Bishop Tesch’s mission statement is: “A Follower of Jesus: Creating Gospel Collaborations with Faithfulness, Authenticity and Love.”

Before his election to Bishop, he served as the Director for Evangelical Mission and Associate to the Bishop of the South Dakota Synod. Prior to that, he pastored Messiah New Hope Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD first as Mission Developer and later as the congregation’s Senior Pastor. His first call was to a two-point rural and small-town congregation (St. Paul and St. Peter in Humboldt and Orland, SD). Bishop Tesch is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Luther-Northwestern Seminary, the USAF Air War College, Air Command and Staff College, the Air Force Basic Chaplain’s Course, and Officer’s Training School. The Bishop is also a retired Air Force Chaplain, having attained the rank of Colonel before his retirement in 2021. He was a member of the South Dakota Air National Guard and served in two overseas combat deployments. 

Bishop Tesch is married to Chris Tesch, who teaches Nursing at the University of South Dakota. He and Chris enjoy time with their adult children and are grateful to be discovering the joys of grandparenting. In his spare time, Bishop Tesch enjoys exercise, hunting, fishing, book club, entertaining friends and family, cheering for the Green Bay Packers… and a host of other hobbies for which he really has no time!