Heart to Heart
As a nation, we just celebrated an iconic milestone on July 4th , as we looked back to our country’s birth 250 years ago, while simultaneously looking ahead as we anticipate what’s next for these somewhat United States of America.
During America’s 250th, our family drove through Theodore Roosevelt National Park on our way to visit family in Minnesota. Just the day before, President Trump & other dignitaries cut the ribbon to open the new Theodore Roosevevlt Presidential Library in Medora, ND. Social media was filled with pictures of those who dressed up as “Roughriders”, welcoming the Presidential train, along with the numerous fireworks displays that showed pride in our historic roots as a nation.
On our way home, we had to stop at Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills, to “see the four presidents” (as Samuel put it). They were much bigger than he expected. While their legacy is forever carved in stone, we became something different than what those four men expected. But their leadership did much to help shape what America became. The past does not dictate the future, but it does provide building blocks on which the next generation builds.
Did you know that FAC began as a small Bible study back in April 1954? Former South American IW, Carl Volstadt, met with 2 couples from Mountain Lake, MN, which soon grew to a study of 10 people. They prayed from the Rimrocks, and asked the LORD to give them a harvest in Billings. In April of 1957, FAC was formally organized as an Alliance church with 43 charter members. That means we are coming up on our 70th birthday, next April (2027).
Over the years, we’ve gone through seasons of growth and decline; times of powerful moves of God, and other dry seasons when people desperately cried out, “LORD, revive us again.” FAC’s story has been one of God’s faithfulness in using His people to effect eternal changes in the lives of seeking people within our city. FAC continues to advance the cause of Christ, both here, and around the world. We support Alliance IWs in the USA (thru multiple Envision sites). We have built a long-term global partnership with Senegal, and support multiple efforts to take the Gospel to the unreached in that region of West Africa. We are simultaneously supporting a dozen Rocky Mtn District IWs doing ministry across the globe. Closer to home, we have 6 dynamic community partnerships in Billings that focus on helping the most vulnerable in our city. At 69 years and counting, FAC continues to offer Help and Hope to our neighbors and around the world.
So, Diana and I celebrate FAC’s legacy, while continuing to look for the new things that God is doing in our midst (Isaiah 43:19). We count it a great privilege to pastor our church family, as together we lean into many more years of Kingdom impact.
Pastor Adriaan & Diana ><>