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From Generation to Generation10/31/2024  Below are the deaths, births and weddings that occurred across our congregations since our last published issue. During these major events, and always, we will proclaim His praise. Grunthal Evangelical Bible Church (Grunthal, Manitoba)
Jansen Bible Church (Jansen, Nebraska)
Martensville Mission Church (Martensville, Saskatchewan)
Salem Church (Waldheim, Saskatchewan)
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Church News (October/November)10/31/2024  Christain Fellowship ChapelWinnipeg, Manitoba Timothy Harris, Pastor cfc-wpg.org
Among these are some Hispanic families with young children, and so once again there is the patter of little feet in the midst of our aging population. God is faithful in increasing our numbers, and also faithful to these newcomers, as our resident Avant home missionaries, Mike and Carolyn Reimer, are able to host an adult Spanish Sunday School class. We continue to promote fellowship with each other which is so important for building up the Body. The men meet once a month for breakfast, and this summer the breakfast theme was expanded on as we hosted 2 pancake breakfasts in our parking lot inviting the neighborhood. A few people took us up on our offer, and it seems that some good contacts were made. The “Abiding” Ladies’ Group joined together for a summer lake retreat. Our speaker, Carla Dyck, who is also our resident artist, spoke of God’s faithfulness in her own life, and how God led her in the past, and speaks to her in the present, through art. We were all encouraged to consider and use our own gifts to build the Body. To illustrate the point, she created a painting and made it into a puzzle, giving each participant a piece. We eagerly put our individual pieces together to form the whole, which is exactly a picture of what the Lord tells us to do in the Church. Our “Fall Abiding” session included a Ladies’ supper, and three subsequent Wednesday evening meetings where we focused on maturing in Christ. We enjoyed the studies, and even the homework!
Linda Edwards, Correspondent Cornerstone Bible ChurchMountain Lake, Minnesota Herms Banico, Pastor cornerstoneml.com This year, unlike most, fall has extended with summer-like days and temperatures, allowing for ideal harvest conditions. After a deluge in late June that necessitated re-planting, the summer turned dry, resulting in a blessed harvest. In mid-September, Pastor Herms Banico completed his year-long series in Ephesians and has now begun a series on themes of discipleship. On Sunday, October 13, we celebrated Pastor Appreciation, honoring Pastor Herms, who recently completed his Master’s degree program through Liberty University. He has expressed a desire to pursue a Doctorate degree through online study. Several men have dedicated numerous hours to demolishing the church’s front entrance, patio, steps, and terraces to prepare for new concrete and finishes. This project was necessitated by an outdated drainage system, and while the landscaping still requires completion, we are deeply grateful for the hard work of these men. Our summer missionary guests included the children of Frank and Ethel Wiens. Jim and Olya were able to reunite after finally receiving the necessary paperwork for her to come stateside. They spent a majority of their time with their children, Mariya and Peter, who attend Northwestern University in the Twin Cities. Pablo and Judi Perez from Ecuador timed their visit to Minnesota to coincide with a family reunion, joined by siblings Glenn and Gary. Jim and Olya were given an opportunity to speak and share on Sunday, September 15, before their return to Russia, while Pablo and Judi presented to us on Sunday, September 8, and are currently traveling to speak in supporting churches through the end of the year. The church ladies continue to gather monthly at the coffee shop, with various activities scheduled through December. A Thanksgiving brunch on November 9 is expected to be well attended. Marjorie Friesen, Correspondent Countryside Bible ChurchMeade, Kansas Jonathan Dale, Pastor countrysidebiblechurch.net Greetings in the Lord! As we approach the busy fall season and many activities, may you and your families be recognizing God's greatness and the splendor of His majesty as Psalm 145 speaks of. We pray too that there will be plentiful opportunities to speak of the power of His awesome acts and tell of His greatness, shouting joyfully of His righteousness! There is indeed much to praise the Lord for! Psalm 145:3-7 " Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, And I will tell of Your greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness." At Countryside Bible Church, we are thankful to the Lord for the ways He has been working and for opportunities for Christ to be proclaimed! In July, many folks from our church had the opportunity to participate and help out at Faith Bible Camp. The children had a lot of fun and they also enjoyed learning more about how once we are saved, we become new creations in Christ! What a joyous truth! The theme verse for the week was 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”
At the end of July, the highschool students and their leaders had the opportunity to go to Camp Regen in Glorieta, New Mexico. This is an exciting opportunity for them to gather with numerous other brothers and sisters in Christ and grow in their faith. This year’s theme was “In His Image”. Then back on the home front, Pastor Jonathan has been taking us through a Summer Sermon series on the love of God and loving others. We spent time digging deeper into what Biblical love really is and how important it is for us to be loving God with all of our hearts, souls, mind, and strength. Then in turn, we ought to love one another. Pastor Jonathan preached through some different key passages, starting with Matthew 22:34-40, then John 3:16, some in Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 5, and the book of Ephesians. Jaden Friesen preached from the book of 1 John one of the Sundays, and Ryan Friesen took Lamentations 3:19-24. For the last several weeks, we went through all the different characteristics/descriptions of love in 1 Corinthians 13 in greater detail. On August 10th, the ladies at Countryside Bible Church had the joy of having a Missionary Tea with some of our missionary wives. Nora Dale hosted the event at her house, and Abigail Wiens and some of the other ladies from Redeemer Bible Church were able to join us in person. Cindy Patten was also able to join us via Zoom, and it was such an encouragement to hear from both of these ladies and how God has been working in both theirs and their families lives and also in the different ministries they are involved with! Now that summer is over, the mid-week ministries have started up again and are getting going full force! Adventure Club, Base Camp, and Crossroads have all started again and the men’s and women’s Bible Studies will be continuing on with studying the book of 1 Corinthians, starting off with chapter 7. May God be greatly glorified in and through all of these things! Abigail Bartel, Correspondent Dalmeny Bible Church Dalmeny, Saskatchewan Dennis Friesen, Pastor dalmenybiblechurch.ca What a joy it was to host Connect24 at our church! We were so glad to see each one of you who came. In July, we ran an Athletes in Action soccer camp, with kids attending from our church and community. This program has become a summer highlight. We also adapted our mid-week program into a three-day summer camp for kids in grades 1-6. In the morning, kids in grades 1-3 joined us for a sampling of different clubs, such as Lego, crafts, games, and cooking. The afternoon welcomed kids in grades 4-6 to participate in cooking, art, and sewing clubs. Videos with an Olympic theme were prepared, focusing on the life of Paul and how God's love and desires for Paul reflect what He wants for each of us. Leaders led discussions with their small groups, and we hosted a lunch for all of the families on the last day. Our church camping weekend at Memorial Lake has become very popular, enjoyed by all ages. There is a lot happening at Dalmeny this fall “kick-off” season as we start a new year. Here are just a few things we have going on:
Our recent mission spotlights have featured Sorin and Mihaela from Romania; Jason and Joanne Borrowman, recently home from Hurri Hills, Africa, with AIM; and Dave Thiessen with Harvest for Kids. As a congregation, we have enjoyed several meals together, such as a BBQ and our Thanksgiving Dinner. We look forward to more times of growth and fellowship as a congregation. Marilyn Harder, Correspondent Evangelical Bible ChurchDallas, Oregon Troy Bassham, Pastor ebcdallas.org
In September Awana started back up again with 143 kids joining us! Youth group ministries also restarted for the year.
Alison Johnson, Correspondent Evangelical Mennonite Brethren ChurchMarion, South Dakota David Glader, Paster The EMB church at Marion, South Dakota celebrated Harvest Mission on Sunday, October 20 with a message by Pastor Roger Engbrecht from Sioux Falls. A delicious lunch featured several soups prepared by Roger Regehr. Other ladies prepared snacks, salads and desserts. The fellowship around the table was uplifting. The offering was designated for the Metroplex Women's Clinic where some of our members volunteer with needy women and families. Harvest has featured warm and sunny weather as farmers gather in soybeans and corn. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.” - Psalm 51:12 Evelyn Duerksen, Correspondent Grunthal Evangelical Bible ChurchThe end of summer and the beginning of fall always bring an exciting time within the church body, as routines settle in and our groups resume for the year. Here are some of the groups kicking off this season:
Our church’s longtime missionaries with World Team/SIM, Henry and Janet Armstrong, have returned to Grunthal, MB, after 24 years of service in Singapore. Please pray for their adjustment to our culture and climate, and that we as a church and community will have open eyes to support their needs. It’s a blessing to see them on Sunday mornings again! September marked “Missions Month” at our church, where each Sunday we highlighted a different ministry we support. Featured ministries included:
Due to high attendance, we will begin holding two services on Sunday mornings to comply with fire codes. Our first service will start at 9 a.m., followed by Sunday School at 10:30 a.m., and the second service at 11:15 a.m. Please pray for our congregation to remain close and continue seeking fellowship with one another despite the adjustment to two services. We also invite prayers for our newest elder candidate, Craig Froese! In November, Pastor Jared will be speaking at the “Biblical Marriage Made Practical” Marriage Conference at the Grunthal Bergthaler Church. We look forward to the upcoming season full of new opportunities for learning and growth! Jennifer Preston, Correspondent Jansen Bible Church Jansen, Nebraska Paul Carpenter, Pastor jansenbiblechurch.org The Jansen Bible Church Women’s Retreat was on July 19-20 in Aurora, NE. We were happy to have several new friends in attendance. The new Awana year began on Sept. 4. Attendance averaged about 60 per week. The Q&A Bible Study meets at the Jansen Legion Hall at 7:00 PM. The annual Sunday School Picnic at Camp Jefferson was Sept.15. The morning service was an enactment of the chronological Bible studies taught each Sunday in our Junior Church service, ending with an impressive Bible Jeopardy contest over the materials in past studies. The service was led by Aric Brandt. The church families participated in the Oct. 4-5 Hwy 136 Trail of Treasures sale. Our “For Sale” treasures were displayed in the fellowship hall. They were given away for a free-will donation. The church family was invited to help themselves to what was left after the sale, and the remainder was donated to the Lincoln City Mission. Proceeds from the sale will go to Church ministries. Our Harvest Missions Festival is scheduled for Nov. 23-24. There will be a meal after the Sunday morning service on the 24th. It’s time for Operation Christmas Child. We have 40 empty “shoe boxes” ready to pack and 50 more coming soon to fill. Practice for the Christmas play is underway: An older shepherd recounts his memories of a Christmas some 30 years past. Tena Dick, Correspondent Indian Head Community ChurchIndian Head, Saskatchewan Justin Epp, Pastor We rejoice to see God growing our church, both in number and involvement of members in ministry. New individuals and families have been regularly attending Sunday Services over the past few months. On Thanksgiving Sunday, we celebrated the baptism of a new believer and welcomed him formally into membership. When he shared his testimony with the congregation, we praised God with him at the renewing transformation Jesus has brought to his life. The Lord continues to bless our children’s ministry. Last school year, we restructured our weekly Kids Club program to follow a format recommended by Dalmeny Bible Church. We also implemented some of these changes during our “Summer Kids Club” (Vacation Bible School) in partnership with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), where over 25 children from both the church and community participated. Each day, the two-hour program began with a summer missionary from CEF presenting 5-Day Club material which included a Bible story, songs, missionary story and memory verse. Then the kids engaged in activities highlighting the various types of clubs offered during the school year. It was encouraging to see different church members take responsibility for leading the activities every afternoon. This fall, we launched another series of weekly Kids Club meetings, with more than 25 children enrolled. The club runs for one hour each week and begins with a short Bible story about Jesus’ parables, followed by time for the children to work on projects in either Lego or painting club. At the end of the eight-week session, we plan to host a Showcase Night, where parents will be invited to see their children’s work and learn about the truths taught about Jesus. A few kids attending this fall are new, but most are returning participants from our previous programs. Many church members are investing their time to lead or assist with the activities, and it is greatly encouraging to see how God is using them in this ministry. Please pray with us that God will grow the seeds being planted in these young hearts and that He may bless our efforts to build relationships with the families in our community. Sarah Pacio, Correspondent Martensville Mission Church With Summer officially over, things are ramping up at the MMC. Last Spring, Pastor Justin started a sermon series on the Book of Exodus which resumed in September after the conclusion of the summer series on Philippians, This past June, Brolin and Kelsie Simes were announced as candidates at the MMC and we are excited to announce that Brolin will be joining us in full-time ministry at MMC as Associate Pastor. A commissioning service for Brolin and Kelsie is being held on September 22, 2024. Our Fall and Winter programming begins with the kick-off and BBQ for Sunday School on September 15. The Youth kick-off is the following week starting with a walk along the river followed by ice cream (yumm!). As we move through September, the church building once again becomes a hub of activity. In addition to Sunday School and Youth, our AWANA program starts up again. We look forward to the work of the Spirit in the hearts and minds of all the kids who so excitedly come through the doors each week. It is so important to have a good understanding of biblical themes and to build a good foundation on scripture. The Women’s Bible Study group is doing just that by undertaking a foundational overview of the Bible this year. Our Men’s Bible Study has generated some good discussion while going through the book of Leviticus. The men’s group is also planning a men’s breakfast for early October. We look for opportunities to interact with, and be a light in, the larger community and the upcoming community garage sale is a great opportunity. The MMC will be participating in the Martensville “Monster Garage Sale” coming up on September 20/21. This event will also be a fundraiser for the building committee. A couple of other MMC activities coming up soon are:
Brenda Quirt, Correspondent Randville Bible ChurchThe Upper Peninsula has moved into the breath-taking beauty of the fall, with trees adorned with vibrant colors and all around us great reminders of our Creator's artistry and majesty. We praise Him for the beauty that He has created and sustains. And we are thankful for His faithfulness in all spiritual “seasons” of life as well; here are a few recent highlights from Randville Bible Church:
May the Lord continue to be exalted, honored, and glorified in the churches of our FEBC fellowship. Pastor Jim Janofski Rock Valley Chapel Beloit, Wisconsin Tim Johnson, Pastor rockvalleychapel.org Our major summer event for Rock Valley Chapel was hosting a booth at the Rock County 4-H Fair. This marked our second consecutive year making the gospel available to fairgoers who stopped by. We also provided a sign and box inviting prayer requests from anyone wishing to share. These prayer requests were brought back to our church prayer groups, who prayed daily for each request, asking God to touch the lives of those who visited our booth. We are already looking forward to next year, inspired with new ideas to share the gospel! The fall season has seen the start of our various Bible study groups. Our Adult Education Sunday morning class is currently studying the book of Proverbs. The Women's Ministry Bible study is focused on the book of Habakkuk, while the Men's Ministry Bible study is working through the book of Galatians. Additionally, our Youth Group recently enjoyed a Sunday afternoon at a local pumpkin patch—sharing fun, fellowship, and time studying God’s Word and how it challenges them.
Karen Broekhuis, Correspondent Salem ChurchThe past few months have been filled with thanksgiving and gratitude. After 14 months of holding Sunday services in our church gym due to substantial storm damage to our sanctuary, we were overjoyed to return to our sanctuary on September 8. What a blessing it has been! The excitement was especially high as we kicked off our fall ministries, now with full use of our building, making logistical planning and setup much easier for each ministry. Our church-wide theme for this ministry year is B.O.L.D., which stands for Believe, Obey, Love, and Declare. Both Pastor James and Pastor Ryan have challenged us to embody these principles in our walk with Christ. The excitement continued as we celebrated 125 years of God’s faithfulness at Salem Church on October 13, followed by a Thanksgiving meal. The day was a beautiful display of God’s faithfulness through many generations. Attendance nearly doubled as former pastors, missionaries, and members joined us for the occasion. What a blessing it was to see so many familiar faces! As we move into a regular fall rhythm, we look forward to our upcoming “Journey to Bethlehem,” an interactive Bethlehem market environment celebrating Christ’s birth. The event will take place over three days—December 13, 14, and 15—and is an excellent opportunity to share the Good News, as it was two years ago. Please join us in praying for an eternal impact through this year’s celebration. Shawna Mwakikuti, Correspondent Stuartburn Gospel ChurchStuartburn, Manitoba Mark Funk, Pastor The Lord is good and faithful, and we thank God for the opportunities we at Stuartburn Gospel Chapel have, to be encouraged and equipped in God’s Word, and to serve Him, glorify Him, and make Him known to others. This summer we had the privilege to host two baptismal services by the river. It is exciting to see the work God is doing in their lives. So thankful for God! He never changes but has the power to change our lives. We as a church have had the privilege of including several new members into our congregation with a few more still looking to join. In August, three missionaries from CEF came, and we hosted a 5-day club. We had about 20 plus kids attending, the theme being “A Journey In Trusting Jesus.” The men of the church got together in the summer for some delicious BBQ and needed prayer. They had a great time “Friend-Raising”, encouraging and building each other up.
Thanksgiving has come and gone and in this season of fall the programs are starting up. We had AWANA and Youth Opening Night in the same week, AWANA had a total of 36 kids and Youth 26. As we continue to serve and worship together, let us remain steadfast in our commitment to God’s work in our lives and in our community. Eileina Niessen, Correspondent Vita Bible Church Vita, Manitoba Jonathan Coutts, Pastor Here are a few updates from Vita Bible Church:
Corissa Friesen, Correspondent
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 In 1986 Frank Peretti published the novel This Present Darkness and I devoured it. As a young teenager, the idea of spiritual warfare was intriguing to say the least and Peretti’s perspective made it downright exciting. Imagine having an impact on angelic battles! Fast-forward now to my late twenties as Twyilla and I experienced some frightening spiritual encounters in our home and the novelty/excitement from my teens was replaced with nervousness and questions. What exactly is the nature of our warfare, and what level of authority do we have over evil spirits? We need to consider spiritual warfare from two perspectives: our daily warfare against temptation from Ephesians 6:10-18 and the more overt spiritual activity from Matthew 8:28-34. Both have a common foundation in the authority of the believer and so we will start here. In Luke 9:1-11 Jesus sends out the 12 disciples, giving them authority to cast out demons and heal diseases. They go out and do so, returning to tell Jesus all that they had done. Then later, in that same chapter, we have nine disciples unable to cast out a demon while Jesus, Peter, James, and John were up on the mountain. Demonic activity seems to be everywhere in the gospels but as you move through the book of Acts it becomes less prominent. Once you get to the epistles it disappears, and there is no teaching on how Christians are to handle exorcisms or oppression. The fact that the disciples could not cast out the demon in Luke 9 challenges the notion that every Christian has automatic authority over demons. Jesus had absolute authority but He is God, we are not. The question of authority is vital to this subject, do Christians have authority over demons or not? I’ve said many times that experience should not form doctrine, but it should compliment doctrine. If experience contradicts doctrine, then it is possible I have faulty doctrine. I’ve heard and read many examples of people who believe they have authority over demons yet they struggle to perform an exorcism. Should this not cause them to reconsider their doctrine? We must also use caution when forming doctrine from the gospels and the book of Acts because they record a unique period of history. I cannot do everything Jesus did, nor am I equal with the disciples in every area. Matthew 10:1 gives a bit more detail than Luke, “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.” We do not believe that we have authority to heal every kind of disease today, so why would we think that we have authority over the unclean spirits? I believe that when we read about the demonic activity in the gospels we should be drawn to Jesus, not the demons. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John do not write in order to obsess over demons, they write to exalt Jesus as Lord over all. Exorcisms prove Jesus’ power over Satan, and the disciples are working to proclaim that the Messiah has come. Any exorcisms or healings they perform are done with that goal in mind. In the book of Acts the apostles perform healings and exorcisms to proclaim the gospel and show their authority as God’s apostles but the office of apostle is expired for today so the same need is not there. My experience in demonic oppression is that I do not have authority over evil spirits, even when using the name of Jesus. Every experience I have had has one common denominator; it always lasts roughly 15-20 minutes. I have tried different approaches and methods, all with the same result, eventually the spirit leaves but it is not quick. I have concluded that the proper approach is to pray to God, not talk to the spirit. I worship God, declaring His attributes and His goodness, thanking Him for His mercy and grace while asking Him to command the spirit to leave. While I have never tried to exorcize a demon, my approach would be the same. Rather than command the spirit to leave I would pray to God, declaring His power over evil and His authority over all creation, and implore Him to cast the spirit out so I could preach the gospel to that person. This then goes to the purpose, for any exorcism which does not result in salvation is of no benefit. If we think demonic possession is the worst thing possible then we have lost perspective of eternal punishment. As God must open my eyes before I can come to salvation it depends upon Him to cast out a demon so a person can hear the gospel. Let’s quickly turn now to our daily battle with temptation, for our authority or lack of it is evident here also. In describing the weapons of our warfare in Ephesians 6, Paul does not instruct his readers how to eliminate temptation, but how to fight against it. In the same way that I do not have the authority to command evil spirits to leave, I do not have the authority to command that a temptation stop. My responsibility is to take up the armor of God to defend against Satan’s attacks and trust that when the time is right God will command him to leave. Even Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness lasted for three rounds. James 4:7 says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” This verse is one continuous thought. As I submit to God I will resist the attacks and temptations of the devil and he will eventually flee by God’s command, but seldom at the first moment of my resistance. Think about this, if Satan had to flee the second you thought he should, how would you grow in resisting him? We strengthen our muscles by working them harder and we build endurance by running longer and farther. God in His sovereignty builds us spiritually by allowing us to suffer under Satan’s attacks for differing lengths of time, never allowing us to be tempted beyond what we can resist with the power of the Holy Spirit, but challenging us, nonetheless. In my own life, these truths have encouraged me and strengthened my faith. Rather than wonder what is wrong with me when attacks and temptations last longer than I want, or becoming too focused on my enemy, I can find rest, assurance and strength for the battle. My life is in God’s hands, and nothing can happen to me without Him first allowing it.
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Connections10/31/2024  Connect24 has come and gone. In fact, it has been a few months since we gathered at Dalmeny Bible Church, but I think it is important to share a few thoughts from this event. Delegates from 24 of our churches descended on Dalmeny, SK for a truly encouraging and meaningful time. We connected, prayed, worshiped, and learned together. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Greg Carlson, brought challenging and helpful lessons regarding how we can lead like Jesus. We also enjoyed powerful breakout sessions led by FEBC leaders, pastors, and others, enjoyed insightful discussions about various areas of church life and ministry, spent time together in focused prayer, and much more. (You can watch the recordings of the keynote and breakout sessions HERE.) This year, we spent extra time highlighting our efforts to reach the world through missionary work and were excited to implement some new ways to emphasize the work that our Global Partners are doing.  As always, the most important and impactful aspect of Connect was just what the name suggests – connection! So many conversations were had, and connections were made between pastors, leaders, and laypeople from our various churches. The opportunity to relate with each other, to carry one another’s burdens in prayer, and to rejoice in one another’s successes is invaluable. Whether connecting with an old friend or making a new one, each person who attends Connect benefits. The Annual General Meetings (held during Connect) affirmed the direction of our ministries, approved new terms for directors and commission members, and approved our operating budget for this fiscal year. Notably, the budget includes adequate funding to maintain the Ministries Coordinator through March 2025, but we still need more monthly supporters in order to maintain this position into the future. We made a bit of progress toward funding the Ministries Coordinator position through the Connect24 Project Offering but have not met our goal. Please consider whether God would have you contribute. The following individuals were approved for 3-year terms on our commissions:
We also announced the recipients of our scholarship funds for this year. The Continuing Education Scholarship is for current FEBC pastors and global partners who are seeking additional education. The following individuals were awarded $1,500 each: James VanderVeen (Waldheim, SK), Herms Banico (Mountain Lake, MN) and Mikki Schmidt (Omaha, NE). The Christian Ministry Scholarship is for college students who are seeking a Biblical education. This year’s recipients of $1,000 are: William Blatz (Rapid View, SK), Peter Wiens (Mountain Lake, MN), and Barry Wolfe (Waldheim, SK). Following are alternates: Nathan Hoff (Dalmeny, SK), and Tyler Willems (Waldheim, SK). You can learn much more about what is happening in our Fellowship by reading my State of the Fellowship Address from Connect24 in a separate article. (Jump to the Fellowship Address from Connect24 by clicking HERE.) We are incredibly grateful to the staff and volunteers at Dalmeny Bible Church who worked so hard to make this event a success! From generous and hospitable hosts to fabulous meals and meaningful times of worship, DBC truly blessed our delegates. I am also grateful to those who stepped in at the last minute to help when three of our directors experienced either a loss or a family illness and could not attend Connect. At times of unexpected adjustments, it is always amazing to see how God pulls everything together through the faithfulness of his people.  Tags:
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Resources: FEBC Fusion10/31/2024  Our Vision Statement is: "Strengthening our churches with timely resources that strengthen their leaders." We relish the times we get to meet people and present about the FEBC during one of our local church services, but we have been wondering if there are other ways to connect with people outside of Sunday morning.
I attended the very first FEBC Fusion, and noticed a table of boys around 10-12 right next to a table of folks I suspect were all over 60. Both groups participated, laughed together, and connected. FEBC Fusion is a chance for us to meet your folks and share with them, but it is also a chance for your church to enjoy lighthearted fellowship together. Building healthy connections is critical to the strength of the local church. If your church is willing to provide the place and invite the people, the FEBC will do the rest.  Tags:
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In this edition, we are honored to recognize Darrel and Susan Heide for their many years of faithful service to the global mission field. For over four decades, the Heides dedicated their lives to sharing the Gospel, mentoring leaders, and bringing hope to countless communities around the world. Through seasons of joy and hardship, they remained steadfast in their commitment to God’s work, reflecting His love through their devotion to ministry. Today, with hearts full of gratitude, we celebrate their remarkable journey and express our deep appreciation for their impact on countless lives. For Darrel Heide, ministry began in 1971 in Ann Arbor, MI with Campus Crusade for Christ, later known as Cru. Here he spent his entire missionary career with CCC/Cru in various locations across the US doing campus ministry with, filling various positions with the International School of Theology, developing leaders with Here’s Life Inner City ministry, and helping to establish and grow the International School Project. In 1993, Darrel received the Outstanding PhD Graduate in I/O Psychology Award at the United States International University, and in March 2015, he transitioned to Affiliate Staff Status with Cru/ISP, making him a self-supported volunteer while continuing in this ministry. Darrel was also heavily involved with the youth of the EMB/FEBC fellowship during his years of ministry. He directed the youth ministries at the EMB Annual Conference for five summers (1974-1978). He directed the youth programs in Dalmeny, Sask.; Dallas, OR; Abbotsford, BC; Meade, KS; and Mountain Lake, MN. He also served on the Commission on Christian Education for the Conference. Darrel married his wife, Susan, in 1974. They had three children: Brent, Ryan, and Kristin. In 2018, Brent suddenly passed away in his sleep. This devastated the Heides, but they continued to trust the Lord. Susan also experienced severe ill-health for many years. Darrel faithfully took care of her during this time while still maintaining the ministry with Cru/ISP. Darrel’s favorite verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” In retirement, Darrel is making his home in Highland, CA, and attending church in Redlands, CA. He enjoys regular exercise at a health club or at home, creating digital photo albums of family photos, being a Grand Dad, and continuing to volunteer with the International School Project. We of the Commission on Global Partnerships for FEBC thank God for Darrel and Susan’s involvement in spreading the Gospel around the world these 44 years. We are confident that God, “....is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” (Hebrews 6:10 NASB) Postscript: In 2024, the Lord saw fit to take Susan home to be with him, but Darrel continues to serve the Lord through ISP on a voluntary basis, along with family and personal interests.
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Connect24 President's Address10/31/2024   It is my privilege to address you at this, the 130th annual meeting of the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches. If I could just reflect for a few moments. Last year’s meeting was an incredible reminder of what this Fellowship represents.
Since that pivotal meeting we have seen many individuals and churches respond to the need. We have received very generous one-time gifts, as well as long-term pledges from both individuals and churches. A handful of our churches have chosen to add the MC position as a supported missionary. Some churches have also increased their regular support levels to respond to the needs we expressed last year. Your sacrificial giving is an encouragement and a gift from God. As I mentioned in my Annual Report, last year was full of activity and several unusual achievements. The new fiscal year has come with more normalcy, and time to devote more directly to our vision. For instance, we released a new resource about leading effective member meetings, and behind the scenes, we began to work on a completely revised Directors’ Manual, which is badly needed and crucial to the daily operations of our organization. Can we talk about money for a minute? I don’t want to bore you with a lot of numbers, but I also don’t want us to miss an opportunity to praise God, from whom all blessings flow. As we discussed at great length last year, things weren’t going so well, and we had to seriously reduce our budget. This included cutting the Ministries Coordinator position and the printed magazine, among other things. But as those cuts were scheduled for the middle of the year, we still had a plan to use $121,000 in reserves - $71,000 in Joint Ministry reserves and a $50,000 transfer of reserves from FEBC Canada. But God provided enough money to FEBC Canada that they were able to meet their $50,000 commitment without tapping their reserves. So, we were looking at $71,000 in Joint Ministry reserves to be spent. However, when you determined at Connect23 that we would maintain the Ministries Coordinator position, we effectively raised that number to around $120,000. When you look at the report, you see that the total amount transferred from reserves was actually about $10,000. And guess what? That $10,000 was planned transfers from restricted funds. Like the scholarships that are only paid from the Scholarship Reserve Fund, and we always use those restricted funds first. That is why below that line you see total net cash of almost $9,000. Think that through for a minute. Between the US and Canada, we expected to draw $170,000 from reserves to pay the bills, and instead, we gained almost $9,000. Can we just praise God for that? God provided in various ways. As I mentioned before, we saw support begin to come in for the Ministries Coordinator position, along with other increased giving and individual donations. We sold our office building in Omaha, giving us an influx of cash, and our investments produced gains instead of losses. To be clear, this doesn’t mean we can all sit back and watch the FEBC make money. There is much work to be done – and that is why our Project Offering is going towards funding the Ministries Coordinator position. Next year, we may not gain money on our investments, and we certainly won’t have a building to sell. We must continue to consider as churches and individuals whether God would have us increase our support of this Fellowship. I want to acknowledge our staff. Can you imagine being Gary Krehbiel at last year’s business meeting? He had already been through the emotions of planning for a career change and received a fond farewell, when he got to listen to a room full of delegates resurrecting the possibility of his future with us. I know it was a whirlwind of emotions, but he handled it all with grace, accepted our offer to continue, and took your vote as a mandate. He has redoubled his efforts to personally visit churches and church leaders, offering valuable support and encouragement. Janet Rosenquist, our office administrator, faced reduced hours, the closing of our office, and the need to create a home office space, and maintained an excellent level of support and care for our constituents. Rebecca deftly handled the switch from a paper magazine to an online version, which turned into a complete overhaul of our website. Crystal Klassen magnificently handled the details of Connect, with a shorter than normal timeframe and plenty of other unexpected hurdles. In addition, she has worked year-round to increase connection via our Facebook page. Someone who does not work for me, but with whom I have had the pleasure to work is Samantha Nemanishen. She has served as the Financial Secretary for FEBC Canada for about 10 years, and she has lent a vast amount of expertise during those years. She is stepping down now, and I am sorry to see her go. I have grown to appreciate her, and I consider her a friend. Her heart to serve this Fellowship has been unquestionable. Sam, you will be missed. The new Canadian Financial Secretary will be Annie Bueckert. She is no stranger to our Fellowship, as she has already been helping the Prairie West Extension with their finances, and her brother serves as one of our pastors. I don’t know if there is any sibling rivalry there, so I won’t mention his name, but it rhymes with Mike Binther. So that is a lot about what is going on. but I am here to answer a question: What is the state of our Fellowship? I honestly believe we are in the best position we have been since I arrived, for many reasons. Internally, the FEBC staff and volunteer leaders are busy honing our ministries to better serve our vision. And we have renewed our focus on the things that matter most: Connecting with and strengthening our local churches. I would say that Gary and I have struggled at least a little with job overlap in the past but are now growing into our respective roles and learning to better leverage our individual strengths and weaknesses. While the move out of the office building was especially challenging, we are each settling into our new surroundings, new routines, and learning how to maintain our connections with one another outside of the office. But I am even more excited about what is happening among our member churches. Last year, the leaders of the FEBC felt that the prudent and wise path forward was to cut back on ministry to get our expenses as close as possible to our income. One could say that was wise, or that we lacked faith. But to be super transparent, we had been saying for years that if we did not receive increased giving, the budget we were on would not be sustainable. We had been praying that churches and individuals would respond over those years, and we had not seen significant movement. We tried to showcase the value of the FEBC as much as possible, and we hoped that folks would catch the vision and increase their support. Last year going into Connect I would say our attitude was: “Well, we tried, but it just isn’t going to work.” At the risk of being too transparent, we were starting to believe that no one really cared that much. But apparently, we were wrong. Maybe the message that we are running out of money today and cutting services and employees resonates a bit more deeply than the notion that we will eventually run out of money if nothing changes. We humbly notified our churches of the need, and before Connect even began last year, we had received a couple of large gifts from concerned individuals. Then of course, at Connect, we had the great delegate insurrection of 2023 – where you instructed us to have faith, get creative, and trust God for Gary’s support. Slowly but surely, that support has grown over this year, along with other general giving. Of course I am excited to watch God meet our financial needs, but I see a much larger benefit. Our churches and the individuals within our churches are taking ownership of this Fellowship. The delegates at Connect23 didn’t just sit back and say, “That’s a shame, but whatever the directors decide is fine.” They challenged the directors to move forward in faith. They charted a path that would not be easy, but if successful, it would benefit our churches. And since that moment, we have seen various churches and individuals take ownership in the way of financial responsibility for the decision that was made. This is the foundation upon which this Fellowship was built. The Fellowship was started by individuals and churches who took ownership and formed relationships and structure and policies that would benefit every member church. That foundation of taking ownership of our mutual care for one another has sustained this Fellowship for 135 years. I ask you today to help us build on this foundation. Take ownership of this Fellowship! What do I mean by that?
Our Mission is “Joining our hands to strengthen His church.” I like this phrase because it invokes a very specific image. When you join hands with someone, it is not a passive act. If someone grabs your hand when you weren’t expecting it, that’s just creepy. Joining our hands is something that occurs when we mutually desire a connection. You must take part in it. Let’s continue to reach out this year. Let’s truly join hands. I believe that when we do, God will be glorified, and our churches will truly be strengthened! Thank you so much for your ministry at your own church, for your dedication to this Fellowship, for your courage in the face of financial challenges, for your prayers, support, and continuing encouragement.
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Thankfulness Greater Than Fear10/29/2024  With Halloween just a few days away, I find myself reflecting on a different kind of fear — not the spooky costumes or haunted houses but the fear that has quietly crept into my heart during what should be one of the most joyful seasons of my life. Here I am, newly married, about to move states, buying our first home, starting a new job, and preparing to welcome a little one next June. God has been incredibly generous, pouring blessings upon blessings over me, yet I find myself daily fighting to keep fear from overtaking my thoughts. It’s been a true exercise in faith, and through this journey, I’ve started to make a conscious effort to count my blessings each day. Despite my fears, I have absolutely no trouble finding an abundance of things to be grateful for. I have an amazing, godly husband I’m so proud to call mine and our start to marriage has been full of joy, fulfillment, and grace. We’ve been surrounded by an incredibly generous support system that made our wedding and celebration beyond what I ever dreamed. Through God’s provision, we’re moving back to my hometown, surrounded by family, and are closing on our first home together this week. Despite the move, God provided me with a new remote job, giving us stability and peace of mind. And the most incredible blessing of all, we recently discovered that we’re expecting a baby — I’ve always felt that motherhood is my truest calling, but I had accepted long ago that health complications might make my chance at motherhood small and difficult. Despite the odds, God answered our prayers for parenthood. My tally of blessings is already so overwhelming without even acknowledging the daily provisions God lavishes on us of a warm home, a comfortable bed, a full belly and a loving community! These blessings fill my heart with gratitude, but with each comes its own kind of change and responsibility, sparking an overwhelming sense of responsibility to steward all that God has given us well. Some days, it can be difficult to keep the what-ifs from rising to the surface and overshadowing the greatness of our blessings. What if the move doesn’t go smoothly? What if the demands of my new role become overwhelming and I can’t swing it? What if I can’t juggle it all? What if parenthood comes too quickly and we aren’t as prepared as we think we are? I feel the weight of each new responsibility and the challenge of managing it while maintaining my peace and growing closer to God. And admitting all of this can feel extremely shameful. I am blessed beyond measure - why is thankfulness so much harder to practice than fearfulness in a time where God has shown me again and again that He is a faithful and gracious provider? Proverbs 3:5-6 has been a guide through these days as I struggle to conquer fear and stay in a mindset of thankfulness: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Fear may come, but faith conquers it every time. And when my heart begins to sink with the fear of not being good enough for His blessings, I will repeat Psalm 7:17: “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” As I take the change one day at a time, reminding myself to let go, trust God and treasure the blessings, I hope to make thankfulness a cornerstone of my household. We all have our seasons of change, and if there’s one thing I want to leave you with this month, it’s this: count your blessings and lean into God’s faithfulness. Whether the blessings are flowing like a river, or hardships seem to abound, our God is directing our paths and being faithful beyond measure.
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10/31/2024
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