Leadership & Staff

Mike Salvati, Lead Pastor

M.Div, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

I grew up in Connecticut where I watched my recently-converted parents grow as Christians and get involved with a church plant.  When I was 9, I confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  Soon after at a church picnic, I was baptized in a backyard pond.

In the early 80’s, my dad took a job outside of Chicago and we relocated to the midwest.   Throughout middle school and high school I was a miserable Christian.  I thought I lost my salvation every time I sinned - because I thought my salvation depended on me.  But during my first year of college in Ohio, I learned that my salvation didn’t depend on my obedience but on Christ’s finished work on the cross.  And it was at that time I remember experiencing Christian joy for the first time - and a deepening desire to serve the Lord Jesus as a pastor.

After marrying Jenny, we served with a campus ministry for 5 years, then moved back to Chicagoland for me to attend Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  We became members of CrossWay Community Church (Bristol, WI) where I learned about the centrality of the gospel, expositional preaching, and faithful pastoring.

Then after 10 years serving as CrossWay’s youth pastor, I was sent out with a number of families from CrossWay to plant Christ the King Church in downtown Kenosha.  I am burdened for the diverse people living in Kenosha to hear the gospel, be flipped by God’s grace and learn to live with Jesus as the controlling center of their lives…  Resulting in a healthy church who treasures Jesus above all else.  Who obeys Jesus in all he commands.  Who magnifies Jesus among all people.  And who belong to Jesus all together - loving each other as he has loved us.

Jenny and I were married in 1995 and we have four wonderful children.  I am an avid mountain biker and music aficionado.

Steve Bickle, Elder

In 1976, I received my independence from sin when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.

I am a native Ohioan and moved to Kenosha in 1995. My wife Nancy and I have been married for 52 years on our way to forever. We have three children and 6 grandchildren. 

We have been members of CTKC for almost 9 years. I have served in and currently direct the Sunday morning outreach breakfast ministry. I am in my second three-year term as an elder.

In order I love God, my family, and friends. And The Ohio State Buckeyes.

Les Martin, Elder

I was born and raised in Indiana, the middle child of five. When I was in third grade, our family moved to Columbus, IN where we began attending an evangelical church. After exposure to the Gospel in those first few months, my parents and siblings and I were, one by one, brought to faith in the Lord Jesus. Throughout middle school and high school, I never seriously wandered from the faith.

After high school, I attended Moody Bible Institute, where God providentially directed me toward pastoral ministry. After graduation from Moody, I completed my bachelor's degree at Fort Wayne Bible College. In the midst of that pursuit, I met my wife Karen and we were married a year later. After completing my undergrad degree, I began studies at Grace Theological Seminary (M.Div) and a few years later, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (D.Min).

We served in three different churches, two in Indiana (totaling 13 years) and the last one in Zion, IL (32 years). I retired from vocational pastoring ministry in 2020. That year we began attendance and involvement at CTKC. Karen and I have four grown children and seven grandchildren. We remain busy learning and growing and serving our Savior.

Jon Tippman, Elder

I was born and raised in South Haven, Michigan and attended Maple Grove Bible Church growing up. I put my faith and trust in Jesus at a young age for salvation and knew that I was a sinner in need of Christ, I can still remember that day in Audrey Frabe's Sunday school class. My faith grew and matured while attending Western Michigan University and reading A Ready Defense by Josh McDowell. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Matthew 11:28-30.

While studying Supply Chain Management at Western Michigan, I met and started dating Terri Enfield.  Terri later became a believer in Jesus as a result of the faithfulness of pastor Tim McGee at Maple Grove Bible Church and the Josh McDowell book mentioned above.  On October 28, 2000 Terri and I were married by  pastor McGee at Western Michigan University.

Our family began attending Christ the King Church in 2016 after relocating to Kenosha from Michigan with Abbott Laboratories.  In 2019, we followed a calling into full-time ministry as staff missionaries with FamilyLife and I left Abbott after 19 years.  Terri and I both enjoy serving in our roles at FamilyLife and Christ the King Church is a big part of this as our sending church.  We have three girls, twins Alivia and Grace (21) and Macy (17).  Outside of ministry we enjoy rooting for the Packers and all things outdoors, we currently live in Bristol.

Zak Mellgren, Pastor-In-Training

M.A. in Biblical & Theological Studies, Phoenix Seminary

I am a born and raised Wisconsinite who has never lived outside of the state and has no regrets about that! I grew up in West Bend in a solid Christian, homeschool community. Growing up, I knew all of the right answers, memorized all the key verses, and understood the foundations of the Christian faith, but I had not personally put my faith in Christ. At 19, God graciously woke me up to my sin and need for a Savior. In the words of Colossians 1:13, God took me from the kingdom of death and placed me in the kingdom of his beloved Son.

Right around that time, I met my incredible wife Samantha, and we got married a couple years later as broke, Jesus-loving college students. Since then, we’ve added four kiddos to our family number who I love fiercely.

I joined the staff at Christ the King Church in 2022, where my primary responsibility has been to lead the people of CTKC in joyful, singable, theologically rich, biblically grounded, and musically pleasing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. I also have the joy of leading a Life Group, overseeing our discipleship program (The Discipleship Institute), and assisting in shepherding our church members. When I’m not serving at CTKC, I enjoy hauling my kids to soccer games, picking up late night Taco Bell for my wife and I (don’t judge me), reading as many books as possible, writing on my SubStack, running distance races, and praying that the Lord would, in his mercy, bring an MLS team to Milwaukee.

Kelly Schneeberger, Office Manager

I was born in Racine, Wisconsin, and never wandered far from the great cheese state. God gave me an affinity for writing, which I used in journalism and PR careers before joyfully joining the Christ the King Church team in December, 2024. I support Pastor Mike, Zak, our elders, deacons, and other ministries in administrative tasks. I’m told I’m a good organizer.

In my teenage years I fled from God and am heart-achingly grateful that Jesus patiently pursued me until I surrendered to His saving grace in 2017, at the age of 48. I was saved at Christ the King Church, baptized here and married here, and am very thankful to now be working in this beautiful old church filled with beautiful, broken people – me among them.

My husband Gary is my biggest champion, and we share a love of the written word. He blesses me daily. My two children are grown but still very much part of our lives, they make my heart sing. As the oldest of three daughters to a handyman dad, I still know the difference between allen, pipe and socket wrenches. I treasure the beautiful ways in which God arranges clouds and appreciate a good thunderstorm.