The Lord's Good Work

PLANTING A CHURCH IN ANKENY, IOWA

by Pastor Matthew Pillman

God has a way of turning difficult things into beauty.

The year 2020 is a great example. For many, that year was especially challenging—but for us it was the beginning of our church planting journey. It was 2020 when some members of Christ the King Lutheran (Pipestone, Minn.) encouraged the congregation to consider planting another church. Things moved slowly at first but started to take shape two years later. In March 2022, the congregation gathered for a special meeting. The result of the meeting was to send our family to prepare to lead a church plant in Ankeny, Iowa.

Following our church plant residency in Texas, we moved to Ankeny in July 2023. When we arrived, there was no church gathering. We had connections with five households that represented 15 people. Everyone’s expectations for a new church were varied—just like the individual giftings. That first fall, we began a Bible study in the Gospel of John. It was significant. It was hard. Often there was just a small handful of our initial launch team present.

By the spring of 2024, we had met a handful of people from the community who were interested in gathering with us. The weekly meals and Bible studies began to grow. Our very first service was Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13. On April 28, we gathered for our first Sunday morning service. From April through October, we held services once a month. The summer of 2024 provided good community engagement through the Ankeny parade, vacation Bible school (VBS) in the park, and doing life together with our neighbors. In the fall, we split the Bible study into two groups.

In November and December, we increased our services to every other week. Then, beginning the first Sunday of January, we launched weekly services. We praise God for these regular times of fellowship and for his provision of new families in our midst. This Easter, roughly a year after our first Divine Service, we welcomed 66 individuals. They represented about 30 households. Week to week we average just more than 50 individuals. More importantly, we have seen firsthand the miracle and beauty of lives changed and nourished by the hope of forgiveness through Christ Jesus our Lord.

From the 10,000-foot view that I have just given, much of this story might seem like smooth sailing. In reality, God used many difficult conversations, prayers, and twists and turns along the way. But this is how God works. (Consider the children of Israel on their way to Canaan.)

God’s faithfulness to his promise becomes abundantly evident through the testimony of lives impacted. The following is a testimony written by Amy, pictured at right with her family, who is a regular member of Emmanuel:

“I was laid off from my job in April. Over the summer, I was going back to my original job of babysitting and wrote a little ad on a local homeschool website. Matthew reached out to ask me about babysitting for church, and I was interested in helping out, since I just had a parttime babysitting job over the summer. I came for a visit and then started to come help with the nursery. Matthew invited my daughter to come to VBS, and we decided to come. My daughter really enjoyed it, and I loved how friendly the people were. I also love that children are very welcome. I have always wanted to include my kids in church as much as possible so they know how things are as an adult in church.”

Other testimonies include that of a young man we had the privilege to bring to the Lord in baptism at one of our first services. Another young man had just lost his job when I knocked on his door back in February 2024. We stayed in contact, but it wasn’t until almost a year later that he accepted the invitation to join us for worship. Now he comes regularly together with his girlfriend and her five kids. What more can we say than, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad … Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy” (Psalm 126:3, 5).

Would you continue to pray for Emmanuel? Pray for our VBS in the Park (June 16–18). Pray for our teaching/ discipleship opportunities. Pray for God to provide the needed gifts in his body (especially musical gifts). Pray for our family and each of the church leaders—that we would have endurance, wisdom, and spiritual maturity to lead well. Pray for the continued spread of the gospel through the church planting efforts of the AFLC (and beyond).

Thank you for your prayer, support, and ongoing encouragement! If you are ever in the Des Moines area, let us know. We are always glad to break bread together and share the beauty of God’s faithfulness.

Pillman is a Home Missions church planter serving Emmanuel Lutheran, Ankeny, Iowa.