Gottlieb Bender Christiansen Trinity Dates: 1889 - 1890 and 1896 - 1897 Born: October 27, 1851 in Røjle Mark, Vejlby Parish, Odense County, Denmark. Parents: Christian Gottliebsen and Else Cathrine Nielsdatter. Died: September 27, 1929 at the Ebenezer Home in Brush, Colorado. Buried at Elk Horn, Iowa. Married: Jensine Larsen in 1881. Ordained: June 23, 1881 at Shell Rock, Iowa. Came to America in 1877.
Dates and places of service:
1877 - 1881	Attended Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota
1881 - 1885	Pastor at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Coucil Bluffs, Iowa.
1885 - 1890	Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota, also served Brorson Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church and others during this time.
1890 - 1896	Pastor for congregations in Blair, Nebraska area.
1890 - 1896	President and theological professor at Trinity Seminary in Blair, Nebraska.
1896 - 1897	Pastor, briefly, a second time at Brorson Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, among other congregations around Owatonna.
1896 - 1921	Chairman of the United Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church.
1897 - 1905	Pastor at Pella Lutheran Church in Omaha, Nebraska.
1905 - 1922	Pastor at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa.
1912	Named Kight of the Dannebrog by King Christian X of Denmark.
1918	" Vink for Gennemlæsning af Bibelen" (Tips for Reading Through the Bible) by Rev. Christiansen, published at Blair, Nebraska.
1922	Retired from active ministry and moved to Brush, Colorado. Served various terms as visitation and interim pastor.
1930	"Recollections of Our Church Work" a U.D.E.L.C. History by Rev. Christiansen is posthumusly published.

Quote below taken from: Recollections of Our Church Work, page 117:

"Also in St. Ansgar's near Geneva, and in Brorson Church near Blooming Prairie the Lord worked through His Spirit and His Word to the slavation of many. For a while I was about to despair of the people of Geneva. They closely resembled those of whom Stephen said, 'Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears' (Acts 7:51). Drinking, card-playing, etc., characterized them for a while. But the people at Brorson were more churchly and more receptive for the Word of God. The very first evening I preached to those people I felt distinctly that here was fertile soil for the 'good seed,' for while I preached many a tear stole its way down the cheeks of listeners. Nor did it take long before an awakening came here, too, bringing salvation to many."

Rev. Christiansen and his wife Jensine's gravestones at Elk Horn Cemetery.

Back to Pastor List
Back to the Historical Narrative
Back to History Page
Back to Home Page