Refuge Staff

Dominic is the senior pastor of Refuge. He came to faith in Jesus through a faithful friend in college. Since then, he has dedicated his life to proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Dominic began to develop his calling in pastoral ministry as an assisting pastor. In October 2004, the Lord called Dominic and his wife, Danielle, to start a Calvary Chapel in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where they have been faithful in their endeavor to strengthen God’s people with grace (Hebrews 13:9). In addition to ministry within the church, Pastor Dominic developed and oversees the chaplain program at the Saint Cloud YMCA, furthering his ability to reach the community for Jesus.

Life Verse: “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
– Acts 20:24

Byron was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, but spent most of his formative years in Colorado. At 18 years old, Jesus gripped his heart with the Gospel of Grace. Byron and his wife Emily are strongly called to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth, with an openness to doing that however and wherever the Spirit would lead them. 

They spent almost eight years on the mission field, primarily in Ukraine where they planted a church in the eastern city of Donetsk. However, due to war they were forced to evacuate (spending a season in Uganda) and eventually landed in Zaporozhye, Ukraine where Byron pastored a Calvary Chapel church for five years. 

In most recent years, God has called them to youth ministry in the United States. The Lord has given Byron a heart of mercy for others and a passion for people to know the love and grace of Jesus in a personal way. Both he and Emily are committed to giving their lives for the sake of the Gospel and desire to see lives transformed by Jesus.  

Life verse: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20

Allan Benson is an assisting pastor at Refuge. He oversees the administrative needs of the church and serves in numerous other capacities. Allan joined the Navy in 2002 and married his high school sweetheart a year later. He served as a construction mechanic in the Navy Seabees for over 11 years in both the active duty and active reserve components. He is currently a Navy Reserve Chaplain and has a heart for ministering to veterans and service members in the community. In addition to being on staff at Refuge, Allan is a chaplain for the Saint Cloud Police Department. He has been a part of Refuge and the Saint Cloud community since 2007. Allan graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Liberty University (2012), Master of Divinity from Liberty Theological Seminary (2015), and a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership (2019) through Liberty University’s school of business. He has the desire to serve the church, community, and develop his calling as an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Life Verse: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:20

Nate grew up in the Saint Cloud area. Blessed by the example of parents who loved and served the Lord, he followed Jesus from a young age. He worked as a graphic designer and expected to continue in that line of work. But the Lord had other plans. After many years of serving faithfully behind the scenes, Nate sensed a call on his life. The call was confirmed when Nate was invited to serve on staff here at Refuge, where his responsibilities include graphic design projects and our internet outreach. Nate and Kim have three children and are continually amazed at God's faithfulness in their lives and in the lives of those He has called them to serve.

Nate's favorite Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Annie Sauer serves as Pastoral Assistant and Ministry Coordinator at Refuge.
After several years of volunteering in children’s ministry, as children’s ministry coordinator, in women’s ministry and any other area where she could be a help, she expanded her service by coming on staff at Refuge to serve the body at large.

Annie truly exemplifies servanthood as she tirelessly serves both the body of believers and the leadership team at Refuge. When she’s not in the office or at home, she can be found ministering behind the scenes, delegating tasks, setting up, tearing down, lending a listening ear, organizing meal trains or cleaning crews, or just checking up on friends.

Puzzles might be a favorite pastime, but she also thrives on solving puzzles in real life. Annie loves working with others to “fit puzzle pieces together”. Whether this means bridging gaps in communication or delegating tasks to a large event, Annie thrives in facilitating team building and project management.

Her favorite scripture is from Ephesians 4: 1-3 “…live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”