On August 9 – 13, Fellowship and ministry leaders from around the country met in Rapid City, South Dakota, to visit and encourage some of the newest BBFI-approved church planters. The team included Terry and Cheryl Kizer, BBFI 3rd VP, Matt Lowry, Texas State Chairman, Gary Grant, a deacon from Lowry’s church, Joey Candillo, former Missouri State Chairman, Casey Merrick, Director of Men’s Discipleship with Freeway Ministries, Gary Wilson, Mission Pastor at High Street Baptist Church, and Randy Harp, BBFI Communication Director.
On Monday night, the team heard from Kenneth Brock, pastor of Mercy Gate Church in Rapid City, SD. Brock shared his testimony, call to ministry, and the vision God has given him for reaching the people of South Dakota. Several members of his two-year-old church shared their salvation testimonies. So far, in just two years, the church has seen 102 salvations. Mike Estell also shared about the launch of Freeway Ministries Rapid City. This ministry is meeting on Saturday nights and has already opened its first Discipleship House.
Tuesday morning was spent surveying Rapid City and the surrounding towns where Brock plans to start more churches in the coming years. In the afternoon, the team visited the Pine Ridge Native American Reservation. This is one of the largest and is the poorest of all reservations. The average income for those living here is less than $10,000 per year. Tuesday evening, the team helped serve at a “Block Party” with Andy Daniel and Mercy Gate Church of Box Elder, SD. This is the first church plant being sent out of Mercy Gate Church of Rapid City, SD. The “Block Party” consisted of bounce houses, a petting zoo, free caricature drawings, free food, and a Gospel presentation. There was also an invitation to join the new church’s first home Bible study the following Sunday night.
Early Wednesday morning, the team left for Bar Nunn, Wyoming, to visit Tyler Martin and Outfitters Church, stopping on the way for a brief visit to Mt. Rushmore. That afternoon, Martin toured the team through the town and showed them where property has already been purchased for the future location of the church. As a church plant less than a year old, the church is currently meeting on Wednesday nights in a converted World War II airplane hangar.
Thursday morning, the team headed back to South Dakota, stopping in the Black Hills National Forest for a day of riding UTVs. Even this was a great bonding time between the visiting team and local church planters. The day ended with a time of prayer together that evening.
Each of the church planters, Kenneth Brock, Andy Daniel, and Tyler Martin, are recently approved BBFI church planters.
Here are a few reflections from those on the trip.
I don’t know what it’s like to be behind enemy lines fighting with no rest and then having the Calvary show up, but that is the best illustration I can share of what it was like having this team visit. A lot of peace and assurance settled in my soul, believing that God has sent the Calvary to help us continue the fight on a much greater scale. It’s usually a little stressful, wanting men of God to catch the vision, but I was at total peace, and I had a great time hosting this group. – Keneth Brock
Getting to see and experience church plants in different stages of life, one in the process of conception, and two in their infancy, was truly the highlight of my summer. I was reminded that no matter how long a church has been in existence, a deep love for the city it serves and a passion for the gospel in the hearts of its leaders and members are key elements that lead to incredible life change. – Matt Lowry
It was an incredible visit to our church planters in South Dakota and Wyoming. Their vision and passion for reaching the unsaved and unchurched is electrifying. There are so many opportunities for church planting pioneers in that region. – Terry Kizer
It was encouraging to see that God has raised up church planters to go reach people in South Dakota and Wyoming. These young men have a passion for reaching lost people and planting churches. – Joey Candillo
It was exciting to see God working in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Bar Nunn, Wyoming. To see these two newer church plants already reaching so many and one new church ready to launch in Box Elder, South Dakota, was so exciting to see. Then to see Freeway Ministry South Dakota already helping two ladies in their first discipleship house was also very exciting. – Gary Wilson
