“In one year, we have seen a church reeling from the pain of division transform into a unified Body of servants,” says Pastor Jason Hovde of Wagner Community Church (WCC).
In November 2014, WCC experienced a painful church split. As one member said, it was similar to a divorce. Longtime relationships were severed, and many people felt torn about what to do. However, what Satan intended for evil, the Lord has turned around for good.
On November 29, 2015, this church, located on the Yankton Sioux Reservation in southern South Dakota, hosted a live nativity for its community. The congregation anticipated the occasion—along with its hay rides, hot drinks, snacks, and a candlelight concert—to be a fun way to celebrate Christmas. Yet in the end, it proved to be a special event of joy and healing for their church.
Warriors for God
In the past year, nine men from WCC, some of whom participated in the live nativity, have undertaken a challenging spiritual growth journey called “Heart of a Warrior.” These men have committed to live for Christ, and their commitment to discipleship is changing their families, the church, and the community.
David, one of the wise men, has prayed with others at his workplace and has brought a hurting young man to church during the last several weeks.
Randy, one of the shepherds, and his wife, Rebecca, have adopted three children, two of whom have special needs. “They have been a wonderful addition to our church family,” Jason says.
Joel, who played Joseph alongside his wife, Amy, as Mary, has a cleaning business and has committed to having a conversation about his faith every day. His family and friends have noticed a change in him, and Joel was baptized in early November, making a public profession of his commitment to Christ.
Love God, Love People
A spirit of generosity has permeated the church too. Great Commission Fund–giving has increased to more than 10 times what it was two years ago, and giving to local needs has exceeded anyone’s expectations.
“We have helped a meth addict go to Teen Challenge with amazing results and given to local needs through our benevolent fund,” Jason says. “We paid for children to attend Bible camp this summer. Our church members also saw fit to greatly increase our discipleship budget, and we have a new Sunday-school curriculum called D6, which has brought great excitement to those who are a part of it.”
All of this change in the past year brings glory to Jesus. WCC’s leaders agree that praying for Christ’s Church and emphasizing discipleship, biblical preaching, and biblical living can transform any church into a vibrant community of Christ-followers.
“Our mission is to love God, love His church, love His people, and love the world by living the Word of God, praying the Word of God, and preaching the Word of God,” Jason says. “We hope that our story will encourage churches that are struggling. We pray that they persevere by the Holy Spirit’s empowerment.”
Pray
Pray that members of WCC continue to advance the Kingdom of God in their area and that they can bring hope to many people who are in despair. “We still have a lot of work to do,” Jason says.