Rapid Growth In Rapid City
Evangelism through youth and family ministry
Thinking “outside the box” has always been the philosophy at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rapid City, S.D. Led by the Rev. Dwight Stensgaard, or “Pastor Dwight,” as he is known by all his congregants and friends, the church has never had a limit on good ideas.
Last year, with the help of a Mission Investment Fund building loan, Calvary Lutheran relocated three miles away from its original space, that was on a small piece of property with limited road access and parking. Prior to the move, they renovated an impressive fellowship building at the new space, which today houses one of the area’s largest and most successful youth ministry programs. With two learning centers, a media center, a meeting / assembly room, a prayer room, and a drama class and theater, the already successful youth ministry program at Calvary Lutheran finally has the room it needs to grow.
And grow it does. In the last few years, the congregation has more than doubled its youth population, and the after-school youth ministry and Christian education program has nearly tripled, from 250 participants to just over 700. This spells great success for a congregation whose 12-year-old visioning plan was to maintain a strong word and sacrament ministry – while becoming an active center for youth and family enrichment.
Perhaps most key to this growth is the popularity of Pastor Dwight’s brainchild, a Wednesday night program called From the Heart Ministries. In many ways, the genesis of the program was a simple case of supply and demand. Rapid City is full of young families, many with three or more children and two working parents. Observing his congregation, Pastor Dwight recognized that life for these families is usually very hectic. Attending faith-centered education classes – and sometimes even worship service – can get lost in the weeklong shuffle of everyday commitments, after-school activities, and household responsibilities.
But what if families could come together, say, one weeknight a week, and attend worship service together, while also having all the children learn about their faith in a way that’s appropriate to each of their respective ages? Add the ability to share a nourishing meal with new neighbors and friends – and you have Calvary’s unique From the Heart Ministries.
The program reflects the congregation’s fresh take on evangelism and Christian education. At every level, they make the material relevant to kids, by integrating learning, outreach, worship, and fellowship. For example, students prepare for their confirmation in small groups of four to five, starting in sixth grade. “We think of it as a ‘carload’” says Education Coordinator Cindy Kinzley. “They make friends quickly in a group that size, and learn to encourage and help each other through the process.” The small group is also committed to a specific number of hours of community service, whether it’s starting a “toys for tots” program in the community, or simply helping an elderly neighbor rake leaves.
There’s time for recreation and fun, too. With a 10-acre campus, the kids have ample room to play outside in the fresh air. And since From the Heart serves youth from multiple public schools, kids from a wide range of backgrounds have the opportunity to form close friendships that would likely never exist were it not for the program.
Prior to its move a year ago, the congregation struggled – not for lack of ideas, but for lack of space. “We were bursting at the seams,” said Kinzley. “Because our building only had so many rooms, we had to tailor our programming accordingly.” This meant a smaller number of children could attend – and that they would have to rotate in groups, making continuity of curriculum difficult.
Calvary Lutheran has been an investor in the Mission Investment Fund as well as a borrower, investing $500,000 from their capital campaign in a MissionPlus investment while their relocation committee evaluated potential sites. When they found a well-maintained site in a part of town that was semi-developed but had close access to two of Rapid City’s main thoroughfares, they knew they had found a place with room to grow.
From there, it was “all hands on deck,” as Pastor Dwight said. The congregation raised money for the buildout through a capital campaign, and Mission Investment Fund loan administrator Devin Burg worked closely with the congregation, helping them secure a loan that worked within the congregation’s parameters, to cover the balance of the relocation and building costs.
Today, the growth of Calvary Lutheran and its youth ministry programs shows no signs of stopping. A recent idea that emerged is for a new intergenerational Sunday school, where children can bring their parents and grandparents for family-based education. Plans are also in place to apply for another Mission Investment Fund loan, so that the congregation might break ground this spring for a new worship center on the church’s campus.
How has this growth continued so steadily? When it comes to publicity, Pastor Dwight has a rather simple philosophy. “Never underestimate word of mouth as a powerful evangelism tool,” he said. “This isn’t a huge town. Here in Rapid City, when you tell a positive story, the word gets out and people want to get involved.”