Pastor Van Kampen was installed as pastor here at Christ the King on December 22, 2013.
Sam Piet Van Kampen was born to Ike and Antonia Van Kampen in Avon Township, Michigan, on December 4, 1977, and was baptized several months later. When he was two, he moved with his family to Phoenix, Arizona where he attended parochial school from 1986-1989 at Grace Ev. Lutheran Church in Glendale, Arizona. At the age of eleven the family moved to San Antonio, Texas, where Piet was confirmed by Rev. James Tauscher at Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church in 1991. Attending public high school for his first two years, Piet transferred to Northwestern Preparatory School, Watertown, Wisconsin, graduating in 1995.
He attended Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota for two years. Then he moved on to study at Minnesota State University and Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in English. Piet entered Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in January of 2001. While a seminary student he served as class secretary for the 2002-2003 school year. From January to December of 2004 he served as a vicar at Bethany Lutheran Church, Port Orchard, Washington under the tutelage of Rev. Anthony Pittenger, receiving his Masters of Divinity degree from the seminary in January of 2005.
Piet was ordained and installed as pastor of English Ev. Lutheran Church, in Cottonwood, Minnesota on January 2, 2005, and served there until December, 2013. In fall of 2007 Piet started coaching junior high football at Lakeview School in Cottonwood, MN and continued coaching for six years until coming to Green Bay.
On November 29, 1997, Piet married high school sweetheart Charity. They have four children, all boys: Andrew, James, Erik, & Harmen.