Sam Bodnar

Passionate storyteller, pastor, and mental health counseling intern who enjoys sharing God’s word, shepherding people through life’s toughest moments, and empowering people to find healing and freedom in Jesus. Primary counseling focuses include sexuality & gender identity issues, grief, anxiety, and depression.

Care & Youth Pastor at Mercy Road Church Northwest (2023-05 – Present)

• Build healthy and growing relationships with adult volunteers, students, and their families
• Execute weekly programming, mission trips, and retreats for student ministries
• Oversee benevolence, Prayer Team, counseling needs, funerals, & weddings
• Provide pastoral care to students & families in crisis

Pastor of Student Ministries at Life Covenant Church (2021-05 – 2023-06)

• Recruited and trained adult volunteers for middle and high school ministries
• Executed weekly programming for middle and high school ministries
• Developed student leader teams for service at student ministry nights and weekend church services
• Led and organized local service projects and an international mission trip
• Visited, counseled, and prayed with church members to provide pastoral care.

Youth and Communications Intern at Genesis Church (2020-05 – 2020-08)

• Volunteered and preached at weekly student ministry events
• Oversaw social media management and livestream operations
• Assisted with prayer ministry

Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling – Liberty University (2024-02)

Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies – Indiana University Bloomington (2021-05)

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism – Indiana University Bloomington (2021-05)