September 30, 2010
By Pastor Dave Prosser, Onamia Alliance Church, Minnesota
When leaders at the Northwestern District Office (now North Central District) contacted me about the pastoral opening at Onamia Alliance Church, there was one piece of information they did not know—I had been praying for 17 years to be the pastor of this church in the town of Onamia with a population of only 905. God has a plan, and He knows the times.
When I came to Onamia, an average of 23 people attended each Sunday. The District Office had considered closing the church. Now, two years later, 50 people call Onamia their home church. My wife, Leslie, leads children’s ministry with 17 members. On Wednesday evenings, Awana youth ministry hosted 25 children in 2009, and we are gearing up for a larger number this coming year.
There have been numerous decisions for Christ during the past two years. Recently, 14 people were baptized, ranging from ages 4 to 90. Dick, the oldest, was born and raised in Minnesota and, like many, was baptized as an infant. But when the 90-year-old man heard the biblical teaching about the believer’s baptism, he said, “I knew it was time for me to publicly follow Jesus.” Dick is loved by everyone at our church, and he knows he is truly loved by Jesus.
The first to enter the cold waters of the Rock Lake, Dick led the other 13 in their commitment to follow Jesus in baptism. The result of his decision to go public was a huge statement to our church and to people in our community; it was as though many who came wanted to witness his baptism.
Since joining The Alliance in 1987, I have continued to hear then District Superintendent and now President Gary Benedict say, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” Here at Onamia Alliance Church, we are ordinary people empowered by an extraordinary God who wants us to reach, serve, and grow our community and our world for Jesus Christ. If anyone ever wonders about God’s timing, I would give a word of encouragement-hold on and keep praying.
Learn More
Read how U.S. Alliance churches are impacting their communities.
Find an Alliance church near you.
What You Can Do
When you give to the Great Commission Fund, you partner with Alliance workers at home and abroad in sharing Christ’s message of hope with those who need good news.