He served as the Bishop of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Born in Kalispell, Montana, on December 28, 1955, Pederson grew up on a farm and ranch.
He attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where he majored in English and religion.
He graduated from Luther Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 1981 and was ordained the same year.
He served Edison Park Lutheran Church in Chicago from 1985 to 1994 and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree at McCormick Theological Seminary in 1991.