IKBG /ICN board
The IKBG/ICN is led by a board chaired by Pastor Ernst Jakob Nestele. The Theological Commission, chaired by Pastor Gaston Nogrady, serves as an advisory committee on theological matters.
Pastor Ernst Jakob Nestele
Ernst Jakob Nestele, born in 1963, is married and has four adult children. After completing basic medical training, he first studied at the FTH (then known as ETA) in Giessen and later theology at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. There he worked as a research assistant to Prof. Dr. Oswald Bayer and as an academic assistant to Privatdozent Dr. Rainer Riesner.
During his studies, he completed a diaconal year as a volunteer with the Liebeswerk Israel ZEDAKAH. After his vicariate in Buttenhausen-Aptelstetten, he was ordained in St. Martin’s Church in Münsingen and subsequently served as a pastor (Pfarrer z.A.) in the parish of Wolfschlugen. Since 1999, he has been a pastor in the Winterlingen parish on the Zollernalb.
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Ulrich Rüß, Pastor em.
Born on 12 Dec., 1943 in Braunschweig, Ulrich Rüß studied religious education and theology and was ordained in 1970 in the cathedral of Schleswig. After 12 years as pastor of the Ev.-Luth. Parish of Harrislee by Flensburg, he transferred to the senior pastorate of St. Johannis- Eppendorf, Hamburg, which he held until his retirement in January 2009.
During this time, Pastor Ulrich Rüß was a member of the board of the Nordelbische Missionszentrum, a member of the Kirchenkreissynode Alt-Hamburg, and a member of the Landessynode of the Nordelbiische Ev.-luth. Kirche. He is a member of the editorial board of the Lutheran periodical „Confessio Augustana“, 1. chairperson of the Kirchliche Sammlung um Bibel und Bekenntnis, chairman of the Konferenz Bekennender Gemeinschaften, and, since 2010, President of the IKBK/ICN.
Ulrich Rüß is the author of numerous morning devotions and church broadcasts for the NDR broadcasting service and has contributed theological essays to various journals and books. He is one of the authors in the programs of the Verlag Neukirchen-Vluyn and the Freimundverlag (calendar meditations). His further theological interest areas are: mission, evangelization, ecumenism, liturgy, and church music.
Andreas Späth
Andreas Späth, born in 1971, served with the United Nations upon completion of his military service. Afterwards he studied religious education and church educational work, earning a technical college diploma in these fields. In addition, he studied theology and political science for several semesters and earned supplementary qualification as an outdoor educator.
After holding posts as a parish religious educator in Wurzburg and Munich, Andreas Späth has been a religion teacher in the Ansbach Dekanat since 2007. He is the author of numerous contributions to journals and books on theological, political, and educational topics. He has received the prize of the Association for the Promotion of Christian-Jewish Dialogue of the Ev.-Luth. Church in Bavaria and the UN Medal „In the service of peace“.
Since 2003, Andreas Späth is the chairman of the Kirchliche Sammlung um Bibel und Bekenntnis and, since 2009, Vice-President of the IKBC/ICN.
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Jürgen Schlicksupp
Born in 1951 in Ludwigshafen/Rh., Jürgen Schlicksupp first completed a training as a process engineer at FHT in Mannheim and then worked for many years as a designer and project manager.
As early as 1975, he was active as a volunteer in various communities and missions. From 1976 to 1978, he was involved in the mission for Southeast Europe. He has participated in numerous mission trips to various European countries as well as to South Africa, the US, Canada, Ukraine, and the former USSR. Nationally, he accompanied a mission team with the book table of the Dr. Kurt E Koch association for almost 25 years.
Jürgen Schlicksupp has been closely associated with IKBG since 1985 and has accompanied Prof. Dr. Peter Beyerhaus on several trips to South Korea and his places of activity in South Africa. Since 2020, he has been the treasurer of IKBG.
Michael Simeon Klein
Michael Simeon Klein, born in 1998 in Stuttgart, grew up in Plochingen on the Neckar River. After completing a voluntary social year, he studied Protestant theology in Tübingen, Leipzig, Halle, and Prague. After passing his examinations, he worked for one year as a study assistant in the Theokreis Leipzig, a spiritual fellowship for theology students. For many years, he has also been active as a volunteer musician in the church. From 2020 to 2025, he served as the youngest member of the 16th Württemberg Regional Synod.
Since September 2025, Michael Klein has been serving as a vicar in the Protestant parish of Hohenhaslach. Theologically, his work focuses, among other things, on topics related to the Lutheran Confessions, liturgics, and church music.
