizing my calling to professional ministry. Through a process of healing and ongoing growth I am thankful for the opportunity to move somewhere totally new and stretch into leadership, spiritual care, public speaking, and organizational management.

Because of the many contexts I was blessed to experience over the course of my formative years, and the unique relational path I undertook, I can happily say I was brought into a place where I am able to help people better and understand the different stresses that face each of us through life. I wouldn’t change the past if given the chance because it brought me to where I am today!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work on the pastors staff at Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church and Preschool. Due to the fast paced turn into the digital world many organizations went through during Covid, Shepherd wanted to explore digital outreach and ministry in a more focused and personal way. They brought me on staff to spearhead this effort with a ministry-minded approach. My creative team (made up of our Director of Communications and our Web Designer) and I launched headfirst into understanding Search Engine Optimization, Targeted Advertising, and Web Analytics in an effort to be as effective as possible in our mission to “Lead People to Follow Jesus.” Everything we do is aimed at sharing the love of Jesus with the world around us, even that growing part of the world who spends an increasing amount of time online. We put great care and design into our online worship services, writing and publishing an outreach blog, and ongoing social media campaigns to share the mission of our church and preschool with the Scottsdale area.

My own work in preaching, teaching, spiritual care, and youth leadership contribute to this online effort by bridging the gap between our in-person offerings and our efforts online. It has been a joyful adventure to be tackling this challenge head on!

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Seeing people recognize the Jesus’ love and action in their life, and sharing that beautiful truth with them!

I have the best job in the world. What makes me happy is the opportunity I have every day to share with people the truth of God’s love for them and the presence He promises no matter what we are going through in life. This means I get to visit our preschool classrooms and read stories or play games with our students. I also am able to lead services on Sundays and give messages to those who worship with us! One of my greatest joys is the opportunity to meet with individuals and walk with them through the ups and downs of life while providing spiritual care and support for them every step of the way.

All of this is a gift I hope never to take for granted. Not everyone can say they truly love their job, or the people they work with, or the services they provide, but I can happily smile and express that fulfillment and satisfaction each and every day!

Contact Info:

• Email: info@sotdaz.org
• Website: shepherdaz.church
• Instagram: @shepherdaz.digital
• Facebook: @sotdaz
• Twitter: @shepherd_az
• Youtube: vimeo.com/sotdaz