Kurt and Lori Schroder and family
CASCADE, Md.—When Kurt and Lori Schroder, a young missionary couple with Continental Baptist Missions, completed a successful church rescue in Woodruff, Wis., they wanted to find another needy area to work in. At the same time that the Schroders were wrapping up their ministry in Wisconsin, Pastor Ron Faith and Evangel Baptist Church, Hagerstown, Md., had been talking about starting a church in a nearby area. God brought the Schroders and Evangel Baptist Church together to begin a work in Cascade, Md.
Excited about starting a new church, the whole church, along with several churches in the DelMarVa Baptist Fellowship, became involved in helping the Schroders get Evangel’s church plant going. Good News Baptist Church, as the church plant was named, secured a home at the Fort Ritchie Community Center, and a date was set for the first service—Easter Sunday.
Adults joined the youth group in going door-to-door, inviting people to Good News Baptist Church. Ladies from Evangel spent hours cutting door hangers that were distributed as invitations. Others helped the Schroders hold a community Bible study using The Story of Hope. The Schroders became involved with Child Evangelism Fellowship’s local after-school Bible clubs. And those who couldn’t physically help offered their support through prayer.
On Easter Sunday, several families from Evangel gave up their regular churchgoing routine to encourage this little group in Cascade, and other people will be at Good News Baptist permanently.
“Praise the Lord for the 41 in attendance at this first service!” says Anna Nunemaker, a retired missionary from Niger, West Africa. “The ‘baby’ may be tottery for awhile, but with all the help, it will gain strength and grow.”
- Read the Baptist Bulletin‘s coverage of church planting.
- View Regular Baptist Press books about church planting.
