Ministry Update: What a year 2020 has been. As you know, we started a fellowship in Bock, MN in March this year as the pandemic started. Through the summer months, we have seen slow yet continuous growth in who we are actively ministering to. Just last night we had two more first-time visitors. And what we are seeing is that many of these visitors are coming back.
The Fellowship in Bock is still very small, but it is being built on strong relationships and a real love for people. Currently, we are not preaching (during our worship service) as there is such a thirst for Truth that we are functioning more like a large Bible study where people get to ask many questions and really learn about God. Even the children are asking great questions and growing in their faith.
Being a prototype ministry, we have no idea what God’s plans are for His ministry in Bock. With a focus on bringing people back into a church fellowship who have been hurt by the churches of their past, we are patiently waiting to see if God will bless this new model or tool for ministry.
In short, the model focuses on strong relationships, mentorship rather than expensive ministry education, minimizes the focus on entertainment and worldly comforts, and is built around removing aspects of the organized Church that man has added to Christ’s plan for His bride like: large building ownership, having a salaried staff, forcing a church membership, creating unique “niche” doctrines, allowing church boards, and other things like seeking a 501c-3 status.
The Church of Christ is not a business, nor is it meant to function like one. And once we have the faith to build our fellowships once again around how we have been directed to in the scriptures, we will see the power of God return to His people.
As we continue in the crazy year of 2020, more and more people will begin to see where the Spirit of God is moving. He is done with the hypocrisy. He is done with large bodies of delegates redefining what holiness is by majority vote. The time for a great reform of the Bride is here. But many Christians will have too much pride to embrace it. For to take hold of this movement of God is to be forced to let go of our positions and holdings in the grand systems we have created for ourselves in the organized church. What church would surrender their buildings if called to? What pastors would lay down their pensions and their credentials to meet with the meek in the wilderness?
And that is why God is about to do a great thing in the hearts of those He Himself has called out of the established church. Now broken and humbled, God has a large pool of believers who He can mold into a purer reflection of Himself. And like the Church of Philadelphia, God is going to do great things through these small ministries that seem to have little influence and power. He is going to take the refuse of the pastorate and raise them up to preach with power and authority. He is going to bind the broken who have been wounded by church boards and will raise them up to be loving elders caring for these the Lord places in their lives.
Scripture is full of stories where God’s chosen instruments become compromised with sin and how God forcefully passes that mantle onto the humble. Right now that is taking place in the body of Christ. Why would He do such a thing? Because God doesn’t care about how many people you have or how large your buildings have become. He cares not about the amount of money you raise or how many people you can baptize in a service. God has always prioritized one thing in His people. And that is obedience resulting in a life of holiness. God is moving out of the denominations that have become compromised and is looking for humble servants to take up the authority to share His Truth once again. Maybe He is calling you to do just that.
Soon we will be looking to start a second fellowship in a nearby town. No bright lights, no amazing sound system. Just the Truth spoken in love as families come together in fellowship and walk with each other toward the Father. If you have already left the Church, I pray that God is working on your heart to give us a try. Test our love. You have nothing to lose, yet you could gain a family that loves you very much.
I leave you with this. You don’t have to be alone. God has called you out of organized religion, but He will never call you to leave the Bride. We are here. We don’t need your money and we don’t seek to control your life. All we offer is a safe place to worship God together and a pulpit that will always share Truth even though it may feel like sandpaper sometimes. Remember the joy you felt in church as a child. Come and find that joy once again in a loving fellowship.