Our Staff

                                  Pastor Mike

 

                                                             Our Senior Pastor,  Michael L. Smith  arrived in Sioux Falls  

                                                             in October of 1995 to begin his ministry at Rustic Hills.

 

              Pastor Mike grew up in Nebraska. He graduated from Anderson University with a degree in Psychology and received his Masters degree from Anderson University School of Theology.

 

             He pastored in Michigan for ten years and was a church planting pastor in Minnesota for six years before coming to South Dakota. Over the years he has led a number of workshops and seminars for states and regions concerning: church growth, Sunday School growth, evangelism/discipleship and prayer. He has also been a curriculum writer for Warner Press' adult Sunday School curriculum.

 

             Pastor Mike and his wife Bev have two children - Jennifer & Benjamin.

 

 

                                     Pastor Sandy

 

                                                           One of our Associate Pastors, Sandy Kuepfer (kip-fer),         

                                                           began her ministry in Sioux Falls in August 2000 with 

                                                           primary responsibilities in evangelism and discipleship. She

                                                           oversees our CLUSTERS (small group) ministry and new believer discipleship.

 

                Pastor Sandy grew up in Wisconsin. She graduated from Anderson University with a degree in Social Work and Psychology and received her Master of Divinity degree from Anderson University School of Theology.

 

            While in seminary, she supervised Court Appointed Special Advocates for the non-profit organization Indiana Advocates for Children. She also served as Associate Pastor for Nurture & Discipleship in an Indiana church.

 

             She is married to Scott.

 

 

 

                                      Pastor Jen

 

                                                            Jennifer Sigl Akossi is our newest pastor. She joins us as an 

                                                            Associate Pastor with primary responsibilities for Youth.     

                                                            Pastor Jen grew up in Rustic Hills Community Church, 

                                                            graduated from high school and college here and Seminary in 

                                                            Kentucky where she received her Master's degree.

 

             In the years that Jen has been away from Sioux Falls , she taught school at a Christian school in Nashville, and was also Youth Pastor at Trinity Church of God in that city. She then went to Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa where she taught music at an International School in Abidjan. She returned home for her seminary degree and while in seminary she spent a summer at Pine Ridge with Youth Works - an interdenominational youth ministry.  After graduating from seminary, she joined the Mission Board of the Church of God and went back to Ivory Coast to develop leaders among the local churches there.

 

             Pastor Jen is newly married to Nas Akossi, and they became proud parents of a baby boy on October 2, 2007.

   

 

                                       Pastor Dave

 

                                                             Our Associate Pastor, J. David Dancler has been a resident of

                                                             Sioux Falls since 1980. He grew up in Indiana and 

                                                             graduated from Anderson University with a degree in 

                                                             Business and Marketing.

 

             Pastor Dave is Senior Vice President, Business  Vice President, Business Banking for Minnwest Bank of Sioux Falls. Prior to joining Minnwest, he worked for nearly 23 years for Wells Fargo Bank in Sioux Falls. Pastor Dave has an excellent reputation around the community as a good husband, father and community leader. He volunteers leadership time to the community soccer program, basketball, Food Bank, YMCA, United Way and on and on.

 

              Pastor Dave just celebrated the 25th anniversary of his being the "the Youth Guy" at Rustic Hills. Now, with the addition of Pastor Jen as a full-time youth pastor, Pastor Dave will be serving the church in many new ways - particularly with young adults.

 

              Pastor Dave and his wife Melanie have three children - Adam, Simon & Amy.