Loren Bjokne – Pastor
Pastor Loren Bjokne was raised in a Christian farmer’s home. He asked Jesus to save him at Bible camp. Under the fertile ground of a Christian home, Pastor grew into a faithful Christian. He eagerly went to Bible College and helped to start a church near his hometown while attending Bible College.
He met his wife, LaVonne, and they married. After graduation, he went to Pennsylvania where a vibrant new seminary was beginning. Pastor enjoyed the opportunities of helping plant another church while in seminary. He graduated with his Master’s of Divinity degree and moved back to Minnesota. He ministered to youth and young families in his new position at Granite City Baptist Church.
After years of faithful service, God called Pastor Bjokne to leap out in faith and plant a church. Pastor yielded to God’s call and began searching for a community that needed a Gospel witness. Providentially, he was led to Cottage Grove, Minnesota. He and his wife have ministered at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Cottage Grove since 1985.
Joshua Huang – Assistant Pastor
Born and raised in Iowa, Pastor Joshua was brought up in a family that placed a high priority in ministry. Pastor Joshua's grandpa served in pastoral ministry for over four decades in Iowa, his parents were short-term missionaries in the Philippines when Joshua was a baby, and his parents prayed his whole life that God would call him into ministry.
Having been saved at the age of 5, Joshua was baptized at the age of 7 and became an active member in his home church, Faith Baptist Church in Mason City, IA. While camping at Iowa Regular Baptist Camp at the age of 13, he made the decision to follow God wherever He would lead. Eventually that decision led him to Faith Baptist Bible College & Theological Seminary in Ankeny, IA. While at Faith, he had the opportunity to serve in churches of various sizes, including a rapidly growing church in Ames, IA and a small church plant in Bennington, NE. God also brought along opportunities for him to serve in Brasil for two summers.
After graduating from FBBC&TS in 2016, God led Pastor Joshua to Lighthouse Baptist after over a year of praying and meeting with Pastor Bjokne. Some of his main emphases on staff include children's and youth ministry, music, missions, and technology. In 2019 Joshua married Alyssa, a former classmate at FBBC&TS. In April 2022, Joshua and Alyssa welcomed their first son, Jadon.
Matthew Robertson – Associate Pastor
Shortly after graduating from Pensecola Theological Seminary in May 2021, Matthew and his wife Danielle moved to Minnesota to join the staff at Lighthouse as a pastoral intern. In July 2022, the church voted to have Matthew become the associate pastor after a beneficial year as an intern.
Matthew and Danielle have two children, Jason and Lydia.
