Today we’d like to introduce you to Terry Hagensen.
Hi Terry, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story of becoming a pastor began in 1976 during a Bible class at my home congregation in Camas, Washington. One day, my pastor said something that surprised me — he told me he believed God might be calling me to attend Bible college. That simple comment stayed with me, and before long, I took the step to go.
After graduating, I began serving at a church in Montana as a youth and education director. It was there, working closely with young people and families, that I sensed God nudging me again — this time toward seminary and ordained ministry. What started as a quiet invitation continued to grow into a clear call.
Step by step, that call has guided my life and ministry, leading me to where I am today, serving a Lutheran congregation in northern Minnesota. Looking back, I can see how God used each stage of the journey to shape me, prepare me, and deepen my love for walking alongside others in faith..
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like any journey, being a pastor has seasons of smooth travel and seasons filled with potholes. There are stretches where ministry feels light and life-giving, and other times when the road is uncertain, challenging, or painful.
My greatest obstacle came in 2002, when I was outed as a gay man and forced to leave the church. Overnight, the vocation I loved and had devoted my life to was taken from me. For many years, I was not allowed to serve as a pastor. It was a time marked by loss, grief, and deep questions about where God was leading me.
Yet even in that wilderness, God was not finished with my call. In 2017, the congregation I now serve extended a call for me to be their pastor. Their welcome was not only an opportunity to return to ministry, but a powerful reminder that God’s call endures, even when the road is long and winding.
That journey has shaped me profoundly. It has deepened my empathy, strengthened my resilience, and expanded my capacity to walk with others through their own seasons of struggle and hope.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Pastors wear many different hats, responding to the needs of the congregation and the community they serve. The work includes preaching and teaching, offering pastoral care in times of crisis and celebration, presiding at weddings and funerals, and tending to the administrative responsibilities that help a congregation function day to day.
Of all these roles, the two that bring me the most joy — and where I believe God has especially gifted me — are preaching and pastoral care. Each week I spend hours reading, studying, and praying through the scripture texts. Even so, I am continually amazed at how God takes my preparation and turns it into something more than I could have planned: a sermon that speaks to people’s lives in ways I never could have orchestrated on my own.
My life experience as a gay pastor, shaped by both struggle and grace, has deepened my capacity to be present with others in their own moments of pain, uncertainty, or everyday challenges. I have learned that pastoral care often begins simply by showing up — bringing a calm, steady presence and creating space where people feel safe to share their story in whatever way they need. In those moments, healing often starts not with answers, but with accompaniment.
It is a privilege to walk alongside people in their faith journeys, trusting that God is already at work among us.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
f there is anything else I would want readers to know, it is simply how grateful I am for this calling. Ministry has not always been an easy road, but it has always been a meaningful one. Through every joy and every challenge, I have seen God’s faithfulness again and again.
I believe the heart of being a pastor is presence — showing up, listening well, and trusting that God is already at work in people’s lives. Whether preaching, sitting at a hospital bedside, celebrating a wedding, or walking with someone through grief, I see these moments as sacred ground.
My own journey, with its blessings and struggles, has taught me that everyone carries a story worthy of compassion and grace. If I can offer anything, it is a steady presence, an open heart, and a deep trust in God’s love for all people. It is a privilege to walk alongside others in faith, and I look forward to the ways God will continue to lead us together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://newsalemlutheran.org
- Youtube: New Salem Lutheran, Turtle River, MN
