Christian Willick

Not One to Toot His Own Horn

Christian Willick is a little busy this week. And every week.

As a talented musician, he spent a fair amount of time at MLC playing French horn in the Wind Symphony, singing in College Choir, and handling the big bells in Hosanna Ringers. As a gifted scholar, he finished his own homework and then went on the clock as a writing coach and as a tutor in Greek, Hebrew, Chinese, and German. Oh, and did we mention he served as president of Anchor, our student community service organization, and the vice president of Student Senate?

You need to press a bit to get this kind of information. You see, Christian’s not one to toot his own horn—except in Wind Symphony, that is.

“At first I saw Wind Symphony as a way for me to give of myself and my abilities,” he says, “but Wind Symphony has given me so much more. Lasting friendships, two amazing conductors and role models (Professor Wurster and Professor Meissner), and the chance to join with fellow believers to make music to our one true God.”

Pastor IN THE MAKING: “Though not a pastor himself, my Grandpa Rupnow was my inspiration,” Christian says. “His selfless attitude of service and faithful love were great motivators, and I wanted that to be the hallmark of everything I did in my life as well. During my senior year at LPS, I did consider taking an extended path to the ministry and applied to a few other colleges out of curiosity. But God closed the doors of those other colleges in the form of much-needed non-acceptance letters, so I continued my path to the pastoral ministry at MLC right after high school.

Now at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Christian says, “I would love to be involved with the music in my future congregation as a called minister—by playing organ, piano, French horn, or handbells, by singing, or by doing whatever is needed! Preaching sermons is also something I look forward to. I’ve been privileged to deliver two sermons at our evening chapel, and both experiences were just as beneficial to me as they were to the peers I preached to.”

Dr. Mark Paustian calls men like Christian an answer to prayer. “It’s a remarkable thing to see how the prayers of the church are answered in the young men that show up at our door at Martin Luther College. You can see the pastor in them, more each passing semester. Christian Willick combines cheerfulness and a pleasing personality with a deep interest in the Word of God and a fascination with how to communicate Christian truth to the hearts and minds of people.”

Christian’s Advice to You: “God will use all of what you are—your interests, skills, passions, dreams—to put you in the unique position he has for you to fill: whether that’s training to be a called worker at MLC, studying at another college, entering the workforce right away, or so many other options. Consider your strengths and desires, and take that to him in prayer, trusting that he may close some doors in order to lead you to the open doors of his purposes for you.”