Lutherans for Life’s Michelle Bauman ’98 to speak at Youth Gathering

Michelle Austie Lee (Bridges) Bauman ’98 said her journey to Concordia University, Nebraska is a very long story, but sharing it gives her the opportunity to reflect on God’s faithfulness in her life. 

“It starts at the beginning of my fifth-grade year when my dad decided to go back to school to become a pastor,” she said. “It was a big step of faith – to become a full-time student while working full-time to support a family. And it meant leaving behind our church family, friends and the security of extended biological family. Yet, after he and my mom visited a few Concordias, it became clear that Concordia College in Seward, Nebraska, would be our new home.” 

Her family moved to Seward over Christmas break so her father could start classes second semester.  

“My brothers and I began attending St. John Lutheran School right across the street from campus,” she said. “It was the first time my brothers and I had ever attended a Lutheran school, and even though we had been active members in an LCMS congregation in Iowa, attending a Lutheran school was a bit of a culture shock.” 

Four and a half years later, her father had switched majors and was sent out on internship as a DCE. The family moved to Greeley, Colorado, where Michelle spent the next three years attending a public high school.  

“It wasn’t until reentering public school that I realized how much attending a Lutheran school had changed my life. While I admired many of my high school teachers, I knew something, someone really, was missing: Christ,” she said. “When I decided to become a teacher, I knew I wanted to become a Lutheran teacher. I wanted the freedom to weave the faith into my curriculum, to pray with and for my students and to teach the most important truths by connecting faith and life with the students God brought to my classroom. And I knew a place where I could make that dream come true: Concordia in Seward, Nebraska.” 

Bauman has a bachelor of science in secondary education with concentration in English language arts and a Lutheran Teaching Diploma from Concordia Nebraska. She also has a master’s degree in English from the University of Indianapolis. 

“There are so many things I loved about my experience at Concordia. I developed wonderful, lifelong friendships, met and married my loving and faithful husband and learned from professors who knew me by name and cared about my future,” she said. “As I look back on my years at Concordia, I think I am struck most by the supportive Christian community that existed and still persists on campus. It was and is a great place to grow in faith and life.”  

She said her professors were instrumental in helping her see God’s leading in her life. 

“As Christians, we know that our identity, worth and purpose are established by God Himself,” she said. “It is His work in our lives that gives every life value and meaning. We also know that God carries out this work in our lives in a variety of ways – especially through His Word and Sacraments for the forgiveness of sins, strength and salvation. But He also works through His people to uphold the lives of others, to guide, mentor, and provide hope. Many of my professors – Dr. Thurber, Dr. Gernant, Dr. Roebke, Dr. Fiala, Dr. Ashby, Dr. Wiegmann, Dr. Vasconcellos and so many more – provided Christian guidance, encouragement, and hope. They invested their time and care in my life, helping me grow into the teacher I was designed to be. Most of all, they encouraged me to see my vocations as opportunities to serve others and bring those whom I served to Jesus.” 

Bauman said her time at Concordia Nebraska prepared her not only to serve in the classroom, but also in her current services as Y4Life Director at Lutherans For Life.  

“There were little things, like speech and communication classes at 7:30 a.m. for two semesters in a row. I took those classes so I could teach speech; little did I know that I would one day be giving speeches for a living! There were coincidental things, like the fact that my roommate for most of my college experience had taken part in pro-life work since she was a child. The conversations we had introduced me to a world I wasn’t familiar with and challenged me to see the connection between faith and life in a real, tangible way. I had no idea that those conversations were preparing me for life work, but they definitely were!” she said. “And there were purposeful things, like Dr. Thurber’s consistent and powerful message about the human condition. You cannot take a class from Dr. Thurber without learning where depravity comes from and how all good literature points to the need for a Savior. I used that message again and again in my English classroom. Now I use it to explain both the existence of and the answer to life issues.” 

Faith and life are woven together at Concordia Nebraska, sometimes that is evident in the classroom and outside of it, she said. 

“Much of my work now involves showing others how faith and life are tied together and how faith should influence our actions and decisions,” she said. “There were so many ways my Concordia experience shaped my faith, causing it to deepen and grow. Theology classes, especially Doctrine I and II, both strengthened and challenged my beliefs, and the daily opportunities to be immersed in God’s Word through chapel, devotions, and prayer in class and with friends created a faith-filled structure that guided my time in college and shaped how I formed both curriculum and community in my classroom. They still guide me today as I learn, write, and teach others about life issues.” 

After graduation, Bauman received a call to teach middle school English at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She taught there for four years while her husband Doug ’97 attended seminary.  

“As Christians, we know that our identity, worth and purpose are established by God Himself. It is His work in our lives that gives every life value and meaning. We also know that God carries out this work in our lives in a variety of ways – especially through His Word and Sacraments for the forgiveness of sins, strength and salvation.”

“When he received a call to St. Paul in Columbus, Indiana, I also received a call to teach at Trinity Lutheran High School in Seymour, Indiana. I served at Trinity for 17 years as an English, drama and speech teacher and as Trinity’s recruitment director for 13 years,” she said. “While there, I was also the English department chair, events coordinator, co-director of the fall musical and sponsor for a variety of clubs. My favorite memories of teaching? Teaching my own sons and taking my students to England every other year where we saw literature come to life!” 

In the spring 2019, Michelle received a call to serve as the national director of Y4Life, the youth branch of Lutherans For Life. She joined Lutherans for Life June 1, 2019. 

“I have the privilege of serving youth and their leaders across the nation, equipping them to be Gospel-motivated voices for life. Initially, Y4Life (Youth4Life) was designed to serve college students only; however, part of my work the last six years has been to expand our reach. Y4Life began serving high school students in the fall of 2019,” she said. “As director, I help youth build Y4Life Teams at high schools, colleges and churches. My team and I also provide print and video resources and host in-person gatherings and online events for youth across the nation.” 

In January of 2024, Y4Life expanded its reach to include young adults between the ages of 22 and 35 (YA For Life) and in the summer of 2024, it expanded again to include children ages Pre K – second grade (Lil’ Lutherans 4 Life) and those in grades 3-8 (Y4Life Jr.).  

“My work varies from day to day; no two days are exactly the same. About 50 percent of the time, I am traveling. That means if I’m not in an airplane or in a moving car, I’m probably speaking at schools, youth conferences, or at events Y4Life is sponsoring,” she said. “I check in with Y4Life teams, make phone calls to answer questions about life issues, engage in learning through podcasts and audio books and I dream up new endeavors for Y4Life.” 

When she’s not on the road, Bauman works remotely from home where she engages in event planning, setting strategic planning goals, running meetings, participating in and leading LFL initiatives, writing articles and devotions, recording podcasts, engaging in graphic design work, answering a lot of emails and keeping Y4Life running smoothly. 

“Serving as Y4Life Director not only keeps me on my toes, but it also engages me in new and creative ways! I have really enjoyed the variety of tasks and the many ways I can use the gifts and talents God has given me to serve and uphold the lives of others,” she explained. “What I love about my work with Y4Life is what I loved most about teaching: every day I get to remind youth that they are inherently valuable and loved, not because of their talents or abilities but because they are created by God and redeemed by Jesus. I get to help youth apply faith and life, to provide an answer for the human condition, to help them make sense of the world and to speak hope into suffering. And as I build relationships with and mentor youth, I get to focus on the important stuff – the eternal stuff – the stuff that really matters. I get to walk beside them on the road to eternity and encourage them in the faith on the way. It’s work that is both meaningful and incredibly fulfilling.” 

The LCMS Youth Gathering plans and offers mass Bible studies on three consecutive days to all participants who attend the event. For each gathering, LCMS Youth asks men and women who are called workers in the church to lead these studies in pairs.  

“I was humbled to be asked in the spring of 2024 to consider participating, and with LFL’s blessing, I said yes,” she said. “There are five pairs; each pair will serve a different set of youth. I’ve been paired with Rev. Dave McGinley, senior pastor at The Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens. We’ll be leading Bible study for about 6,000 youth each day.” 

Bauman attended the youth gathering when she was in high school and has exhibited there twice, but this is her first opportunity to serve as a speaker. 

“Dave and I wrote our Bible studies this winter, and we’re busy refining and reading through them now. We’ll head down to the gathering early to get used to the stage, film video clips and get ready to greet the youth who will be joining us!” she said. “I’m looking forward to interacting with the youth in our Bible study room and even more excited about showing them how Jesus has endured for them. Christ’s endurance not only saves us but also enables us to endure! It’s been a tremendous opportunity, and I’m so humbled and thankful LCMS Youth has asked me to be part of it!”  

Michelle’s husband will be celebrating 23 years in the pastoral ministry this summer. The Baumans have two sons, Nathaniel and Simeon. 

“Nathaniel and his wife Abby graduated from Concordia Chicago in 2023,” said Michelle. “Nathaniel is currently attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri and his wife Abby, who has served as an English teacher at a Lutheran school in St. Peter’s for the last two years, will begin deaconess training this fall while Nathaniel begins his vicarage,” she said. “After three years of college, Simeon graduated from Concordia Wisconsin in May 2025 with a Bachelor of science in computer science and works full-time for the IT department at the university. He will begin work on his master's this fall. 

The Baumans have been married 27 years and live in Columbus, Indiana, where he serves as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church. 

“God redeems all things for good,” said Michelle. “Moving to Nebraska, leaving behind friends and family in fifth grade was heartbreaking. But God redeemed that heartbreak and transformed it into lifelong love. Little did I know in fifth grade that I would one day return to Nebraska for my own college experience and marry the love of my life at none other than St. John’s Lutheran Church. Nor did I know that the same college my dad attended would one day shape my view of the human condition and prepare me to teach youth which would one day turn into a chance to teach thousands of youth about Jesus on a stage in New Orleans! Truly, ‘[t]he heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps’ Proverbs 16:9.” 

Held every three years since 1980, the LCMS Youth Gathering provides thousands of youth and adults the opportunity to come together as a community of God’s people to be encouraged in their walk with Jesus Christ and learn about the Christian faith and their Lutheran identity. This year’s event, themed “Endure,” will take place July 19-23, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Gathering provides young people a vision for the vastness of Christ’s Church and equips them for vocational service as they continue their walk with Jesus. This event is organized by LCMS Youth Ministry .