Joe Baumgarten was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Oakland University in 1995 with a degree in history. Joe worked for Boys and Girls Club of America in Michigan coming out of college and then later with the Science Center and Natural History Museum before pursuing his calling into the ministry.

Joe married Cyndi, whom he knew most of his life, in 1996, and they have two beautiful children, Madeline and Duncan. Joe enrolled at the Seminary in 2003 and served his vicarage (internship) at Shepherd of the Valley, Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated in May 2007 from the Seminary. On call day April 2007, Joe received his Divine Call into the Holy Minsitry for Zion Lutheran Church, Fairbanks, Alaska. He was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry on June 23, 2007 at Shepherd of the Valley. He and his family look forward to this great adventure in serving Jesus in the "Land of the Midnight Sun."