Lamar Family Ministries Center

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Bob Petersen - Senior Pastor

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Pastor Bob is the founder and senior pastor of Lamar Family Ministries Center.  He has been in many facets of ministry for over 25 years, including youth ministry, children's ministry, deliverance,  and evangelizing.  In the mid 1980's he was the youth pastor in Carthage, Missouri for about 5 years.  He pastored a home missions church in Nebraska in the early 1990's, and in 1997 the Lord directed him to start a ministry to minister to those who were unchurched and hurting; to those who are hungry for the deep understanding of His Spirit. 

His heart is to draw people to know God in a personal way and not from a distance.  He thrives on equipping people with the knowledge and understanding to enter into a deeper relationship with Christ so that it is truly evident in their own lives that He lives.  An overcoming lifestyle is his passion so that saints can come to the fullness of their callings.  Many have gifts & talents but seem to never bring them into reality.  He teaches others how to break free from generational bondages and how to recognize the life-long patterns that have kept them from their dreams.

Bob has been married to his wife, Julie for over 22 years.  Together, they co-pastor LFMC, with a vision to restore the Christian family to the origins of what God intended and to model healthy communication in relationships. They have four children; Micah, Caleb, Seth & Levi. 

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Julie Petersen - Co- Pastor

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Julie is the co-founder and associate pastor at LFMC.  She has been ministering with her husband, Bob, for over 22 years. 

Alongside Bob, her gift for prophetic ministry in song and piano has been an added supplement to the years of ministry they have spent helping hungry and hurting people. Through the ministry of music, she has been able to bring healing to hearts sometimes without a spoken word. 

Together with music, her heartbeat for prayer and intercession for the lost and scattered have also been a driving force for her calling.  She inspires others to follow that same example in prayer and spending initmate time with the Holy Spirit to experience His healing presence.

Julie & her husband, Pastor Bob Petersen, are the parents of four boys; Micah, Caleb, Seth, & Levi.

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Tharina Petersen - In His Arms Ministry Director

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About me:

I have a new life, a real life, it took 1/2 a lifetime to get, but worth the wait! I was a messed up girl, soul shattered, spirit dehydrated, when I moved to Lamar 8 years ago. 

Brief background: My parents were never married, & never sober. My childhood was rough, filled with mass abuse, all the horrors that a little girl shouldn’t have. I buried both parents by 13, I was orphaned, and felt alone.  I had a step-mom who tried her best, but I wouldnt allow myself to love or be loved.  This wall of mine was to high to climb, and after we both took a bad fall from that wall one night, I left.....& hit the ground running! I didn’t stop for years! I was at the height of many addictions, close to death at the bottom of a black hole, & then... My Angel girl came into this world! Tris10 is amazing, I finally knew what true Love was, & what it wasn’t. This is the epiphany that left me in quite the quandary, because I had no idea what to do, how to honor this love. I began a search which has yielded many awesome things so far, a never ending quest for improvement. I have learned that in this world we do not wrestle with flesh & blood, but with spiritual principalities. I live a very spiritual life, not religious, but an intimate, deeply passionate relationship with my Father God.   I believe absolutely that there is a spirit that guides me within, some call it intuition, some trusting your gut, I know that still small voice (sometimes loud) as the Holy Ghost, my helper.  I believe staying in tune to this spiritual world, that the spirit can guide you into all truths. I do not always like these truths, or understand them, but there is much revelation in the seeking. I do not tolerate judgmental attitudes.  I detest gossiping, & negative, complaint infested people. There is life & death in our words, they are powerful, and WILL form your decisions and future.   I have been forgiven much, so I have forgiven, even the most heinous of crimes against me. When I did, it was intended for those I was forgiving, but I received much more! I have been set free from the bondages of alcohol & drugs, I am healed from the scars of childhood sexual abuse, I have traveled to the other side of the world on a mission in India.  I have done a TV show with Joyce Meyer Ministries called, "How to Succeed at Being Yourself."  My testimony was made into a 30 minute TV show by JMM.  It has gone out to 2/3 of the world in 32 different languages.  That testimony is available from this site on DVD, just email us.  I have been invited and spoken to many church congregations, and shared the Victory with many.  I have spent the last 5 years learning, hands on, how to effectively teach and counsel our precious youth.  I have so much to share, mainly through my mistakes....and then victory.  But I think this actually qualifies me more to stand before them.  They KNOW that I know.  I am real and voluntarily transparent, they can spot a "front," or a fake so fast.   My soul and spirit are also focused on the adult entertainment business, and the sex slave trade that had permeated our country, and brought dispicable consequences to our young women.  I am raising my daughter Tris10 to be a world conscience woman. She is deep, I get glimpses of her future watching her sometimes, those moments when she is gazing out over the lake, a far away look in her eye. She knows who she is, she is unique & strong. I have raised her knowing all about my past, just her & I go out to the homeless shelters sometimes & just chat with people & pass out blankets. She will always know what could have been, but for Grace. She is as comfortable walking up to a homeless stranger smoking a cigarette, as she is on a microphone in front of many. She teaches me compassion, & unconditional acceptance. She blows me away, this April 09 she is turning 11!  I home school Tris10, she is in an advanced program called ABeka. It is an amazing gift this life God leads.  I am single and havent even had a date in 10 years, I strongly guard my purity made new by God 10 years ago.  I have found a much needed clarity in this choice over the years. I am a work in progress, but I have high hopes, & high standards for myself, & for the first man that Tris10 & I will have in our lives. I have spent the last 8 years under the guidance of my brother Pastor Bob, and my sis-in-law Pastor Julie. I have allowed myself to be open to correction, and have allowed God ,thru these gifted people, to change EVERYTHING.  All of the above has been learned here under the covering of Lamar Family Ministries Center.  I take my responsibilites EXTREMELY serious.  As an active part of your families and childrens life, my life is an open book, please feel free to approach myself or the Pastors about any concerns or questions you may have about me, or my family!   Humbly his servant....Tharina

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Marilyn has been a teacher for many years.  For 18 years she was an elementary teacher in the public school system.  After she gave her life to the Lord in 1976, she quickly began to have a burden not only for children's education but for biblical education as well.  In the early 1980's she started a young women's bible study which met from home to home.  Many lives were changed during that season & new visions were planted in her heart for not only women, but for whole families. 

In 1988, her first grandchild was born, & by the year 1997, she had seven grandchildren.  When her oldest grandchild was kindergarten age, she started helping home school him & went on to home school four of her seven grandchildren until they were in their early teens.

Throughout the years, Marilyn has been an avid student of the Word of God.  She has spent many hours memorizing scripture because of the positive effects it has had on her mind.  In her late 20's & early 30's she struggled with depression & hopelessness.  After her surrender to Christ, she discovered the quickening power of memorizing & quoting the scriptures she had learned.  It has brought her confidence & strength in areas of her life that she didn't have naturally from childhood.  From these experiences, a passion to teach others & see them benefit from the power of God's Word is her motivation. 

She has now been teaching the Wednesday night adult bible study for the past two years.  Not only does she use a curriculum, but her faithful digging for hidden wisdom & treasures of in-depth knowledge concerning each subject has been an exciting adventure for her class each week.

Her husband, John, also helps her with her class with years of wisdom & experience from living a faithful life with the Lord. 

John & Marilyn are the parents of Pastor Julie Petersen (husband, Pastor Bob Petersen) & the grandparents of Micah, Caleb, Seth, & Levi Petersen.  They also have a son, Jeff Moore (wife, Susan Moore) & are grandparents to Keli, Cameron, & Andrew Moore.

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From the beginnings of LFMC, Nelly has been a faithful asset to this ministry.  Her heart & compassion for children is apparent as she interacts with infants & children or any who have needs or are hurting.  She has been what we call "the Heart" of LFMC because of her genuine care for others & her willingness to "lay her life down" for the misfortunate. 

Nelly is the director of our childcare facility (Lamar Family Daycare) which is open to the public during the week.  Her hard work & faithfulness to meet the needs of children have been the soul of these ministries.  She is gifted in finding ways to interact & communicate with children in ways many cannot.  Because of her great affection for the children, to many she is called "Momma Nelly".

Nelly & her husband Aaron live in Lamar & have one daughter, Hailey.

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Pam has been attending Lamar Family Ministries Center since the second service that was held. She began working at Lamar Family Daycare in August of 1999. She has served in several different positions over the last ten years. She has been the church secretary since August 2004.

Rhonda Smith - Website Administrator

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Rhonda and her family have been members of Lamar Family Ministries Center since October 2005. She has been the Website Administrator since it was launched in March 2009.