Steve & Wendy

The Backlunds were senior pastors for seventeen years before joining the Bethel Church (Redding, California) team in 2008. Ten of those years were spent on the backside of the desert in Central Nevada where they led their church into renewal, significant numerical growth and positively affected their area.

In 2001 Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton invited them to be senior leaders at Mountain Chapel in Weaverville, California (the church that Bill led for seventeen years) to continue leading the outpouring there. As a result of these experiences, Steve and Wendy have a special heart for senior leaders of rural and smaller churches. They believe strong local churches are the key to sustaining and increasing the manifestation of this current spiritual awakening.

They have a message that ignites hope and joy wherever they go. They travel extensively to encourage and empower churches around the world in revival culture and victorious mindsets.

Steve and Wendy have 3 children and 6 grandchildren, a dog named Duncan, and cat named Mister Mittens.

Igniting Hope Ministries ignitinghope.com

Equipping individuals with hope, joy, and divine strategies for success. Igniting Hope Ministries was founded by Steve and Wendy Backlund for the purpose of equipping individuals with hope, joy, and divine strategies for personal breakthrough and increased influence. Their message comes from personal victories over hopelessness, perfectionism, and discouragement that were a result of believing lies instead of truth. Through revelatory and interactive teaching, they release biblical wisdom that unlocks minds and hearts to embrace truth, resulting in transformed lives (Romans12:2). Since 2005, Steve and Wendy have written 13 books collectively; they also travel to many churches and ministries worldwide to spread the message of hope, joy, and victorious mindsets.

Steve and Wendy are passionate about the Church, developing leaders, and igniting hope and joy.