 By Kevin StoneI have written generally about this topic before, but it is on my heart again. Once again, immigration and immigration enforcement are big topics of conversation in the US. Our political climate keeps proving that yes, it can get worse. Five or six years ago, there was plenty of vitriol, but the questions seemed more closely associated with the issues at hand: Is it bad to build a wall? Is it cruel to remove certain immigrants? Now, the questions cut even more deeply into the fabric of our society. Should state and local officials follow federal laws? What is the difference between peaceful protest and illegal activity? When are officers allowed to use deadly force? What is an insurrection? These questions about current events come on top of long-standing tensions over morality, gender, political violence, election integrity, the role of government, and so many other difficult issues. And while grappling with these issues, we choose the news outlets that frame issues according to our existing viewpoint. We follow social media outlets, where an algorithm determines which viewpoints we are most likely to enjoy. We are increasingly dividing into tribes within our own communities. But the divide is not strictly between believers and unbelievers. There are deep divides even among believers. Pastors and parishioners alike try to figure out how to wade through this mess and represent Christ well. Most believe that politics do not belong in the church, but when political issues impact moral issues, it becomes more difficult to determine what type of response is appropriate. When a political issue goes beyond the efficient administration of government to interfering with morality, the church should teach its members to speak, act, and vote in a way that represents Christ. Outside of the church, I see many believers sharing their opinions in the public square, such as through social media posts. Engaging those around us with Biblical truth is vitally important. After all, making disciples of the nations is our commission. However, I am concerned that so many of those Christians sharing their opinion have simplified the Word of God to the point where they cannot seem to grasp the scope of the situation about which they are commenting. Put another way, many of today’s believers seem to be “one verse wonders.” They pick one verse out of context and state that the situation is simple when it is, in fact, complex. Or they cherry pick only the verses that support their specific point of view. Following are a couple of examples which pertain to immigration. “All immigrants should be welcome in our country. Deportation is wrong, because the Bible says to love the stranger who lives among you (Lev. 19:34).” That sounds reasonable, but the issue is far more complicated than that. God also said that the stranger who lived among his people must follow the same laws and customs, upon penalty of death (Lev. 24:16-23). The Bible affirms the concept of borders (Acts 17:26, Deut. 32:8, Hos. 5:10, etc.), and we are instructed to follow the laws of the government (Rom. 13:1-2, 1 Pet. 2:13-17, etc.). So yes, the people of Israel were commanded to love the stranger who lived among them, but only if that stranger followed God’s law. Nations should have borders, and governments enact laws to protect those borders. We are instructed to follow the law AND we are instructed to love people. So, the answer is not as simple as one verse would have us believe. “Jesus said ‘love your neighbor’ (Matt. 22:39) and ‘turn the other cheek,’ (Matt. 5:39). It is simply not Christlike to round up criminals or to use weapons to enforce the law.” This seems easy enough, if you ignore a few other verses. For instance, Romans 13:4 states that government authorities bear the sword in order to punish those who break the law. Without that possibility, laws are virtually unenforceable. And there are many passages of Scripture that apply to individual believers, not to governments. Again, the situation becomes more complex than some would lead us to believe. God’s Word cannot fit on a bumper sticker or be used as a pithy rallying cry. One must examine all of Scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal how its meaning unfolds in day-to-day life. I believe that one of the greatest threats to the Church today is Biblical illiteracy. It is far too easy to find a verse that matches your opinion or your mood without digging into the historical and grammatical context. But without proper context and the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we will rarely understand the text. Let us not be “one verse wonders,” let us seek to understand God’s Word. We must continue to stand as a Fellowship of churches that preaches the full counsel of Scripture. We must continue to encourage Biblical literacy in our teaching, our programs, and our personal discipleship. We must encourage our people not to be swept up in the current culture of grabbing one verse to prove our point, but to be true students of God’s Word. 2 Timothy 3 reveals the godlessness that will prevail in the last days. People will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, etc. But at the end of the chapter, we are given the foundation on which we are to stand in those days. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 - ESV) When we teach people to study the full counsel of Scripture, we may not change the climate within our nations, but we might just change the lives of those within our influence. “Bible” is our middle name. Lord, help us model that in every interaction. ABOUT THE AUTHORKevin Stone has been in full or part-time ministry for over 30 years. Before accepting the position of President, he spent 12 years as the full-time Pastor of Worship at Crosspoint Bible Church in Omaha, NE - one of our FEBC churches. Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
To The Least of These2/4/2026  By Dennis Friesen“Lord, open doors of opportunity so our community can see that we love them—and that Jesus loves them too.” Those weren’t the exact words of our Elders’ prayer, but they captured our shared burden. We long to be a church that does more than offer programs designed to draw people into our building. We are asking God to open opportunities to show our community His love, even if they never step inside our church. When those opportunities came, we hesitated. Would this truly fulfill our calling as Christians? Would the community welcome us? Did we have the skills and resources? Would people volunteer? We learned quickly that those answers don’t come all at once. What we do know is that today we are serving our community of 1,800 people through two programs deeply connected to our local schools. Literacy Partnership In the spring of 2024, news across our province focused on growing concerns about students lacking adequate classroom support, especially in their early developmental years. Many children struggle to learn to read and do not receive enough support at home, while schools have limited access to support staff. Regardless of where blame may lie, these children are falling through the cracks, and the long-term consequences of poor literacy skills are significant. We at Dalmeny Bible Church began consulting with K–6 school administrators, who welcomed us to come into classrooms during school hours to provide a volunteer-led Literacy Program. Initially, there was understandable hesitation from teachers, likely due to concerns that we might have an agenda to evangelize students. Over time, trust grew as they recognized that our motivation was compassion, not coercion.
School Nutrition Program Elders continued praying for more opportunities, and another door opened—far sooner than we expected. We received a call asking if we would consider applying for a School Board grant to start a student Nutrition Program. The timeline was tight, but after brief consultation with the Elders and our Property and Finance Committee, we moved forward. Conversations with school administrators confirmed a clear and pressing need. In June, we were stunned to learn that our application had been approved. We later discovered we were the only grant recipient in the entire school division. Implementing what is now known as the Dalmeny School Nutrition Program has been a steep learning curve for our church community. Our existing kitchen lacked the space required for new equipment and proper food storage, so we had to create and prepare a new inspected area by the end of August. While the grant supports the program, we are responsible for purchasing the food. God has faithfully provided through generous support from our church, community members, local businesses, and food suppliers. When we shared the vision with our congregation, 50 people attended the initial information meeting. One important decision was whether to offer the program universally or selectively. To avoid marginalizing students with nutritional needs, we chose to provide healthy food for all students. The program continues to develop. Four volunteer teams rotate weekly responsibilities for food preparation and delivery, including baking and hot meals. Elementary students receive nutritious snacks or fresh baking twice a week, while high school students have access to a daily nutrition break with fruit or prepared snacks. In addition, we provide school-wide hot meals monthly or bi-weekly, always mindful of severe allergies. The response from school administrators and teachers has been deeply encouraging. Strong, healthy relationships have grown between our church and the schools. One teacher shared that the program has made a significant difference in her classroom. Some students arrive without enough food; others bring food that is not nourishing. Nutritious meals help students regulate, focus, and learn. Fulfilling Our Mandate Should literacy and nutrition programs be part of a church’s mandate to make disciples? Three years ago, we would not have thought so. Today, we see differently. We’ve adopted the motto “to the least of these”, now stitched onto the aprons our volunteers wear.
When people ask why we do this, it gives us the opportunity to share how our crucified and risen Lord compels us to love others as He has loved us. These initiatives haven’t replaced teaching or outreach at DBC. Instead, they have created tangible ways for our people to live out their faith in the community. It’s been a challenging and humbling journey, and we continue to pray that we would be followers of Jesus who are united, patient, merciful, generous, kind, and loving. We would gladly share what we’ve learned, but above all, we encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to open new doors of opportunity—so you can love your community, and so they might know that Jesus loves them too. By DENNIS FRIESENDennis Friesen is the Pastor at Dalmeny Bible Church in Saskatchewan. Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
 Originally published in July/August 2016, Volume 56, Issue 4 of the Fellowship Focus By Harvey E. Schultz“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18 NIV
As a teenager in high school, I memorized over 100 verses, most of which stick with me today (Why can’t my mind do the same today?). The verse above is one of those memorized long ago. For many years, I thought that I understood quite clearly what it meant. However, only recently have I come to grasp the true meaning and implications of those words penned by Peter so long ago. Peter was urging believers not to remain static in their lives, but to grow spiritually. Spiritual dangers abounded. They would need to be strong in order to resist these dangers. So in one simple sentence, he describes how spiritual growth can be an ongoing reality in their lives: “… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” These are the spiritual nutrients we must draw upon to grow. D. Edmund Hiebert comments that the command to grow is an appeal to our wills. While spiritual growth is not produced by an assertion of our wills, believers must will to see the removal of the hindrances to growth and actively foster the conditions which promote growth (Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 141, p. 338). To that end, the Apostle Peter sets in front of his readers two imperatives for growth:
Let’s take the first imperative. What does it mean to “grow in the grace”? Our Lord’s grace enables us to grow. Growth is not the product of disciplined human efforts sustained over a period of time. Rather, growth takes place just like salvation becomes a reality in our lives. We recognize our need. We realize we cannot save ourselves. We reach out by faith to Christ. We draw upon his grace by trusting him to save us, and he does just that. And that’s exactly how we can grow in grace. We recognize our need for spiritual strength to do what Jesus asks us to do. We learn to draw upon his grace by trusting him to give us his strength for growth. Through his Spirit living in us, Jesus communicates his strength to us, and we are enabled to grow. Secondly, Peter says: “Grow in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The two statements are intimately linked. Get to know him better. Peter is speaking of experiential knowledge, not merely head knowledge. How will that stimulate growth? The better I know Jesus, the more I will understand what he is really like, and the more I will realize just how trustworthy he really is. I will realize more clearly that I can depend on Jesus to communicate his life to me. That, in turn, will motivate me to trust him more and more for the inner power I need to grow. Peter’s growth “formula” is really quite simple. Desire growth. Recognize that your strength is inadequate. Draw on Jesus’ strength and power. No, you don’t deserve it. But he will give it to you anyway. It is grace. To that end, get to know Jesus better and better. Learn how trustworthy he is. The more you understand that, the more you will practice leaning on Jesus for his power for your growth. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” No doubt, many of us have practiced this for years. Understanding the dynamics revealed in this verse should accelerate our growth. Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Pastor Spotlight: Rex Green2/4/2026  Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
My name is Rex Green, and I’m honored to be the new pastor of Community Bible Church in Wolf Point, Montana, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. My family and I were called here in October 2025, after having served a small, rural SBC congregation in central Missouri for the last 16-½ years. We find the saints of Community Bible Church faithful, and the fellowship sweet. I have been blessed with the love of a faithful helpmate, Annie, for nearly 22 years (on March 12). She is not only the other (better) half of me, but is an amazing minister in her own right. She is a gifted administrator, teacher, counsellor, and artist, and has been my worship leader for nearly two decades of ministry. I am blessed to be her second love, Jesus Christ being her first. My mother, Sue (Mema to her friends, which is just about everybody), also made the move with us. She has discovered an adventurous love for Montana and its people, and her zeal for the Lord is contagious. She was also recently appointed as the church librarian. Visitors to the parsonage will also have the opportunity to meet our two dogs, Abby and Ziva (yes, from the TV show). Abby is my sweet, talented 55 lb German Shepherd-mix, and is a certified therapy dog. I’ve used her in ministry to youth camps, nursing homes, and crisis counselling for nearly 5 years. Ziva, the baby of the family, is our 110 lb sable German Shepherd. She would love to make your acquaintance, especially if you have snacks. They make regular appearances as sermon illustrations, as they tend to be less sensitive about that sort of thing than deacons and family members. Our home is filled with love, music, and good old-fashioned fattening home cooking, and we like to share all three. Since arriving in Wolf Point, I’ve been able to serve the local school district as a substitute teacher and school bus driver. Annie has started learning piano and continues her painting and writing. Mema hasn’t read every single book in the local library...yet, but she’s made a significant dent. She has also started updating and cataloguing the church’s library. All of these activities have afforded us the opportunity to connect with the community and to shine the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re excited to be a part of the FEBC and look forward to seeing what God has in store for us here in Montana. Please pray for our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ back in Missouri, and the saints that we serve alongside here on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, that God would be glorified in all we do, and that the harvest would be bountiful. Sincerely yours, eternally His, Rex Green Pastor, Community Bible Church Wolf Point, MT Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
CONNECT262/4/2026  Please save the dates for Connect26! Our annual gathering of churches will happen July 9-11, 2026, at Salem Church in Waldheim, SK. We want to connect you with people, resources, and information that will help you do ministry better. This event is not just for pastors and leaders, but for anyone who is interested in learning more about God’s Word, about our Fellowship, or about healthy church ministry. Here’s a closer look at our Keynote Speaker and his topic: Our Keynote Speaker for Connect26 will be Steve Janz, Executive Director of Millar College of the Bible – Sunnybrae Campus. Steve grew up as a missionary kid in Germany. He graduated from Millar College of the Bible in 1986 and began his pastoral ministry in 1987.
Our theme for Connect26 will be “Gospel for Life.”
The gospel is more than a message we proclaim—it must be the very center of our lives. We’ll be invited to consider gospel realities and truths as the daily source for our rest, trust, obedience, and hope, not just the starting point of faith but the sustaining power for the Christian life and the long road of ministry. Please save the dates and check back for more information. See you at Connect! Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Resources2/4/2026  Our Vision Statement is: “Strengthening our churches with timely resources that strengthen their leaders.” One of the resources we offer to member churches is an annual retreat for your pastor and his wife. We are in the middle of retreat season, as the Nebraska retreat is held in January, the Saskatchewan retreat in February, and the Manitoba retreat in March. These retreats are just a couple of days together, but we believe they are an extremely valuable ministry to pastors and pastoral couples. Along with meals together, there are sessions where we explore areas of ministry or potential challenges to ministry together. There are opportunities to discuss challenges and victories with a group of peers. There is free time to rest and do whatever helps one recharge. The task of shepherding a congregation can be lonely, isolating, and draining, even when it seems that the pastor is doing fine. These retreats offer a chance to share the burdens of ministry with others who can truly relate, and who genuinely care. They are also a great opportunity to rejoice together in the victories, and to share ideas about how each ministry can be improved. Friendships have formed during these retreats. Acquaintances and colleagues have become confidants and prayer partners.
Each FEBC church should encourage pastors to attend. We realize the cost of these retreats can seem difficult, particularly for the churches who are farther away, but the FEBC has set aside funds to help pay the costs for these trips. We encourage every pastor to participate.
To learn more about our retreats, contact our Ministries Coordinator, Rev. Gary Krehbiel. [email protected] Check out a more complete list of resources here: FEBC Church Resources but remember that we are willing to talk about any situation at all. Don’t hesitate to contact Gary, Kevin, or the FEBC Office. Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Fellowship Views2/4/2026 
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
 As of January 2026, Blaine Donaldson has returned to the FEBC and started serving as Senior Pastor of Rock Valley Chapel in Beloit, WI. Blaine is taking the mantle after the departure of long-term Pastor Tim Johnson.
Born in Canada, Blaine and his wife Autumn were married in 1991 and later became naturalized citizens of the United States in 2010. Together they have three children and are deeply committed to family, faith, and service to the church. Their family’s ministry extends internationally, including the missionary work of their daughter Adrianna (Dee), her husband Courage, and their new son Excellence with Wycliffe/SIL in Jos, Nigeria. In addition to local church ministry, Blaine has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses at Jos Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS) in Nigeria. His teaching reflects a Biblicist approach that emphasizes the authority of Scripture, theological clarity, and pastoral application. In his spare time, Blaine enjoys hunting and fishing. A lifelong learner, Blaine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Bible, a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry, a Master of Divinity in Theology, and a Master of Arts in Theology. He also served as President of the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches from 2010 to 2018. Whether preaching, teaching, or mentoring leaders, Blaine’s ministry is marked by a deep commitment to Scripture, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the spiritual growth of the church.  Pastor Blaine and his wife Autumn with FEBC President Kevin Stone at Rock Valley Chapel Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Jesus Sees Women2/4/2026  John 4:12 (NKJV): “Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” What does the tragic story of Dinah and the encounter between Jesus and the ‘woman at the well’ have in common? They happened in the same place. Shechem and Sychar are different names for the same location. Genesis 34 tells the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. It is a narrative about God’s people on the move, but it is also a painful account of their moral failure. Dinah is violated by Shechem (the man the city was named after), yet no one truly sees her suffering. Her father, Jacob, remains silent. Her brothers respond with violence, but their outrage appears tied less to Dinah’s trauma than to the dishonor they perceive to their family, or even political/military advancement. Dinah herself disappears into the margins of the story. In Shechem, no one truly saw her. Fast forward some 1,500 years to John 4, where we meet another unnamed woman at the same place. Traditionally, she has been portrayed as immoral, and many of us—including myself—have assumed or implied this in our teaching. But a closer look suggests a more complex and compassionate interpretation. She had five husbands. In that culture, women rarely initiated divorce and had limited means of economic survival apart from men. It is possible that she was widowed repeatedly, abandoned, or passed from one precarious relationship to another. The man she lived with was not her husband, but Scripture does not explain the circumstances. What is clear is this: people likely judged her, but few truly saw her. Her question to Jesus is striking: “Are You greater than our father Jacob?” In essence, she asks whether anything has really changed. Dinah was unseen. Is she unseen too? Does anyone see her? Jesus does. When He speaks of her life, it is not merely exposure but recognition. He demonstrates that He knows her story. Where others saw a problem, Jesus saw a person. Where others saw shame, Jesus saw suffering and dignity. Her testimony afterward is telling: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29). Jesus saw her when no one else did. Our society has made progress in seeing women more clearly than in previous generations, yet many women still feel trapped, silenced, or treated as objects rather than persons. Some continue to endure mistreatment in their homes and communities. To them, the gospel speaks a powerful truth: Jesus sees you. And the church must reflect His vision. We must oppose the abuse and objectification of women, refuse silence in the face of injustice, and commit ourselves to seeing women as Christ sees them—with dignity, compassion, and truth. If you are suffering, we will not look away. We will see you, because Jesus does. ABOUT THE AUTHORBlaine Donaldson is the Senior Pastor of Rock Valley Chapel in Beloit, Wisconsin, bringing decades of pastoral and theological leadership experience across Canada and the United States. He is deeply committed to Scripture, discipleship, and equipping believers, with ministry and teaching that also extend internationally. Blaine holds multiple theological degrees and previously served as President of the FEBC. Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
Church News2/4/2026 
Our pastor is encouraging us in this season to consider each other, Christ’s own body of believers. If we neglect the importance of each other and showing our love for each other, something important is lost in effectively conveying the message of Christ’s love to the world around us. We remember Jesus’ example, “…Having loved His own, He loved them to the very end…” John 13:1 This new year promises to be a fulfilling time as we press into caring for each other. Our pastor encourages us to find ways to be closer to each other and to embrace a culture of Supernatural love.
In addition, we have two pre-teen girls who are being mentored in Sunday School by a woman from our Ladies’ Abide Group, using the “Through the Word” app. We were happy to help send one of our senior couples on a short-term mission trip to Cuba. Jim is an expert in foot care, a pedorthist. Their suitcases of medical supplies and Jim’s use of custom orthotics proved to be a blessing to both patients and doctors. They were also able to pass along some funds from donors back home. Laureen had the opportunity to speak at a women’s event and shared from Psalm 139 about God’s presence in their times of trouble. Being our librarian, she was able to organize a doctor’s book collection, an added bonus for him! Overall, in word and deed, they were a great encouragement, and they are all thinking of another trip soon!
Kristin, our pastor’s wife, led the worship, and various pastors led different aspects of the evening, including prayer for the collective neighborhoods represented, as well as a time of communion. It was interesting to hear how each church reaches out to help their community. The evening represented what needs to happen- churches coming together in unity without a spirit of competition. We are already looking ahead to the next season of the Church calendar, where we remember Jesus’ death and celebrate His resurrection. Our Special Services Committee is waiting in prayer for direction as to how we, as a congregation, can enter into this time in the best way for our learning and God’s glory. I’ll report on that next time. Linda Edwards, Correspondent Countryside Bible Church Meade, KS Jonathan Dale, Pastor countrysidebiblechurch.net "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works." -Psalm 73:28 Greetings in the Lord to all of you brethren across the Fellowship Focus family! We at Countryside Bible Church are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for 2026 (and pray that you are as well!), and thank God for another year that He has given us to serve Him, glorify Him, and make Him known! In January, Pastor Jonathan started an in-depth study on the book of Romans, which we will be going through on Sunday mornings. Then on Sunday evenings, Pastor Jonathan has started a series on "Heroes of the Faith". We are also just about to start up Bible/Book studies again for the year. The books we will be going through are: "Disciplines of a Godly Man" by Kent R. Hughes and "Disciplines of a Godly Woman" by Barbara Hughes. We pray that the Lord will be working in our hearts and minds and giving us humble, teachable hearts as we study Scripture together. In late January, several men from our church took part in the Ironmen Summit, a day filled with Christ-centered teaching, fellowship with men from many churches, and great food-all aimed at encouraging men in their walk with the Lord. There are also some who are excited to participate in the Faith Biblical Counseling Conference in Lafayette, coming up in February. Some will be attending in-person, and some virtually. We praise the Lord for opportunities like this to be able to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 2 Peter 3:18. It has been five years since our church last had a Family Retreat, but on March 20th - 22nd, Lord willing, we plan to gather in Woodward, Oklahoma, for a time of fellowship, teaching from God's Word, fun, and sharing meals. Dr. Michael Grisanti will be sharing the Word with us over the weekend. Abigail Bartel, Correspondent Dalmeny Bible Church Dalmeny, Saskatchewan Dennis Friesen, Pastor dalmenybiblechurch.ca We had two baptisms in December - Ellyce Buhler and Jett Schultz. Over Christmas, the children did a great job performing and singing ‘Not Another Nativity Play’, reminding us once again of the importance of the nativity. One Sunday, we also served our annual peppernuts and apple cider. A New Year’s Eve Party gave an opportunity to celebrate the old and the new. Games and food were enjoyed by all who attended. The men enjoyed an evening of Laser Tag and snacks in January. At the end of January, the ladies went to Living Waters Camp for a weekend retreat of listening to testimonies, relaxing, good food, and fun games. Marilyn Harder, Correspondent Evangelical Bible Church Dallas, OR Troy Bassham, Pastor ebcdallas.org Here at EBC, we wrapped up January with our Annual Business Meeting. We are still looking for our next Associate Pastor and are praying for God's guidance and wisdom in filling that position. This summer, we are sending a team of 9 to MaeSot, Thailand, with Children to Love International to serve with Grace Boarding house and help with their ministries there. Alison Johnson, Correspondent Faith Evangelical Bible Church Henderson, NE Bryan Conrad, Pastor faithebc.net We had 4 baptisms last year and will have 2 more in February, which is very exciting! Our Awana program is bursting with an attendance of about 70 students from Cubbies, Sparks, T&T, and Jr. High Youth Group. Lots of these kids don’t attend our church, so it’s exciting to see new faces every year and to see the numbers grow. We started a new Women’s Ministry in August, and it has had a successful start with large group meetings happening once a month, and 4 new Bible studies for women to attend. Our High School Youth group is seeing higher numbers each year, with our regular attending students inviting friends from school. They are focusing on reading through the Bible together this year, with their theme coming from 2 Timothy 4:12. You can be praying for our leaders as they hope to put together a Summer Missions Trip for the students. We don’t have a staffed leader, so their volunteer work is greatly appreciated and invaluable! Cheyenne Hiebner, Correspondent Grace Church Abbotsford, BC Andrew Martens, Pastor graceabbotsford.com God has been good to us here at Grace Church! This past year has been a productive one under the leadership of our Pastor (& his wife). Their encouragement and leadership have been bearing fruit. There have been several Bible Studies and Children’s Programs that have been revived and are now running smoothly, which means people are engaging in the various ministries within the church. This is due, in part, to having over 15 new members join our church family. There have also been over 10 baptisms this past year. Our youth group has also grown as the youth are faithful to invite their unsaved friends, which has helped contribute to the growth we’ve seen. All of this has given us many reasons to celebrate! But wait…there’s more! We have also been blessed by a lengthy visit from one of our Global Partners (Benny & Esther Goertzen – parents of Anja Gaona, whom some of you may know as well). It is always a delight to have a visit from them and hear in-person what God is doing through their ministries in Paraguay – it is so encouraging. Of course, there have been some sad events over the past year as we said goodbye to some faithful saints who have been part of the congregation for many years, even decades. We miss them but celebrate that they are now with our Heavenly Father, enjoying the reward of their salvation. Pray for us that we would continue to be good stewards of what God has given us. We are grateful for the financial provision that has been brought to us through the faithful giving of the church family and, also, through various ministries/churches that also use our space. Our building is quite large, and they are a great help to us financially. God has been good to send us user groups that fit with the resources we have to offer. Pray for us that we would not grow weary in doing good to others – our community and our own ‘household of faith’; and that we would continue to seek God’s heart & purpose for our church family for the days and years ahead. Theresa Janzen, Correspondent Grunthal Evangelical Bible Church Grunthal, MB Jared Fast, Pastor grunthalebc.ca In December of 2025, our church congregation experienced its first Advent and Christmas Program in the newly renovated sanctuary! Since 2020, Grunthal EBC has experienced significant growth in numbers, a true blessing of a “problem” to have. Throughout the year, we had to have two services on Sunday mornings, which wasn’t ideal, but it was a good temporary solution to allow everyone to enjoy church comfortably while figuring out our next steps. Thanks to great minds working together, we decided we could eliminate the storage room tucked behind the stage, push the stage back, and thus provide more seating in front of the stage. Prior to renovations, we could seat 278 people in the pews. Now, after renovations and exchanging pews for new stackable church chairs, we can now seat 345 congregants! This means we were able to enjoy the remaining months of 2025 with one service on Sunday mornings all together and our congregation was no longer split into two! These successful renovations were truly an answer to prayer! Once a month, we’ve started a “Prayer and Praise Night”. Anyone can come out that evening and enjoy an intimate setting of singing worship songs and listening to a short message. Then we’d break up into very small groups to read Scripture and share prayer requests with one another and pray for one another. It is a wonderful time of fellowshipping and praising God. We’re happy to announce that we have a date for our next Standing Firm Conference. “Worship The King” will take place on April 24th-25th. Let Everything that has breath praise the Lord, Praise the Lord -Psalm 150:5 Grunthal EBC offers something for everyone throughout the week. Men’s Bible Study on Mondays, Women’s Bible Study on Fridays, 55+ coffee & fellowship on Wednesdays, Jr Youth on Thursdays, Senior Youth on Fridays, College and Career, and Sunday School classes for ALL ages—starting at two years of age—on Sunday mornings. All of these get-togethers and classes we offer speak volumes to the number of servant-hearted volunteers we have at church. It’s wonderful to see so many God-given Spiritual gifts at work! We couldn’t do it without each other and God’s provision over these things. Jennifer Preston, Correspondent Indian Head Community Bible Church Indian Head, SK Justin Epp, Pastor The first Sunday of the New Year was a time of celebration at our church, as three individuals testified to God’s transforming power in their lives and were then baptized. Not only do we rejoice to see God’s hand at work in these members, but we also praise Him for growth in other areas of church life. In the fall, midweek Bible study sessions expanded with additional groups meeting to include more people from the growing congregation. Several regular attenders have aged out of the church’s weekly Kids Club program, so a youth group was started. The group has monthly opportunities to engage in fun activities and a brief Bible study. A new triad ministry was also introduced recently. This fosters personal growth as groups of three people meet regularly for fellowship and engage in spiritual disciplines together. Praise God with us for the work He is doing in the church; and pray for continued unity of the Spirit and hunger for God’s Word. Sarah Pacio, Correspondent Martensville Mission Church Martensville, SK Justin Klassen, Pastor facebook.com/martensvillemissionchurch Now that the Christmas season is behind us and we are into the new year, Pastor Justin’s sermon series through Ephesians has resumed. Pastor Justin has taken some much-needed time off for the month of January. In his absence, the Sunday messages were shared between our associate pastor, Brolin Simes, Brendon Johnston, and two guest speakers, Pastor Abe Klassen and Greg Benson, Director of Ranger Lake Bible Camp. Mr. Benson, in addition to the message, gave a report on summer camp and other goings on at Ranger Lake. Each Tuesday night is Bible Study night at the MMC. The focus of the Bible Study is to continue discussion on the previous Sunday’s message, and additional information may be provided. It is an opportunity to ask questions or request clarification on anything pertaining to the message. It is a great opportunity to deepen our understanding of God’s truths. Fundraising for our church addition and renovation project continued in January. On January 23rd, MMC hosted a movie night, complete with a concession selling pizza and snacks. Admission to “The Miracle Season” was by donation, and everyone was encouraged to invite family and friends out for the evening. Upcoming events at the MMC include the Annual General Meeting on February 13th and the Mexico Missions Trip from February 18th to 26th. Brenda Quirt, Correspondent Salem Church Waldheim, SK James VanderVeen, Pastor salemchurch.ca December is a full month for most churches, and Salem is no exception. We had the privilege of welcoming three new members into our membership and one baptism. Our church family also had some rich opportunities to celebrate the birth of Christ and bless others in our community during the holiday season. The Town of Waldheim invited our church to set up a live nativity scene at their annual Light Up the Park event. Many of our church family participated by dressing up as nativity characters, singing carols, and donating hot chocolate and cookies for the event. This was a unique opportunity to be able to share the true meaning of Christmas at a community-wide event. Our Congregational Care Committee organized and distributed 13 Christmas Hampers to families in need in our community. Our congregation generously donated food items to fill these hampers by selecting tags from our “Giving Tree” (a Christmas tree set up in the foyer with paper ornaments on it that had grocery items written on them). People were invited to choose a tag and purchase the item on the tag for the hampers. Young at Heart, our senior’s group, hosted their annual Christmas Banquet where they fellowshipped around good food, had special music, and a guest speaker. This was the last event for Young at Heart as the members of the planning committee have now retired from their roles. We also had the honour of hosting a joint Christmas Eve Service with the MB Church across town. We had just over 300 people from throughout the community attend the service and celebrate the birth of our Saviour with us! Shailey Boehm, Correspondent Vita Bible Church Vita, Manitoba Jonathan Coutts, Pastor vitabiblechurch.com December is always a wonderful and exciting time for us here at Vita Bible Church. Each year, we look forward to our annual Christmas Concert, where our young people bless us with a reminder of the true reason for celebrating Christmas. This year’s program, “Mary” posed a question to an unbelieving man all throughout the telling of the Christmas story, “Do you believe yet?” Many people come out to watch the telling of Christ’s birth each year. We have an encouraging time of fellowship afterwards with people from all over as grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, friends, and community members all join us for this joyous occasion. Our Women’s Ministry group has been busy as well, taking part in this year’s Christmas market at the local arena. They decided not to join as a vendor, but instead, as a presence in our community, handing out free coffee and warm conversation to all who would welcome it. Christmastime for many is a difficult time. It is always such a blessing to encourage others and remind them of Christ’s love for them. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, Pastor Jonathan reminded us all that true rest comes from God alone. He brought us to Matthew 11:28, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” If Jesus is the giver of rest, then we must come to Him alone to receive that rest. In our ongoing study of Acts, he drew our attention to Acts 16:14, “…The Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” It is our prayer that God will open all our hearts to receive His message and His divine rest. Tiffany Tuurenhout, Correspondent Not seeing updates from your church?
Connect with your pastor, or email the editor at [email protected], to find out if your church needs a correspondent—and whether you might be the right fit! Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
 Below are the deaths, births, and weddings across our congregations that have occurred since our last issue or had not previously been reported. During these major events, and always, we will proclaim His praise. Evangelical Bible Church (Dallas, OR)
Dalmeny Bible Church (Dalmeny, SK)
Cornerstone Bible Church (Mountain Lake, MN)
Crosspoint Bible Church (Omaha, NE)
Countryside Bible Church (Meade, KS)
Salem Church (Waldheim, SK)
Grunthal Evangelical Bible Church (Grunthal, MB)
Randville Bible Church (Iron Mountain, MI) Three very faithful long-time elders of Randville Bible Church went to their eternal rewards in recent years. These men are greatly missed; we are thankful for their many years of service to the fellowship.
To submit a birth, wedding, or memorial for this section, contact your pastor, your church correspondent, or email the editor at [email protected]
Tags:
The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
|
2/4/2026
1 Comment