In Minnesota, summer isn’t only a completely different season, but it’s a completely different frame of mind. Because we’re able to enjoy the outdoors on a consistent basis, we adjust our schedules and wardrobe accordingly, and with great glee!

For some of us, though, it brings on past memories and current struggles with how we view people. The temptation to objectify others, especially during lake days and times at the beach, carries with it shame, falling back into lustful patterns, or, at the least, distraction from what really matters.

No matter how egregious your behavior or thoughts, and no matter how minor you think this struggle is, the call from God remains the same on each of his children: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” 1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ (ESV).  It’s not a call to perfection, it’s a call to being practically set apart from the world and it’s passion and being set apart toward God-honoring conduct and thinking.

These lake scenarios or summer schedules can be what’s known as “triggers.” They aren’t wrong per se, but they are situations or experiences that lead us toward what Seven Pillars of Freedom from Pure Desire calls the inner circle. Pure Desire uses a set of three concentric circles as a visual to track triggers and healthy self-care options. Here is how you can use this tool to prepare for your summer:

Take a piece of paper and draw three concentric circles (three sized, inside of each other).  Now, using summer as your context, list in the center circle all of the behaviors and thoughts that you want to avoid this summer when it comes to your purity. It could be concerning objectification, fantasy, or sexual behaviors outside of marriage. Now, moving outward in the second circle, write down all the things that tend to lead you into those inner-circle behaviors.  These are activities and thinking that are not wrong, but that can lead you down the wrong path, like a trigger. Think of things like family trips to the lake, times of isolation, or even things like vacations that take you away from your healthy routines or structure. Finally, the outer circle is reserved for all the things that bring you into healthy rhythms, that fill you with truth, and that motivate you to honor God. These would be your Bible and prayer times, extended time with your spouse, children, or close friends, or positive down-time activities like podcasts, outings in nature, or other church-related events. In the coming weeks, find more things you can add to this outer circle.

Our prayer is that you use this tool to take your purity to a whole new level this summer. Don’t think of this exercise or tool as a silver bullet that will fix everything. Rather think of it as a way to grow your outer circle so that it overwhelms your inner circle and gives your middle circle less ammunition. Being set apart for service to God is an honor and a gift that, as obedient children, will help you flourish as a follower of Jesus.

An offer to pastors: Connect with other pastors over the topic of sexual integrity while getting trained in a resource that could help others as well. Join the 30-Day Challenge (through The Freedom Fight) during the month of August. Email Paul Klassen for details.

Paul Klassen

Broken Strength

pklassen@apathtopurity.org

The Three Circles Activity Guide

The post Summertime Purity by Paul Klassen appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

As I have come to the closure of this phase of life, I have taken time to compile a list of Moose life lessons. It has been helpful for me to review and remember how God, through the Holy Spirit, has faithfully continued to transform me in the likeness of Christ Jesus even when I struggled with Him. I would like to share a few of these lessons.

Being raised on a dairy farm in Amish country in Western Pennsylvania, I have many great memories of my Dad whom I always loved pleasing and working with him from age 3 or 4 until he died. One privilege I didn’t get was to learn how to handle work horses, an opportunity I really missed. Dad sold his favorite team, Nels and Tops, around the time I was born. This team was well matched, well broken, and well trained. Dad said he only put the bridle on them when he harnessed them so he could drive on the road, because when they were in the field working he would lay the reins down and just talk to them….get up, gee (right), haw (left), or whoa. Knowing Dad, he just talked, not raising his voice. What a beautiful example of some of the life lessons the Holy Spirit has taught me so that I could team well with Jesus through the Holy Spirit to advance His Kingdom.

• I had to learn to empty myself (Philippians 2:5-11), as Jesus emptied Himself of His agenda so that He could do everything His Father wanted Him to do. I learned that I needed to regularly empty myself because I tend to want to do things my way, which makes me struggle and fight with Jesus as my Leader and Lord.
• I need to have a willingness to be continually broken. Just as horses must be well broken to be useful, dependable, and trustworthy, I found the same true in my life. There are so many examples of how faithful men of God were broken…Joseph sold into slavery and in prison, Moses 40 years in the wilderness, Job having everything taken from him, David being hunted for years like an animal by Saul, Peter denying he even knew Jesus and Jesus looking at him and then later restoring him, Paul on the road to Damascus and 3 years in the wilderness. It is so important for each of us to willingly let God break us of whatever is between us and our Father God so He can use us as He wants. For me I remember when I had my ‘Nathan moment’ and God used a counselor to call out my selfish manipulative arrogance. That started a long process of His breaking me in a way that has made me into the follower of Jesus I am today. I still get choked up just thinking about it. God used this time to humble me and show me many results of my sinful arrogance and pride. He also used this as a time to reaffirm His love and grace for me. After that initial breaking, then I became more sensitive to the Spirit’s working in my life and aware of other areas that God wanted to break. The more broken I am, the more available I am to follow the Spirit.
• I must willingly put on Jesus’ yoke and keep in step with His Spirit. For a team of horses to work well they must be yoked together. Jesus asks us to put on His yoke and be teamed with Him, because His yoke is easy. I must willingly and daily put on Jesus’ yoke and learn to keep in step with Him. I struggle with the yoke, because when I get anxious, I want to do things “my way.” I run ahead and try to drag Jesus. When I’m fearful, fretting or worrying, I drag behind and the yoke gets heavy, hard and chaffing on my neck. In both situations, I’m fighting Jesus’ leading because I’m not keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.
• I am still learning the beauty and wonder of the Holy Spirit working in and through me, which makes teaming with Jesus so wonderful. Jesus says “it is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).  What a wonderful gift – God’s Spirit living in me to apply all the works of Jesus to my life, show me my sin, transform me into Christlikeness, lead me into all truth, produce the fruit of the Spirit in me, and empower to do whatever God calls me to do to advance His Kingdom. And all God asks of me is to keep in step with His Spirit living in me by listening to His voice leading me.

What a privilege to team with Jesus Christ, my Leader and Lord in the power of His Spirit to advance His Kingdom.

As we move into this next stage of life, I look forward to spending more time with Cheryl and our family; running at our own pace and schedule, working, camping, finding new projects and adventures while having fun together. Cheryl and I will have more time to minister in our local church. I will continue working 4 days a month with Paul Burr and 2nd Chair Church Planting Ministry which comes alongside church planters and plants to assist them in their ministry. My work will also include helping churches clarify or redo their mission and vision so they can be united in being who God has called them to be. I will continue coaching and encouraging men and pastors in their walk and helping them advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. 

Thanks again for the privilege of being in ministry together over the years. 

Dan Moose

New Email – dk.moose052@gmail.com

The post How God Trained a Moose appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

The more I read the Scriptures, the more convinced I become that a faithful and fruitful Christian life over the long haul—whether in ministry, work, family life, or general Christian discipleship—is sustained by rhythms that God himself has built into creation. These rhythms are not optional luxuries for the spiritually elite. They are part of the architecture of a healthy Christian life.

Put simply: faithful and fruitful gospel ministry over the long haul is fueled by rhythms of resilience—in other words, rest. To understand this fully, we need a biblical theology of rest. When we trace this theme across Scripture, four truths emerge.

Rest Is the Goal of God’s Very Good Creation

Genesis 2:1–3 tells us that after creating the heavens and the earth, God rested on the seventh day. At first glance this seems curious. Why would God rest? Scripture is clear that the Lord does not grow weary. In the Bible, rest does not primarily mean inactivity. God’s rest is not recuperation after exhaustion, but the enjoyment of a completed and perfectly ordered creation.

Two observations help us understand this. First, unlike the first six days of creation, the seventh day has no ending formula—no “there was evening and there was morning.” The implication is that God entered into his rest and remains enthroned over a world brought into harmony under his rule.

Second, the rest God entered into was shared by creation itself. Genesis 2 portrays humanity at rest with God, with one another, and with the created order. Everything is exactly as it was designed to be. All is right with the world. In other words, rest is the goal of God’s very good creation.

But when we look at the world today—even at our own hearts—we immediately ask: what happened?

Rest Is at the Root of Our Outrageous Rebellion

Isaiah 30:15 captures humanity’s tragedy in a single verse.  It begins this way:

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

It is a gracious invitation. God calls his people to trust him and find their strength in quiet dependence upon him. Yet the verse ends with these devastating words: “But you were unwilling.”

That phrase exposes the heart of human sin. Like Adam and Eve before us, we resist the rest of God. We prefer autonomy over trust. We prefer our own ways to his. To reject God’s rest is to reject God himself—the inexhaustible Creator who invites us into life with him. Instead, we turn toward created things to give us what only God can provide. The Bible calls this idolatry. When God’s gifts become gods. It is the great inversion of life: using the Creator we ought to worship, and worshiping the creation we ought to use for his glory. 

Humanity’s rebellion is, at its root, a refusal to live within the rest of God. The next question, of course, is what now?

Rest Is the Gift of Christ’s Blood-Bought Redemption

The good news of the gospel is that God did not abandon his restless creation.

Peter writes: “You were ransomed…with the precious blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:18–19) A rescue was accomplished. And what did Christ purchase through his sacrificial death? Forgiveness. Reconciliation. New life. But in light of our theme, we can summarize it this way: Jesus purchased our rest. 

Through the cross, Christ restores peace with God and begins the work of healing all that sin has broken. That is why Jesus says in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Those words reveal the heart of Christ. He is “gentle and lowly in heart.” (Matthew 11:29) He welcomes the weary and draws near to the burdened. Rest is not something we manufacture through better life management or improved discipline. It is a gift we receive through the grace of the Savior.

So, where is all this heading?  One last step…

Rest Is the Heart of the Spirit’s Personal and Cosmic Restoration

The storyline of Scripture unfolds in four great movements: Creation. Rebellion. Redemption. Restoration. Thus, it should not surprise us that rest appears at both ends of the story. The Bible begins with rest in Genesis and ends with rest in Revelation. Romans 8:22 says creation itself groans under the weight of the fall, longing for restoration. Moreover, the book of Revelation describes two final destinies. 

Of those who reject God, Scripture says: “They have no rest, day or night.” (Revelation 14:11) Hell is, in a profound sense, the absence of rest.

But of believers, heaven declares: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord…that they may rest from their labors.” (Revelation 14:13)

That is the hope of heaven: perfect rest in the presence of God. Even now, the Holy Spirit is restoring people, renewing hearts, and preparing a world where rest will once again fill every corner of creation from floor to balcony, this time in a new heaven and a new earth.

Living in Rhythms of Rest

If faithful and fruitful gospel ministry over the long haul is fueled by rhythms of resilience—in other words, rest—what might this look like in practice? Years ago I heard Pastor Piet Van Waarde summarize it this way: divert daily, withdraw weekly, abandon annually.

Divert Daily

Isaiah 50:4 says: “Morning by morning he awakens…my ear to hear as those who are taught.”

The rhythm is simple: Give God your ears. Then give others his words. This begins with Scripture—meeting God daily in his Word and learning to see and savor Christ on every page. And if you have drifted from that habit, the remedy is simple: Start again. We all need mid-course corrections. Make today a day of turning to Scripture, prayer, and meditation.

Withdraw Weekly

Jesus says: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27)

Christians have debated the details of Mosaic Sabbath observance over the millennia, yet the rhythm of work and rest is woven into creation itself – long before Moses. Without regular rest, we accumulate a debt. We grow weary. Our relationships suffer. Our souls become thin. One day each week to worship, reflect, enjoy family, and step away from ordinary labor is not a burden. It is a gift. If you’re a ministry leader and the Lord’s Day isn’t particularly restful for you, then find another day to rest. You (and those who love you) will be glad you did.

Abandon Annually

In Mark 6:31, Jesus told his disciples: “Come away by yourselves…and rest a while.” They had been so busy they scarcely had time to eat. From time to time, we must step away from the ordinary pace of life to reconnect with God and renew our souls. For some, that may be a vacation. For others, a retreat or a few quiet days away. Maybe it’s a conference with other believers. The form varies. The principle does not. Break away, get away, and rest away. 

Learning to “Whittle”

Many years ago I read a small book by the incomparable Vance Havner titled Rest Awhile. In the second chapter, Havner advocates for “whittling.”

“I’m out on the front porch at home…I’ve been whittling while I loaf…Whittling is a lost art in this efficient age. Everybody is too busy going nowhere in a hurry… It shows up in things spiritual. Samuel Rutherford, Robert Murray McCheyne, John Bunyan, would be brushed aside today by church workers headed for another committee meeting. Whether or not they whittled, I cannot say, but they took time out and lost no time in so doing. They would win no prize today in your modern church-efficiency program, but they knew God. And then there are others today who are too busy doing things of importance. Satan is clever. If he cannot put God’s servant to sleep, he works him into a St. Vitus dance and then brings him down in a crash to the dishonor of the cause. These, too, should learn to whittle now and then. Mix your work and worship with whittling. It pays.” The point, of course, is not that we must all learn to whittle. But we must learn to rest.

Entering God’s Rest

Rest is not laziness or inactivity. Nor is it escape from responsibility. Biblical rest means living the way God designed us to live from the beginning. It means trusting him rather than striving endlessly in our own strength. It means savoring all that God is for us in Jesus Christ. And it means looking forward to the day when the Spirit will renew the entire creation and restore peace between God, humanity, and the world. Until that day, the invitation remains open:

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…while the promise of entering his rest still stands.” (Hebrews 4:7, 1)

Dave Abernethy

The post Rhythms of Resilience appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

 This summer, my wife Sasha and I have the privilege of serving on the Renew Team for two of our ReachGlobal missionary friends.  “Renew” is the ReachGlobal term for ministry sabbatical.

Most missionaries serve overseas for a period, and then come back on home assignment to reconnect with churches in the US. These times in America were once called “furlough,” but that term has been discarded by many mission agencies because it means “a leave of absence from work,” which is an inaccurate description of a missionary’s time stateside.

For most missionaries, being in America means more time on the road, lots of moving around, and a not a small amount of stress. Though it is a joy to reconnect with brothers and sisters, and many missionaries look forward to it, home assignments are anything but an absence from work.

Yet missionaries are human, and humans need rest. Ministry sabbaticals can be an important tool in the toolbox for long-term retention and fruitfulness in missions. In her book Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest, Ruth Haley Barton wrote, “But as leaders, we simply must pay attention to our humanity and our human limitations. This is called self-responsibility or self-leadership— which, by all counts, is the most challenging leadership task of all.”

As you think about the missionaries you and your church support, consider ministry sabbaticals. Ask them if they have one scheduled in the next few years. If there is one coming up, ask if there is any way you can support them.

When I took a ministry sabbatical in 2023, I asked the pastor of my sending church to meet with me on a regular basis over the course of it. There was no agenda to our meetings other than asking how I was doing, making sure I was getting rest, and praying for me while sharing a cup of coffee with a friend. Though a little thing, it was a great blessing as I find time with brothers in Christ to be life giving.

It may look different for your missionaries. Ask them what would be restful, and consider how you might facilitate that rest. There are long-term benefits to keeping our missionaries healthy and well cared for, and it is a joy to love them.

The post Ministry Sabaticals appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

The 2026 North Central District Annual Conference was hosted by New Hope Church April 13 & 14. The many volunteers and staff at New Hope created a tremendously welcoming environment for our record-breaking attendance crowd. Their team ensured that the 465 attendees were able to enjoy main sessions, breakouts, exhibitors, meals, and places to fellowship with brothers and sisters across the district. 

The theme for this year’s conference was A Life Worth Imitating, exploring Scripture’s extensive teaching on how Christian leaders are intended to serve as a much-needed example of ordinary Christian living. In the three main sessions we were encouraged to grow in Christ as we provide visible examples of everyday discipleship for our congregations to imitate. In each session, New Hope Church worship leader Lucas Hyllberg and the worship team led us into times of deeper intimacy with God. The breakout sessions and affinity groups were well-attended and people were equipped, strengthened, and connected. 

Monday evening, we held a special celebration of Dan Moose’s 25 years of service to the North Central District. We heard testimonies of Dan’s ministry and life-changing impact, and prayed over him as he transitions into a new calling from the Lord. 

Important business was conducted Tuesday morning in the Business Session. Brian Farone was reelected as District Superintendent, three district board members were reelected for another term (Chris Cundiff, Eric Uggerud, and Tom Vang), and two new board members were elected (Jason Gallagher and Nate Palmer). Our thanks also go to outgoing board members Tom Cairns, Lucy Edens, and Darrius Hubbard. Their faithful service has been a tremendous blessing to the NCD district staff, pastors, and ministry leaders. 

Brian Farone’s annual report once again honored Dan Moose’s 25 years of service and welcomed two new team members to the district: Sean McDowell as the Director for Church Planting and Leadership Development, and Scott Yorkovich as the Director for Revitalization and Resources. Brian also highlighted several findings from the updated district infographic that illustrate the grace-based, life-giving work taking place in local churches throughout Minnesota, as well as the partnership district staff has with church leaders.

The conference theme of A Life Worth Imitating can be summed up with a reminder to follow Jesus’ example of servant leadership (Matthew 20:25-28), not forgetting to tell and show the Gospel and the Scriptures (1 Timothy 4:11-16), and watching for leaders, like Paul, to imitate (Philippians 4:9). 

Be a life worth imitating for the glory of Christ. 

2026 District Conference Resurces HERE

2026 District Superintendent’s Update HERE

Session 1 | Imitating Leadership vs. Imitation Leadership (Matthew 20:20-28)  by Doug Huffman   

YouTube | MP3 | Presentation

Session 2 | That All May See Your Progress (1 Timothy 4:11-16) by Brian Farone 

YouTube | MP3 | Presentation

Session 3 | Furnishing Our Minds, Forming Our Lives (Philippians 4:8-9) by Dave Abernethy 

YouTube | MP3 

Dan Moose Thank Yous

Dan Moose Tribute at 2026 NCD Conference

2026 Conference Business Session

The post 2026 District Conference Recap appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

Pastor Bob Satterlie from Pelican Rapids contacted us recently to recommend a grant for the Lake Eunice EFC in Detroit Lakes. Bob’s recommendation said that “After talking and praying about it for many years, they began work on a new 60 X 120 foot fellowship hall. They are trusting the Lord to provide without taking a loan . . . I know this fellowship hall will be a tremendous asset for the church and community.”

The church has raised and paid for about 2/3 of the cost of the building, which is enclosed and needing additional funding to finish the job (see the picture above). It was a joy at the recent NCD conference to give Pastor Dale Robins a check from the North Central Foundation to help with the remaining funding needed for the project. They still have a fair amount of money to raise, but Pastor Dale told us that the NCD’s funds will be a real help, and knowing that their NCD church family is behind them and supportive is a big encouragement. 

In the EFCA and the NCD, we often say we are better together, and this is just one story of many of how God is at work across the NCD through the North Central Foundation. Since the foundation started 4 years ago, 30 grants have been approved totaling more than $325,000 – including 10 for residencies and internships, 2 for new church plants, and many for revitalization and facility improvements. We currently have funds available to make grants for seminary scholarships, pastoral residencies & ministry internships, church plants, and other revitalization opportunities.

We need your help. What can you do to help the foundation?

• Please be asking, “Who can I recommend for a foundation grant?” Go to the foundation page and click on “suggest a grant” if you know of a good candidate.
• Give! Your ongoing support is needed, either personally or by including the North Central Foundation as an addition to your church’s support of the NCD’s ministry.
• Pray for wisdom and discernment as we receive and consider recommendations and continue to make grants.
• Rejoice at what God has done in the last 4 years since we started the North Central Foundation!

Thank you for your partnership as we strive to serve you – our pastors, church leaders and churches – as you invite people from every nation, tribe, people and language to trust, walk with and serve Jesus Christ.

The post God’s Tangible Provision Through the North Central Foundation appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

What is working well with missions in your church?

• We relaunched our mission team and we wrote a mission policy.  
• We have a global mission night monthly.
• When missionaries visit, we send them out in the church so they can talk with groups to get acquainted.
• We have a year-end evaluation. It should be short, two pages, and simple to respond to. Churches can also ask missionaries for their year-end reports that are sent to the agency leaders.
• Missionary prepares a video message that is shared in the worship service.
• Have all sermons go back to Jesus and to missions.
• Have a cohort, two times a year, with mission classes, i.e. like Perspectives.
• Use Prayervine.org to get updates from missionaries to pray for them.
• Support new missionaries for two years on a provisional basis. It is a screening process to see who stays or doesn’t continue.
• Every two years visit your missionaries onsite to care for them.

What is now working well?

• Not gauging where people are at with missions. People are not interested in missions.
• Missions and outreach should be normal. There needs to be discipleship DNA for missions. Get the right people engaged with missions. Need to engage passive people.
• There is poor communication from the church to the missionary and sometimes poor communication from the missionary to the church. Need short reports to share.
• What is the missionary doing? Sometimes it is not clear.
• Are missionaries walking in obedience, where is fruit seen?

Final thoughts:

• Pastors should encourage people in the church to go into missions. Raise up our own workers.
• Have a youth representative on the mission team.
• When missionaries visit the church, ask how they are doing personally and not just a report on their ministry.

Blessings,

Steve Austvold

The post Ideas from the Missions Affinity Group appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

– Biblical Convictions: A Firm Grip and an Open Hand | handout

– A Life Worth Imitating: Biblical Discipleship for Church Leadership Teams

– What If I’m Called? Serving God as a Paid Christian Leader for Your Career

– Examples to the Flock: an NCD growth and training event for local church elders

– NCD Elder Growth Resources

The post Downloads appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

2026 District Conference Report Book

2026 NCD Infographic

2026 District Superintendent’s Update

2026 Conference Business Session

Doug Huffman’s Sermon Presentation | Matthew 20:25-28

Brian Farone’s Sermon Presentation | 1 Timothy 4:11-16

The post 2026 District Conference Resources appeared first on EFCA North Central District.

This summer, Apex has 6 ministry opportunities available for high school students ranging in distance from right here in Minnesota to as far away as eastern Europe.  As you read through them, prayerfully ask God to bring to mind any high school students from your church that He might be calling to one of these summer trips.

Minneapolis, MN—June 20-27:  Come alongside Pastor Drew of Hope Heights to learn about church planting and reaching their communities.

Chicago, IL—June 13-20:  Work at the South Asian Friendship center.  Learn about different world religions and how to share the gospel with them.

Miami, FL—June 27-July 4:  Serve at a summer camp for kids and pray for the city.

Laredo, TX—Various weeks:  Kids ministry and outreach ministry among a primarily Hispanic community.

Kansas City, MO—Various  weeks:  Kids ministry and community engagement in the heart of the mid-west.

Pitesti, Romania—July 18-25:  Work with a church in this Romanian city in sports ministry, worship ministry, outreach, and conversational English.

If any of these opportunities sound interesting to you, check out the Apex High School Group site for more information.

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