Our Pastor, James Sells

Pastor James comes to Immanuel after serving for six years in central Nebraska at the Tri-Point Lutheran

Parish of Geneva, Ohiowa, and McCool Junction and more recently, six years serving at Resurrection

Lutheran Church in Gretna, NE. He earned a Master of Divinity at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa

where he met his wife Pastor Becky Sells who also serves in Omaha at Lord of Love Lutheran Church.

Together they have two boys, John, and Daniel.

Before moving to Iowa for seminary James was born and raised in Texas where he earned a Bachelor of

Science in Architecture from Texas Tech University and studied music at the University of North Texas.

James continues to use these creative talents in his ministry and loves chanting the liturgy and singing

the hymnody of the church.

James feels deeply called to the specific ministry needs in the Benson neighborhood of Omaha, working

with folks of all socio-economic levels. His primary goal is to help everyone build their relationship with

Christ and to support that relationship through the community of believers gathered at Immanuel. He

firmly believes that we are in relationship with God when we are in relationship with each other and

prioritizes visitation ministry so that everyone may have an opportunity to experience God’s presence in

their lives, whether this is through the sacraments, the proclamation, the shared laugh in community, or

by a shoulder to lean against in times of trouble.

James’ driving theological outlook comes through the Theology of the Cross. God meets us, most

meaningfully, when we are at our weakest, as St. Paul reminds us, it is the weakness of the cross where

God’s power is perfected. This provides a promise of new life to the dead and freedom to those who

suffer as Jesus meets our suffering through the cross and defeats it even though he dies, because there

is an Easter morning and an empty tomb. It is into this promise that James preaches and points people

toward in his daily ministry.