Tyler Wolfe was born in Michigan but raised in Janesville, Wisconsin. He has lived in the inner city Milwaukee, and the suburbs, as well as rural Wisconsin. Tyler currently resides in Lake Country which is his favorite place he has ever lived. He loves to run, and spend time with his family and his church community. Tyler also trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Open Guard Jiu Jitsu in Oconomowoc.
About Tyler Wolfe
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have a wife named Alyssa who is a licensed social worker and has a history in facilitating adoptions for couples looking to grow their family. We got married while in college and it’s been 10 years now. I love being a Dad. We have two sons; Micah (6 yrs) who is thoughtful and athletic and Calvin (2 yrs) who is funny, silly, and musical.
Q: Please tell us about your life and what you do (whether working in our community, a business owner, volunteer, etc.). How did you choose that path?
In 2009 I had reached the end of my rope after an 8 year battle with drug addiction. I was addicted to heroin, homeless and had two overdoses in a matter of four months. On May 2, 2009, after my second overdose, I somehow knew that was the end of that life. I had to make a change. So with the help of my parents and their pastor (Todd Pope), I was checked into a treatment center in Minnesota where I would spend the next 12 months. It was during my time in treatment that I experienced the Love of God and I surrendered my life to Him. I gave up “control.” It became so clear to me during that year that I was to dedicate the rest of my life to serving others and helping hurting people. That was the beginning of my path toward becoming a minister. I’ve worked at treatment centers, I was a youth pastor for several years and now I pastor a location of Bridge Church here in Oconomowoc.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
I love facilitating experiences for people to feel Loved and accepted. When we plan our worship services and church programs, that is what it is all about: setting the stage for people to experience love and acceptance, and ultimately to give God the honor He is due. As a pastor, my job is to guide people toward growth in their faith and I really enjoy that. As a former addict, I really enjoy getting around people that are down and out. I like to say that I may not be “hanging from a cliff” anymore, but that I have “built my new house with a view of the cliff I used to hang from.” This means that though I am 14 years sober, I do not feel above or beyond that life. I’m grateful to be alive!
Q: What was the most difficult challenge in getting to where you are now or in your life?
All of the pain that drove my addiction didn’t just disappear overnight. Sometimes as you enter new stages of life, old things get brought up to the surface. So that can be a challenge as I move on and grow older. But I believe always working on yourself and inviting God to work on your heart is a key mindset for success.
Q: What is the most rewarding part?
Seeing people grow and and seeing people find freedom. I really want everyone to feel accepted and comfortable in church and because of my history, especially addicts. We have grown this location of Bridge Church to support hundreds in the Lake Country Community.
Q: What are some of your future goals? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
Longevity for our church. I want to see our church succeed in connecting people with others and God long after I am gone. I am very excited that we recently moved into the old St. Matthews building at 818 W. Wisconsin Ave. in Oconomowoc. I invite anyone to pay us a visit, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy service any Sunday at 10:30 a.m. We are in the process of training staff and will be providing a weekly 12 step program. Celebrate Recovery (Registered trademark) is a biblically balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts. It will be the first of this type of program in Lake Country. This Fall, we will introduce mid-week Family Ministry activities for all ages. From games with messages, to Bible Study for the adults, we plan to incorporate spiritual practices for every day of the week. Also in the future for the Oconomowoc location are Grief Share gatherings and Youth Group ministries.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in doing something similar to what you have done/are doing?
Pastoral work is time well spent. It’s not easy, but you can go to bed every night knowing that time spent serving people is never wasted time.
Tyler Wolfe & Our Community
Q: Who is an interesting person you’ve met here in our community, and how have they inspired you?
Dan and Lori LaPaz. They own and operate Open Guard Jiu Jitsu in Oconomowoc and make space for many, many people to realize their own potential. Their whole story inspires me to step out and do hard things and to write a great story.
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
I love Ginger Ovens in Oconomowoc!
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
Fun. Friendly… and, uh, LAKES! I love how little time it takes to get from your front door to the water!
For Fun
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I fell off a slide when I was two, cracked my skull and had 20 stitches in my head. Once again, I am lucky to be alive!
Q: What is your favorite book, TV show, movie, poem, or song? Why?
My favorite movie is There Will Be Blood because of how it represents tensions a father can face between their own personal ambitions and the sacrifices they need to make for their families and people they care for. I love Dad movies!
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My wife, Alyssa. She makes me a better man!
Q: If you were a drink (can be a coffee drink, alcoholic, non-alcoholic, etc.), what would you be?
Very, very, very, very caffeinated coffee.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be with? Why?
Tough question… My answer to this could change week to week, but right now I am very interested in Frederick Douglass. He was an American Social Reformer/Abolitionist who escaped slavery. I would love to sit down with him and hear about what life was like as a slave and about how he was so faithful to the fight for justice.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Sky dive.
Q: What makes you the happiest?
Prayer! Though it does not always result in an emotional type of happiness, I believe prayer fuels a source of joy that sits below the surface during every moment in my life. My family brings me joy and a sense of purpose.
Q: Any general life advice you would like to share?
Be here now. This is advice that is for me as much as it’s for anyone else. There is so much to be enjoyed in the present moment, don’t live in the past OR the future.
Where to Find Tyler Wolfe
Email: tylerw@bridgechurch.net
@wolfepackpodcast
