Pastoral and Administrative Staff:
Steve Thompson – Pastor
Steve was one of the founding elders of Mount Zion Church in 1985. He was a math teacher in the Red Lake School School District before being called to pastor the church in 1995. He is a Vietnam vet, and also a veteran of Bemidji’s “Friday Night Fellowship” in the heyday of the charismatic renewal in the 1970’s. He’s been married to Candy since 1969; she worked as a nurse before “retiring” in order to serve the church alongside Steve. They have two children and three grandchildren.
Rocky Coffin – Pastor
Rocky worked for 30 years as an advertising copywriter and graphic artist for a radio broadcast/marketing company. He also pastored a small country church for seven years; before that he was an elder of Christian Life Fellowship in Bemidji, and a student ministry leader on the campus of Bemidji State University. His wife Kelly taught kindergarten in a small Christian school for 20+ years and currently teaches part-time in a 3-year-old Preschool program and as an Early Childhood Parent Educator; she coordinates our Children’s Church program and oversees various aspects of our building. They have three sons and one daughter-in-law.
Bob McKeown – Worship Director
Bob is a (no-longer-) retired elementary school teacher, now teaching elementary music. He plays guitar and leads our worship team (but would rather play the drums). He has written many worship songs. His wife Kathy is a substitute teacher and freelance photographer; they have three sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. On occasion, Bob and Kathy and their sons perform together as the McKeown family band, with a repertoire of oldies pop songs.
Wanda Willard – Office Administrator
Wanda also does bookkeeping and administrative tasks for a business in Bemidji, and helps oversee the family farm with her husband, Bruce. They have six sons and daughters-in-law, and thirteen grandchildren. Wanda also plays keyboard for the worship team.
Elders: Along with Steve and Rocky, Gary Gilbertson and Jeff Sullivan are members of the leadership team. Gary grew up as a missionary kid, was saved during the Jesus People movement of the late 60’s and early 70’s, jumped into ministry experiences during the charismatic revival movement at Bemidji State University in the early 70’s, was a founding elder of Christian Life Fellowship in Bemidji from 1978-1990, and later served many years as an elder at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Bemidji, while also serving as a guitar-thumping song leader, Bible teacher, and encourager of the brethren at-large in the community. Gary’s beloved wife Bonnie graduated to glory in 2021; they have three sons and a daughter, three daughters-in-law, and several grandchildren. Jeff was saved in the Jesus movements among youth in California during the early 70’s; he has an entrepeneur’s heart, starting his first business, an autobody shop, while still a teenager. He moved to Bemidji in the mid-80’s to marry Jill; after working at Potlatch for a number of years, he started his own business in specialty machining, manufacturing parts for overseas clients. Jeff and Jill have three children, all married, with grandchildren; he recently turned his business over to his son so that he could focus more on ministry opportunities. Jeff has been a Bible study leader, Bible teacher, and served in other ways in several area churches over the years. Together, Gary and Jeff bring a wealth of wisdom and experience to the leadership of Mt. Zion.