Easter Stories from Heartland Planters
Resurrection Day at Arrows Church (Omaha, NE)
On March 31, 2024, Christians worldwide united in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. God's power was palpable, working in the hearts and minds of people. We are proud to share stories of how our Heartland Planters, a community deeply rooted in faith and fellowship, played a significant role in bringing gospel transformation to their communities.
The Table in Kearney, NE, had a record attendance for a Good Friday and their highest attendance since COVID.
Northland Church in Fargo, ND, has recently embarked on an exciting journey. They have moved into a new location, allowing them to hold services on Sunday mornings, which is a significant step forward. This change has sparked a renewed interest in the church, and their Easter service was a testament to their progress and growth.
Gospel Life Church in Wichita, KS, opened its new space on Palm Sunday. On Easter, it held a great service celebrating the resurrection, with new guests checking out the church for the first time. These guests are not part of a church and want to connect.
Risen Hope Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, SD, had its strongest Good Friday and Easter weekend ever, with nearly 500 in attendance between the two services, including many first-time visitors! The hospitality team had to bring in extra folding chairs on Easter morning to accommodate the large crowd. The sound tech found it challenging to raise the volume of the praise team to match the volume of the congregation singing out praises to Jesus the risen King! The message for the morning was from John 11, the story of Jesus calling Lazarus out of the tomb. Jesus’ words, “Lazarus, come out!” served as a powerful invitation to hear Jesus’ call, turn to him in faith, and receive resurrection life. Witnessing two baptisms at the conclusion of the service drove home the point that Jesus truly is the resurrection and the life. Everyone left encouraged and excited to see what God does next at Risen Hope!
Arrows Church in Omaha, NE, went to two services for the first time in their history. It went smoothly, thanks to the 87 amazing Arrows volunteers! They also had a record attendance.
But here’s perhaps the coolest thing that happened: Arrows meets at a golf club, and a guy who opens the building for the church each week told Pastor Robert after the services that he snuck in and listened to the sermon, which hit him really hard. Robert was able to pray for him about some things he is going through. It’s so cool to see how Arrows is impacting the people at the golf club simply by meeting there. God is good!
Harvest Plains Church in Mapleton, ND, had one of the most impactful weekends in its history. On Thursday, Pastor Cody officiated a baby’s funeral for a young couple who lost the baby during delivery. This couple desired that everyone would see Jesus in their lives and the funeral of their child. The church rallied around this couple and then worshiped in hope on Sunday as a record 192 people gathered to worship our risen Savior. The reality of hope was palpable among those there!
The Well in Hastings, NE, has had a Hindu woman from the community start attending this past fall. On Palm Sunday, she came forward and surrendered her life to Jesus! It was such a powerful display of the body of Christ ministering to her over the past months and the work of the Holy Spirit in her life! Over the Easter weekend, they had a few hundred people come to their Easter egg outreach, had almost 100 people in church on Sunday, and baptized a young woman. Amazingly, this woman’s younger sister will be baptized in a few weeks.
Let us rejoice together in what God is doing in our newest churches in the Heartland! Please keep our church plants in your prayers. Pray for God to continue to work through these gospel-centered churches, which are transforming the Heartland.