 Who am I? What is my identity? When we meet someone new, we tend to ask three immediate questions.
We ask these questions because they seem to give a quick overview of someone’s identity, but do they really? Knowing my name gives someone a surefire way of getting my attention, but our culture doesn’t put any significance on first names, at least as far as character goes. Knowing my last name can be helpful in terms of making family connections and trying to move past the awkward stranger phase. In some cases, our last name may carry significance, but only if it connects us to someone who is already known, either by their character or their status. Knowing where I am from can be helpful in making connecting points; either because you know someone from my area, or because it helps give us something to talk about. Our past has an impact on our development and character, and learning that is a way of drilling down past the surface of a relationship. Knowing what I do as an occupation can also be helpful in making connecting points; either because we share common abilities, or because it gives us something else to talk about. Our occupation can give a glimpse into our skill set and passions, and it is another tool to help us get to know each other. For many people in our culture, the above answers form the nucleus of their identity, or if they don’t, can be easily substituted with questions about family, hobbies, sports, etc. But, for the Christian, these answers are a poor substitute for our real identity. Romans 8:16-17 says, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (NASB). If you are a believer, then you are a child of God. In one literal sense, a Christian male is a son of God, and a Christian female is a daughter of God. No, this does not put us on the same plane as Jesus, the only true Son of God. His identity is an expression of His essence; our identity is an expression of our position. It speaks dramatically of our relationship to God. Paul used this kind of specific language in 2 Corinthians 6:18, “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ says the Lord Almighty.” This is the last verse of the chapter, and in verses 16-17, Paul quotes from the Old Testament to teach these believers that they must not be united with unbelievers. Verse 18 is not a direct Old Testament quote, but it is written as a reference to Scripture, so which verse did Paul have in mind? There are several to choose from (2 Samuel 7:14-15; Hosea 1:10), but I will quote Isaiah 43:6-7, “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.’” In our day and age, this might sound redundant, but I want to emphasize that men and women have equal standing before God; men are called “sons of God,” and women are called “daughters of God.” How much time have you taken to meditate on this remarkable truth? It is no small thing which God has done! God has both saved us from His wrath and adopted us into His family. Salvation is both being delivered from condemnation and being destined for heaven! It is a present reality and a future glory. Even as I think on it, I cannot fully comprehend it. Jesus died on the cross for my sin, coming under the full wrath of God in the process. When I receive salvation, God declares that I am righteous. But insofar as a relationship with Him goes, God would be fully justified in only declaring me His slave. In one respect, that is true; I am God’s slave. Upon receiving salvation, I am delivered from one master, but I come under another. I am free from slavery to sin and from serving Satan, but am now a slave to righteousness and must serve God. Paul wrote of this in Romans 6 and 1 Corinthians 6, with 1 Corinthians 6:18 giving a nice summary. “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” If that was the extent of the relationship, we would be recipients of much grace, far more than we deserve, since we deserve condemnation. But God has done much more than just redeem us as His slaves; He calls us His sons and daughters. I quoted from Romans 8:16-17 earlier, but now want to give you verse 15, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” Paul wrote similarly in Galatians 4:6-7, “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” I love how the Bible is filled with pictures. In both verses, Paul refers to God as our “Abba,” the equivalent of our “Daddy.” Regrettably, when I think back to the years when our children were young, I don’t remember taking note of that look of complete trust from our children. I’m sure it was there, but I was too busy with life to stop and contemplate the significance. Now, as a grandpa to young grandchildren, I see that look regularly. I notice that look of complete trust which says, “As long as I am with you, I am safe.” The little body relaxes, the little face is at rest, and hand-in-hand the child willingly follows mom or dad. This is my identity. I belong to God. He is my Abba, and He cares for me with unlimited power and wisdom. He is never overwhelmed; He is never distracted; He is always able to protect. Why then, do Christians struggle with self-esteem, insecurities, or feelings of inadequacy? Why do we have fears and doubts? Why do we try to prove ourselves to others? Why do we look for validation in what we do? Why do we rate our worth by other people’s opinions? Sadly, I have spent most of my life projecting an image of confidence, while inwardly feeling inadequate and almost worthless. For years, I measured my value by my performance, and found that I was always striving to do more, because only when I exceeded expectations would people be impressed. Eventually, though, I burned myself out, because I have a limit of how much I can do. God, in His infinite wisdom, worked on me with great patience and perseverance. This is embarrassing to admit, but only within the last year have I really begun to live as a child of God first, and everything else, second. I am not a pastor first, I am not a father first, I am not a grandfather first, I am not a Canadian first, I am not Trevor Kirsch first; I am one of God’s chosen sons first. This pierces right to the heart of my worth, my confidence, my joy, my peace, my trust, and my contentment. I must continue to pursue excellence, but not so I can prove my worth. I must do so, because one day I will stand before Jesus and give an account of my actions. I came across a phrase several years ago, “Remember my audience of One.” Whatever my responsibilities, there is only one whose judgment matters, and that is God. Others might be impressed and speak highly of me, but if I live and work to build my name and my legacy, God is not impressed. On the other hand, if I live and work to bring glory to God, then God is pleased, regardless of what other people think. I expect that everyone who will read this article already knows this truth, but I doubt that everyone lives it. Even as I write, the words convict my heart again, because I battle with my heart every single day. Fortunately, God has given us an easy measuring stick to gauge our hearts, and we can do some quiet reflection at any time. Have I been hurt or offended by someone recently? Why did it bother me? Maybe it was because the Holy Spirit pricked my conscience, in which case I need to ask forgiveness and change my behavior. Or maybe it bothered me because I regressed to finding my value in that person’s opinion. How is your heart today? Where do you find your value today? Is it in your work, your family, your friends, your hobbies, your skills, your wealth? Do you crave attention? Do you seek validation from the praise of others? Do you work to prove that you matter? Do you trust God with your problems, or do you need to solve them yourself? Does reflecting on your identity before God give you peace and contentment? Living within my true identity is very freeing, because we know that we cannot please all people all the time. It is much simpler, in fact, to only be concerned with pleasing God. He is a good Master; He knows my limits and does not expect me to work beyond them. He knows my skills and abilities, for He gave them to me. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” ABOUT THE AUTHORTrevor Kirsch has been serving at Compass Immanuel Church since 1998 and as senior pastor since 2019. He loves to teach. He and his wife, Twyilla, have three adult children and four grandchildren. Tags:
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 For nearly ten years, Carla Dyck has been learning to follow the Lord through painting as much as through prayer. Though trained as a photographer, she discovered painting during a challenging season while caring for her mother. What began as a simple shared activity became a place where God gently restored their relationship and brought unexpected healing to Carla’s own heart. From there, painting became part of her devotional life, sketching what rose to the surface as she read Scripture and finding deeper understanding through the images that formed. In time, this grew into a ministry within her church community. Carla now serves on the Special Services Team at Christian Fellowship Chapel (Winnipeg, MB), working with others to prepare services for Advent, Christmas, Holy Week, Pentecost, and other seasons. During these times, the Lord often gives her a painting, sometimes a single image, sometimes a whole series, to offer to the congregation. She describes the creative process as Holy-Spirit-led, a place of peace even when spiritual resistance surrounds it. Most of her pieces come during the Easter and Christmas seasons, though inspiration sometimes arrives during “ordinary time.” Each painting becomes a testimony of what God has shown her- an invitation for others to see Scripture anew. The piece below continues that pattern: a visual meditation on how God provides the way, weaving together scenes from Scripture that all point toward Christ, the Lamb of God.  The thicket moves upwards and catches the horn of a ram. This ram, seated on the altar, is provided by God as a substitutionary atonement in place of Abraham's son, Isaac. The adult male sheep can serve as a suitable burnt offering. Interestingly, earlier, when Isaac asked Abraham where the lamb was for the burnt offering, Abraham answered, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." This was prophetic and not yet fulfilled or finished with the ram. A lamb would still be required. God provides the way. You'll notice an old door with its frame smeared with blood. It was the blood of a pure, spotless lamb. The Israelites were to remain inside under the covering of the blood of the lamb. This blood would be a sign to God. When He would see it, He would pass over the home, sparing them from the plague of death to the firstborn son. God provides the way. Large, dark waves rise up on the sides. From a bird's eye view, we see two rows of waves moving outwards from the centre, creating a path through the Red Sea. Moses held up his staff for the water to part. Of course, we know it wasn't Moses' own power making it so. It was God's power, using Moses' faith and obedience to provide a way to save His people as they fled from Egypt. In the shape of a Shepherd's staff, this truth echoes throughout the painting. At the centre of it all is a lamb and a cross. The thicket moves over on top of the lamb's head to become a crown of thorns, and is also shown as firewood beneath the lamb on the altar. (As an aside: notice the Red Sea splashing forward to the cross, connecting the Old Testament with the New). Jesus, the spotless, pure Lamb of God, has come as an atonement to take away the sins of the world, our sins. If you look closely, you may notice the empty tomb at the bottom of the painting. Jesus is no longer dead, but risen. God provides The Way. Moving to the lower right side of the painting, we see the why behind it all. The thicket becomes a vine. Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. He died for us on the cross, taking our sin upon his sinless self, so we might have life. Because of His great love for us, God found a way for us to be reconciled to Himself forever, in heaven and here on earth. As we choose to abide with Him now, the Holy Spirit works in us to produce fruit. Do you see the branch that looks like a hand, holding onto the vine? Let's abide on purpose, intentionally hold on. It won't happen by accident. ABOUT THE ARTISTCarla Dyck is an artist who attends Christian Fellowship Chapel in Winnipeg, MB. Her painting has become a meaningful way of meeting God through Scripture, offering Spirit-led artwork that helps others see biblical truths with fresh eyes. Tags:
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 Samuel Tschetter began serving as pastor of Jansen Bible Church in Jansen, Nebraska, in November, following the retirement of long-time pastor Paul Carpenter.
Samuel studied at Grace University in Omaha for just two years, receiving an associate's degree. Upon Grace’s closure in 2018, Samuel transferred to Calvary University in Kansas City and received both a Bachelor of Arts and a master’s degree from the school. After graduating from seminary at Calvary, Samuel served as the associate pastor of Stromsburg Baptist Church for two years before coming to Jansen. Samuel was born and raised in Ogallala, Nebraska, where his father pastors. Samuel’s wife, Charissa, is also a pastor’s kid who was born and raised in small town Nebraska. They met at Calvary and lived in Kansas City while Samuel was in seminary before moving back to Nebraska. They have a heart for the people of the state and region, specifically those in the smaller towns, and are excited to continue to serve in that context. Samuel and Charissa have a daughter, Jane, who is almost 2 years old, and they are expecting another child in April. In their free time, they enjoy watching Nebraska sports, playing pickleball, reading, and going on walks as a family. Samuel and Charissa have been amazed at how the Lord has worked in their lives over the past year in leading them to Jansen Bible Church and then having all the details fall into place to make their transition successful. Over the few months they have been at JBC, they have greatly enjoyed getting to know and serve alongside many in the church and look forward to serving there for years to come. Tags:
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Resources: Internship Grants4/1/2026  Our Vision Statement is: “Strengthening our churches with timely resources that strengthen their leaders.”
One way our Fellowship strengthens local churches is through funds that are set aside for scholarships or grants. In some cases, these funds are set aside via restricted funds, and in other cases, they are added to the budget each year and come from our operating expenses. One of the grants we offer is for churches who would benefit from engaging an intern. Internships are an effective way to help provide for the leadership needs of the church while also providing training for the intern to be more effective in future ministry. Most internships involve some type of stipend or similar remuneration. The Pastor Internship Grant can provide some additional funds to assist the local church in providing remuneration for an intern, to help make the internship more feasible in situations where the church does not have sufficient funding to cover this expense otherwise. While this grant is not exclusive to college students, it will typically be awarded in the summer for the following school year. If your church is interested in learning more about this program or obtaining an application, contact President Kevin Stone at [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:
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Church News (April/May 2026)4/1/2026 
As we journey toward Easter, we are reminded to ponder the significance of the season as we view these paintings in our church. Once again, our resident artist has prepared visuals for us. There will be graphic crucifixion paintings to view as well, and these will be displayed at our Good Friday service, when the lighting is minimal. Last year, little eyes were frightened by them, and so we have become more sensitive. Along with Easter, there are other events that stimulate our anticipation this spring. The Women’s Abide Group will be meeting for their spring series, “Intentional Abiding”. They will have a kick-off catered dinner at the church, followed by four weeks of study together. We also look forward to the AWANA Grand Prix on April 21. This will be our Commander’s last Grand Prix. Rick Small and his wife Doreen have been serving together faithfully in this ministry for over 30 years, with the Commandership being Rick’s for at least fifteen of those. We thank God for their faithfulness over all these years. Our pastor is currently preaching through Exodus, and we will be working through Ephesians in Adult Sunday School. The Spanish Sunday School class is working through the series “Knowing God: from Creation to Christ”. A time of sharing and prayer for each other is also a part of their time together. Linda Edwards, Correspondent "So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no one else. Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day." 1 Kings 8:60-61 Greetings to all the brothers and sisters in Christ across the churches! What a great and mighty God we serve, and there is indeed no one else like Him and may all the peoples of the earth know that the LORD is God! May our hearts also be wholly devoted to the Lord! We invite you to join us as we recount and remember how the Lord has been good and faithful and praise God for His continual grace and mercy over the past few months among the brethren here at Countryside Bible Church. In early February, 5 people from our church were able to attend the Biblical Counseling Training Conference at Faith Lafayette in Indiana, and a few others have been able to do it virtually. It is very helpful and useful training for every believer, both for equipping you to encourage others and also for personal spiritual growth. We are also excited to celebrate the five-year anniversary of Redeemer Bible Church! It was March of 2021 when Taylor and Abigail Wiens (along with another family and a couple of others) started the church plant in Liberal, Kansas. We are rejoicing in God's faithfulness and how He has been working in many ways over the last five years! They have had the opportunity to see people coming to Christ, and also have seen the church grow and people desiring to become members and also committing their lives to Christ and following Him in believers' baptism. This has been a joy, and we look forward to how God is going to continue to work! This is also the year for Countryside Bible Church's Family Retreat in Woodward, Oklahoma! It took place March 20th-22nd. Dr. Michael Grisanti came from California to share with us on Biblical Discipleship. We always enjoy this time of fellowship together, both in hearing from God's Word and as we seek to encourage and build one another up through our conversations and time spent having fun together. This is a great way for the families of the church to get to know each other! And now we would like to share some pictures from some of the different things folks in our church have been involved with over the past several months.
Abigail Bartel, Correspondent The church staff put on a meal for the seniors in our church – Legacy Luncheon - at the beginning of February. Our theme was love. Men and boys gathered for a Tailgate Superbowl Party at church to watch the game, eat a lot of good food and visit. The men also enjoy a breakfast together once a month. The ladies' ministry presented a games, gals and grub evening where we played board games and enjoyed delicious snacks. Pastor Dennis started the Easter season off with a Lent Sermon Series called “Last Words” of Jesus. The Senior and Junior youth each had retreats. Missions: We had representatives from Prairie Hope Women’s Centre sharing about their recovery from addictions; a fundraising lunch was held for the youth who will be going to LaRonge to minister to the children through VBS over the Easter break; Jason/Joanne Borrowman shared about their ministry in Hurri Hills, Africa via video. Practical Ministry provided a Taco Lunch for the congregation. Our Kids Club program wound up with an invitation to all the parents to attend the last night. There was a Bible Discovery event for all ages on Palm Sunday, where we experienced a fun and meaningful taste of the Passover meal. Marilyn Harder, Correspondent HBC continues to celebrate God’s faithfulness to provide a new lead pastor. On Sunday morning, March 1st, HBC had a special installation service for their new lead pastor, Bryan Ragsdale.  The service included a special message by Pastor Moses Estrada titled “Life Together for the Glory of God” from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. Pastor Moses and Pastor Bryan were co-pastors of Grace Bible Church in Brush, Colorado. HBC Elder Mark Luetchens read 1 Timothy 4:12-16 for the Scripture Reading. President Kevin Stone read from 1 Peter 5:1-10 to exhort both Pastor Bryan and the congregation. He asked a series of affirming questions to Pastor Bryan and one for his wife, Candice. He then asked a series of affirmation questions to the congregation. Everyone answered the questions in the affirmative. Kevin also presented a certificate of charge to Pastor Bryan. He also presented a relay baton as a gift to Pastor Bryan to encourage him to faithfulness in the relay race of Christian ministry in line with passing on biblical truth to others based on 2 Timothy 2:2. Kevin exhorted the congregation to be ready with an open hand to receive the baton. He remarked that this includes having a humble heart and a willingness to hear and receive biblical truth.  The Elders of HBC laid hands on and prayed for Pastor Bryan and family. Pastor Bryan gave a hearty word of thanksgiving to his wife, children, the elders of Heartland, Kevin Stone, Gary Krehbiel, his former elders at GBC, and his brothers and sisters in Christ at HBC. He also expressed his eagerness to love and shepherd the congregation of HBC. It is with fear and trepidation that he accepts the call to shepherd the flock at HBC that belongs to Jesus Christ. He read from Ephesians 2:21-23 to highlight the church’s desire to glorify God in the church forever and ever. Following the installation service, HBC hosted a well-attended all-church fellowship lunch in the dining hall. Pastor Adam Fischer, Correspondent Martensville Mission Church Martensville, SK Justin Klassen, Pastor facebook.com/martensvillemissionchurch Pastor Justin recently concluded his sermon series on the book of Ephesians, in which he explored the Apostle Paul’s teachings on church unity, relationships, Christian conduct, and the need for spiritual armour. In preparation for the Easter season, with services on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Pastor Justin introduced his Easter Sermon Series entitled “The Road to Calvary” in March. After Easter, he will be taking us on a journey through 1 Samuel. We were sad to say goodbye to our Associate Pastor, Brolin Simes, and his wife, Kelsey, when Brolin resigned at the end of February. We will dearly miss them, and we thank them for their ministry here at the MMC. The search for an Associate Pastor will commence soon. In the meantime, though, we are very thankful that people have volunteered to fill in the gaps left after the resignation. One of those areas is the Youth Ministry. The group of about 30 kids is divided into Junior and Senior Youth. Along with the fun activities, they each have a Bible Study twice a month. Currently, the Senior Youth are studying the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, and the Junior Youth are studying Apologetics and learning to defend what they believe. Other MMC happenings in March included a Spring Family Banquet, complete with a Silent Auction, which was our next fundraiser for our building project. Our Mission’s Team, who recently returned from Oaxaca, Mexico, in February, presented their report on March 20th, and the Youth/Family Ski Trip to Wapiti was on March 28th. On Wednesday nights, from September to the end of March, our church is buzzing with activity when kids from around the community arrive for AWANA, eager to recite their memory work, join in the games and delve into God’s word during lesson time. It was exciting to see that kids were inviting friends, some even from Saskatoon! We are so thankful for all the volunteers who dedicate their Wednesday evenings to these kids. As we head into spring, the AWANA program wraps up with the AWANA Store, where they spend their hard-earned AWANA bucks. Plans are underway for the “Rainforest Falls” VBS, which will be held each morning from April 7-10 during the school's Spring Break. Kids will discover the nature of God and explore what it means to be rooted in a relationship with their Creator. Looking forward to a big crowd! Looking a little further ahead, a baby dedication is planned, with the date still to be determined, and the Women’s Ministries Salad Fiesta will be in May. Brenda Quirt, Correspondent We are thankful to announce that God led us to call Blaine Donaldson to be our new pastor, and Pastor Blaine accepted this call. Pastor Blaine brings a wealth of experience from leading churches in Michigan and Washington, and also as a past president of the FEBC. Our installation service was held on February 1, with Kevin Stone and Gary Krehbiel from the FEBC leading our service and passing the baton of leadership to our new pastor. We are thrilled to welcome Pastor Blaine, his wife Autumn, and daughter Elianna to our RVC family! Karen Broekhuis, Correspondent The past couple of months have offered some new opportunities for those in our congregation, whether that is through personal growth and learning, getting involved in Salem’s existing ministry opportunities, or finding new ways to serve and reach out to the community. We have been blessed to have Robert Rudd, the director of Impact Canada Ministries, lead a discipleship and evangelism course at Salem. The second half of the course, which focused on evangelism, started at the end of February and is geared toward equipping people to share the gospel. We have a number of people from our church participating in the course, and it has been so encouraging to see the interest and dedication to learning and growing in discipleship. At the beginning of March, the Elders hosted a Newcomers’ Welcome Meal for those who have started to attend Salem in the past year or so. This was an opportunity for new attendees to connect with one another, get to know the church leaders better, and learn about opportunities to get involved in the various ministries at Salem. We had 8 families attend: some who had been attending for about a year, and others who were visiting Salem for the first time! We have a team excitedly planning our first ever youth retreat to happen in May. The idea of Valley Revival Youth Retreat was born out of a desire to encourage youth across the valley to grow in their relationship with Jesus or to encounter Him for the first time. The theme is SHINE, based on Matthew 5:16. We would welcome prayer that God would draw the right youth to attend and that He would work through this event. Shailey Boehm, Correspondent Our journey through Acts every Sunday morning has been such a blessing to us as we consider all of God’s powerful acts through His apostles. The early church worked hard to spread the Good News of the gospel everywhere they went, even through hard times. During a particularly hard time of being in prison, Paul and Silas were singing hymns to God and praying, and all the while, the other prisoners were listening in. Pastor Jonathan asked us the question one Sunday morning, “Do our lives cause others to 'listen in'?” Due to their attitude of praise even in difficult times, they affected the lives of the other prisoners and especially the life of the jailer, as he and his entire household were saved. On February 22nd, Mr. Gordon Reimer continued in Acts, as our guest speaker, and shared a quote with us from St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” It is just as important today as it was back then to live our lives as a testimony to the faith that we profess; that God’s love will be at work through us, spreading the Good News wherever we go. In March, Pastor Jonathan opened with a question for us all. Do we ever ask ourselves, “Does what I do for God matter?”? When Paul was in Corinth, the Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.” Acts 18:9. God knew there were many in Corinth that would hear and believe, so Paul stayed a year and a half. The same is still true for us today. God desires for us to share the Good News with others, not only with our words but with actions and in truth. Spring has sprung, and that brings many things to a close here. Our Kid’s Club group has had another wonderful year with children from the church, and from within the community, attending and learning what God has done for them. The grand finale night is always a wonderful time for kids and parents alike, as we enjoy a fun car race where each of the children brings a Hotwheels or Matchbox car to enter into a friendly, fun competition. Our Youth Group has enjoyed many Bible Studies, many nights of serving in and out of the church, including at the Fisher Bay Bible Camp Fundraiser, as well as many fantastic outings. Women’s Ministry enjoyed an exciting get together in February as many women brought their wedding dresses to the event. We played a matching game, where we had to guess which bride went with which dress. Afterwards, we enjoyed a time of fellowship and even a wedding cake made by one of the ladies. We spent some time looking through each other’s wedding albums and reminiscing. In March, we enjoyed a movie night and just enjoyed relaxing together. We also look forward to an exciting addition as a new play structure has been purchased for our church yard for the growing population of young people the LORD has blessed us with. We pray together as a body of believers that we will continue the work of the early church and magnify the Name of the Lord, giving Him praise and glory with our words and actions. May He grant us boldness as we continue to share the Good News. Tiffany Tuurenhout, Correspondent Not seeing updates from your church?
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 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. Countryside Bible Church (Meade, KS)
Crosspoint Bible Church (Omaha, NE)
Martensville Mission Church (Martensville, SK)
Salem Church (Waldheim, SK)
To submit a birth, wedding, or memorial for this section, contact your pastor, your church correspondent, or email the editor at [email protected]
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 I 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:
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To The Least of These2/4/2026  “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:
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 Originally published in July/August 2016, Volume 56, Issue 4 of the Fellowship Focus “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:
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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:
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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:
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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:
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Fellowship Views2/4/2026 
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 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:
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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:
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4/1/2026
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