|
From 1927 to Today
November 15, 2009
Pastor Bob Nienhuis
 
From 1927 to Today
It has been 82 years since Liberty Bible Church began as a little Sunday School outpost in Liberty Township.
The announcement in April 28 edition of The Chesterton Tribune read as follows:
Everyone interested in organizing a Sunday school at Cole’s school house is asked to be present at a meeting to be held next Sunday, May 1st, at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon. A good speaker will be there.
Forty-five people showed up at the school house that Sunday afternoon and, with an offering of $3.45, they determined to begin a Sunday School ministry.
Why? What drove those folks that spring Sunday afternoon?
It was a desire to meet the spiritual needs of the children of Liberty Township.
But it didn’t stay focused on children alone. Within a couple of weeks, an adult class was added and, within a month, they began meeting as a church.
Driven by a desire to reach this area with the gospel, people prayed and sacrificed and served.
And God blessed!
The next time you drive onto the campus or walk through the halls of Liberty Bible Church, take note. What you see is not a tribute to man but to God’s grace and blessing over 82 years.
But we are not finished!
Today, there are still thousands of people within driving distance of the church that are not following after Jesus Christ.
Do we care? Absolutely!
In a recent congregational meeting, I talked about Liberty Bible Church becoming a “multi-site church.”
Simply put, we would become a church that meets in multiple locations. You see, not everyone is going to drive to our current site to attend church. For some, it is too far; for others, we are too big.
That 82 year-old vision still lives. But imagine what could happen if we changed our thinking and began going to other locations to provide Liberty Bible Church there?
We would increase our outreach to those who need to hear the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. We would develop more leaders, involve more people in serving, and give new opportunities for more people to be involved.
We would take the best of what Liberty is known for and replicate it in another location so that, just like 82 years ago, we might reach others with the gospel.
You’ll be hearing more about this in the coming weeks. May God be honored as we seek to bring His Good News to Northwest Indiana.
Cheerfully.
Pastor Bob
|
