Rev. Stephen Heimer

About

The Rev. Stephen Heimer is manager of All Nations Ministry for the LCMS Office of National Mission. Prior to accepting this position, he ministered for 28 years on the U.S./Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, at Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLMHC); at Zion Lutheran Church, El Paso; and in Mexico at the mission Iglesia Luterana de la Santa Biblia. His ministry on the border includes 13 years as an LCMS pastor with overlapping service at YLMHC as its chief operating officer, communications director and founding director of its Adelante and Mariachi San Pablo Hispanic outreach ministries.

As pastor of Zion, El Paso, Heimer ministered to military families from Fort Bliss, veterans, civil servants, teachers and various homeland security agents during Middle East deployments and the ongoing National Guard border mission. Heimer also has 18 years of experience working in the El Paso Immigration Processing Center, which serves men and women from all over the world who have been detained while awaiting immigration hearings. In response to various community crises on the border related to the economy, gangs, cartel violence, immigration and more, Heimer worked with LCMS congregations, Recognized Service Organizations (RSOs), schools and community partners. It taught him the necessity of building strong networks, which he will cultivate throughout the U.S. for All Nations Ministry. Heimer is a graduate of the Cross-cultural Ministry Center of Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, Calif., and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

Since 2022, Heimer has served as vice-president of the LCMS National Hispanic Ministry Convention and the Hispanic Missionary League board of directors. With YLMHC, he has assisted LCMS congregations and RSOs throughout the U.S. in Hispanic evangelism and outreach since 2003.

Heimer and his wife, Krysia, who herself served as an LCMS short-term missionary, a YLMHC staff member and has an M.A. in Christian Outreach from Concordia University, St. Paul, St. Paul, Minn., are blessed with five children: Jaden, Alivia, Andrew, Elise and Emmalyn.