About Us
Rev. Joe Besenjak
Although he has traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Pastor Joe has lived in the suburbs of Chicago his entire life. For fifteen years he held various positions in publishing and health care before working with his wife Cheryl in founding The Permissions Group, a leading copyright consulting firm where Joe worked actively for six years before pursuing a Master of Divinity full-time. In 2004 Joe and Cheryl sold the Permissions Group to pursue work in ministry.
Joe was a volunteer ministry leader at two Lutheran churches before becoming a member of Willow Creek Community Church in 1998. He completed his seminary internship in the Small Groups Area of the Willow Creek Association and his CPE equivalency in the Community Care Ministry at Willow Creek. In 2002 Joe joined the Community Care staff where he worked until 2009. Joe spent three years as Director of the Willow Creek Community Care Center and Food Pantry as well as nearly four years as Director of Pastoral Care.
In 2009 Joe felt God calling him to a new ministry assignment and he resigned his staff position to start Pastors Who Care with Rev. Allen Eaton. Joe is passionate about caring for people in all circumstances and phases of life, and about equipping others to care according to God’s call. He currently performs weddings and funerals in the Chicago area and is available for care and benevolence training nationwide.
In the spring of 2010 Joe accepted a position as Executive Director of a new Love, INC. affiliate (Love, In the Name of Christ) where he will form partnerships with churches in the southwest quadrant of Lake County IL to serve the needs of the under-resourced (especially their need for God!). He will continue to partner with Pastor Allen to perform weddings and funerals in the Chicago area.
Joe lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with Cheryl, his wife of 25 years and their daughter Kate. His stepsons Roger and Brian are married and raising families of their own. When Joe isn’t directly caring for God’s people, he loves to read, watch movies and listen to music. He’s also the biggest Disney fan in the family. Joe also loves simple things, like rousing conversation over good coffee.
Rev. Allen Eaton
Rev. Allen Eaton has served churches in the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska and Illinois. He has lived in the Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg area for more than thirty years. While in this area Allen has used his pastoral gifts and skills in a variety of ways, including serving in these roles: pastor and other church staff positions, police and fire chaplain, hospital chaplain, chaplaincy consultant with a large hospital system. He has also held positions on numerous
community organizations and boards.
In the spring of 2009 Allen joined with Rev. Joe Besenjak to form Pastors Who Care. Allen shares Joe’s passion to care for individuals in all of life’s phases and circumstances. He is equally enthusiastic about equipping others with the tools they need to respond to God’s call on their lives, which includes training lay caregivers and coming alongside pastors in a coaching capacity. Allen currently performs weddings and funerals*, provides pastoral care to several law enforcement agencies and conducts pastoral care and benevolence training with Joe across the United States.
Allen lives in Schaumburg IL with his wife Vicki, who is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice. They have been married for thirty seven years and have two adult children. To refresh and grow, Allen loves to read, watch movies, work in the garden and play with his friend Rudy (a Bichon). Allen loves to interact with people, learning and sharing in their stories.
