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What We Believe


Our lives must bear fruit. Doctrine isn't just stored as head knowledge, but created through a life that testifies of Jesus Christ as Lord. For this reason, Brethren Life, like Brethren Belief, centers on Jesus Christ…

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Recent Articles


By Scott Soden 27 Mar, 2024
A Light in the Darkness! Your partners in India continue to work to let the world know that God loves them through services, special projects, relief and development programs, and lighting up the way. In March 2024, the Brethren Church in Rajahmundry celebrated the upgrading of the cross and sign that hangs over the main road right outside the compound. This sign symbolizes the words from John 14:27 that Prasanth spoke when he purchased the land previously seen as cursed: “My peace I give unto you.” For many years, a cross and sign have been hanging, greeting the traveler with this message of peace; now, the entire sign has been cleaned up, and the cross also lights up the night to guide the weary traveler to a place of hope, peace, and light. The cross and sign were hung and dedicated by the laymen's group and prayed over by Nirmala Kumar to mark a significant day and the hope the message brings. Although this makes them a bigger target for radical Hindu groups, the church and its leadership believe that they must continue to shine as a beacon of hope in word and deed for all who seek life, peace, and belonging. As Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5: 14-16, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Please keep your partners in India and worldwide in your prayers as they continue to be salt and light to their communities. Enjoy the video they created to mark this special day for the church in Rajahmundry. Scott Soden
By Michael Cook 06 Mar, 2024
While walking through the woods as a family recently, we fell into a dispute about the water we had brought along to drink. And by “we” I mean my oldest and youngest daughters. The center of this disputed water claim was the hydration backpack that my eldest was wearing. The problem wasn’t wearing the backpack; the issue was that our youngest wanted another drink every four steps or so. It was a classic power struggle between the youngest child and the oldest. Solutions were offered. “Maggie, stop being annoying,” was one. I wasn’t sure how helpful – or likely – this solution would be. “Ellie, just let me have a drink and stop complaining,” was another possible but unlikely way forward. Finally, I realized that this was a self-limiting problem. Maggie isn’t very big; how much water could she possibly drink? “Ellie, stop and let her drink all of it she wants. Then she won’t want any more for a while, and she’ll leave you alone.” Ellie was indignant. “She’ll drink it all!” she exclaimed. “She won’t drink it all. There’s plenty of water there for everyone.” “BUT SHE’LL DRINK IT ALL!” Ellie would not be convinced, even though she wasn’t wearing some kid-sized hydration backpack that only held a thimble of water. She was wearing my pack, which holds close to two liters of water. All three of my daughters could have drank until their bellies and bladders were full to the top, and there would still have been water left over. But the fear of not having enough runs deep, doesn’t it? Electric cars typically have a range of approximately 10x the average daily commute. But we stick with internal combustion power because we’re afraid electricity might not have the “juice” when we need it. People are filling storage units as quickly as they can be built. There’s a candy dish calling my name from the next room. I’ve already had a few pieces out of it. Certainly, I’ve had enough. Why do I still want more? What is it inside of us that remains unsatisfied? Why does it so often seem like there’s not enough? Before he was King David, he was simply David, the little brother. As the little brother, he got stuck watching sheep because his older brothers had better things to do. While watching sheep, he came to one of the most profound truths about God recorded in Scripture. Just as David was a shepherd over his sheep, God was the shepherd caring for David. The LORD is my shepherd. I lack nothing. What did David have while shepherding? Probably little more than a bit of food, a big stick, his sling, and a few rocks. And yet he lacked nothing. Why? Because the God of the Universe, the creator and sustainer of all things, was his shepherd. He wasn’t worried about the things he didn’t have. He knew what he did have: a Shepherd-God who had delivered him from a lion and a bear. The LORD is my shepherd. I lack nothing. The fear of not having enough is a tool of the enemy. It keeps us from making big plans and dreaming big dreams. Are we afraid to ask God for audacious blessing? Is it a fear that God won’t give us what we need? Or are we afraid that he actually will? Is God the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills, or is he not? Is Jesus the master of the fish and loaves, or is he not? In my own life, I’ve felt the Spirit’s conviction that I’m not dreaming big enough. And I suspect I might not be alone. If the Lord is your shepherd, you lack nothing. Go boldly in the assurance of his care, and seek out the dreams he has for you, your church, and your community.
By Michael Cook 27 Feb, 2024
Nappanee First Brethren Church (NFBC) has been busy these last few months ministering and reaching out to its local community. Since last fall, they’ve rolled out several new ministries and community outreach initiatives that offer hope, healing, and the Gospel to the community. Last October, NFBC launched "Life Groups" which go beyond traditional small groups to connect with communities and serve as mini "house churches." One of the stated goals of Life Groups is to serve as a vehicle for congregants to reach out to unchurched friends and neighbors. The initiative has been met with a good amount of success and has resulted in a number of people becoming reconnected to church through the ministry of these Life Groups. Tom Anders, Senior Pastor of NFBC, notes, "When you start doing what the Lord wants, people start coming out of the woodwork." Beginning in January 2024, NFBC became a local affiliate of Celebrate Recovery. Celebrate Recovery, now being used by more than 3500 churches, was birthed out of Saddleback Church in the 1990s, is a Christ-centered 12-step program that uses the principles outlined in the Beatitudes to bring healing to peoples’ “hurts, habits, and hang-ups.” These might range from drug and alcohol addiction to trauma and relational wounds to grief and mental health. On Thursday nights, Celebrate Recovery meets at NFBC. The first hour is the large group session, which includes worship, a review of the Celebrate Recovery principles, a lesson, and testimonies. Then, there’s a brief refreshment time before people move into their small groups, organized by the specific issue the group addresses. The success of Celebrate Recovery extends beyond the meeting, though, as one of its tenets is that participants must engage with a church community. Although Celebrate Recovery is a ministry not intended for outreach, a few participants have found a home at NFBC. Part of the launch of Celebrate Recovery was to air a few radio spots advertising the new ministry on the local Christian radio station Pulse FM. With several satellite towers, Pulse FM has a reach covering roughly half of Indiana and Michigan. Once those radio spots were up and running, NFBC’s advisory team began to feel God inviting them onto the airwaves in a bigger way, and began investigating what it might take to start a regular radio show on Pulse FM. Once the question was asked, God started opening the doors. A parishioner with a metal roofing business was approached and asked if the business would be interested in underwriting the program. “Doing this would cost less than our monthly spend on Facebook!” was the enthusiastic reply. With the sponsor secured, Pastor Tom was ready to bring the Word to the airwaves weekly. And on Sunday, February 4th, 2024, “Living Life Victoriously,” hosted by Pastor Tom Anders, went on the air. You can tune in at 8 pm every Sunday night on Pulse FM to hear his teaching if you’re in the broadcast reach or listen online at pulsefm.com!
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