Education

• Ph.D. (Luther Seminary)
• M.Div. (Bethel Seminary)
• B.A. Art (Wheaton College)

Biography

Steve Thomason joined the faculty in 2022 as the Associate Professor of Spiritual Formation and Discipleship. He became the Dean of the Chapel in 2024. His ministry is a fusion of art and theology. His public theology is found at artpastor.com where he invites people to explore spirituality and scripture through visual art and creativity.

Thomason’s journey of art and theology began as an Art major at Wheaton College in the late 1980s. His art career took him to Las Vegas, NV in 1990. His first church call began at an Evangelical Mega Church in 1994 where he was ordained and became the Director of Adult Ministries. He earned his M.Div. from Bethel Seminary during those years, balancing professional art, ministry, and school. In 2002 he stepped out of the mega and into the micro by experimenting with house church ministry for 5 years. He and his family moved to Minnesota in 2007. In 2010 God led him to transfer his ordination into the ELCA and enroll in the PhD program in Congregational Mission and Leadership at Luther Seminary. He served as an associate pastor at two suburban ELCA congregations in the Twin Cities for twelve years prior to joining the faculty at Luther. His art has infused his preaching, teaching, and spirituality at every step of the way.

Featured Work

In The Visual Preacher: Proclaiming an Embodied Word, Thomason’s winsomely illustrated text shows preachers visual techniques to study the Bible, construct a sermon, use the physical space where they preach, create two-dimensional images, and develop and use videos.

Visit visualpreacher.com