In my travels, I meet many churches. While every church is unique and special, there is one church that I have found myself thinking a lot about lately.

This particular church is in a town of 551 people. At least that’s the population figure listed on the roadway sign. There are no stoplights, and if you blink, you’ll miss the whole town.

But one mile off the main road, stands a church…one of the most healthy missional churches in the entire Covenant.

The church I am referring to is Mission Covenant in Poplar, Wisconsin, about 20 miles Southeast of Duluth. Their Sunday attendance is about 500 people.

I visited Mission Covenant back in April as I was speaking at the Northwest Conference Ministerium and Annual Meeting. Even all these weeks later, I’m still reflecting on the experience and the people I met.

Mission Covenant was planted in 1894. Today, it is fully awake and alive in the Spirit. And the fact that Mission Covenant is in a Town and Country setting makes this even more special. (By participating on the Town and Country Commission, I have come to realize the unique challenges that these churches and their pastors face.)

I’ve always said that it takes a healthy missional pastor to lead a healthy missional church. This is certainly the case with Senior Pastor Darrell Nelson. Darrell’s story and gift set are amazing. He is a Level 5 leader. I wish every Covenant pastor could meet him.

But it’s not just Darrell. It’s the team of servant leaders that God has assembled around him. It also takes a healthy missional leadership team to lead a healthy missional church. Again, this is certainly the case at Mission Covenant. I was so impressed with the staff/lay leadership teams…the love and joy with which they carry out their ministry responsibilities.

As awesome as these leaders are however, only God can change a life. During the worship service for the Ministerium on Thursday night, about 20 people, one at a time, shared their Tag Board Testimony. In the background, the worship team was singing David Crowder’s “Glorious.”

It was the most inspiring moment I have experienced since beginning this ministry over two years ago.

Revitalization is about new life. This point was driven home loud and clear… and no one even spoke a single word. Below are some photos of the Tag Board Testimonies - we will soon post a video from their Easter Service so you can get a feel for what happens.

I came home from this trip so encouraged and full of hope. This is not always the case.

But it is churches like Mission Covenant that remind me that our God is still a powerful and living God. And for those churches that are willing to ask the significant questions and take the significant steps, to wake up to the new realities and complexities of doing ministry in a culture that is no longer supportive of Christianity…there is hope.

Now I am sure that Mission Covenant has its dark days. All churches do. But with God’s help, this church has broken the missional code of their community and beyond. They realize that we are living in a new world and that the ministry approaches that worked so well in the old world won’t cut it now. The rules have changed.

…and the proof is in the people who sense the love of God stirring in their hearts.

So I say, “Well done, Mission Covenant! You have been faithful AND fruitful! May you excel still more as you reach your full kingdom potential in Christ. Press on! Press on! Press on!”