The Iseminger Family:
We are the Iseminger family! There are 3 of us: Myself , my wife Annemarie, and our son David III who just turned 2.
My wife was raised in a Christian home, accepted Christ as a child and surrendered herself to the Lord’s will as a young teenager.
I was raised in a preacher’s home, accepted Christ as a child, and surrendered my life to preach at a young age as well. In my teen years the Lord began to burden me about the need for more Church Planters right here in the US, but ultimately called me into the pastorate for nearly a decade. This time was invaluable as the Lord used it to refine us in the areas of soul winning, discipleship, ministry practicality, and other elements that are crucial to the establishment of a true New Testament Church. The Lord has now called my family out of the pastorate and into this much needed field of US Church Planting.
We are sent out of Elbow Lake Baptist Church in Elbow Lake, Minnesota. This church was started by, and is still pastored by, Silas Clarke, who has become a Veteran Church Planter in the Upper Midwest. The Lord has brought us together and aligned our hearts with a vision to see churches started throughout the region.
WHERE WE ARE GOING
The Lord has called us to serve in the Upper Midwest (North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan). This area is filled with forgotten towns where generation after generation dies without a personal relationship with the Savior. If you look at each of the states you’ll find that they are all under reached, but Minnesota is one of the most spiritually needy states in the entire country. There are 56 counties that are without a real Baptist church and only 7 counties that have a sufficient number of them to reach the population. In this state there are more than 1.2 million people living in counties that are severely under reached.
The area that we will be focusing on for the foreseeable future is West Central Minnesota where there are 10 counties in this condition. Thats 158,000 people! The largest of these 10 counties is Douglas county with 38,000 people. In Douglas county there are 63 bars and liquor stores as well as a strong presence of RELIGION with 53 Lutheran churches.
Alexandria, in Douglas County, is the largest city for nearly 100 miles in any direction with a population that has grown every single year and now boasts more than 14,000 people. Our sending church has been trying to get a work started in Alexandria for several years, holding meetings under a tent, in a coffee shop, and now in a store front with Pastor Clark traveling in to preach.
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WHAT WE ARE DOING
Our first step will be to take over the effort to plant a church in Alexandria. The work that Pastor Clark and the great folks at Elbow Lake Baptist have done is going to put us well on the way to fully establishing an indigenous Church in Douglas county. After we get settled and make some headway in Alexandria, we will be looking for the Lord to open a door to start another work in a nearby city. This will be done with the intent to pass the progress made in that second work along to a pastor/planter that the Lord provides. The Lord is doing a great work in the Upper Midwest. He is sending men to this area with a big heart, a big vision, and a willingness to work; not for vain glory, but to see souls saved and we are more than thrilled to be used of God in this needy field.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1) Pray!
That the Lord would send laborers to the Upper Midwest! The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray that the Lord would burden someone to come and help us as we begin our work in Douglas County. Also, pray that the Lord would fill our calendar while on deputation and provide the resources necessary for us to get to the field.
2) Give!
We are trying to raise $2,500 in monthly support. This will get us to Douglas County as well as started on a second Church plant. We are also in need of donations to help purchase KJV Bibles, tracts, discipleship material, and a lot of equipment.
3) Come!
It would be a huge blessing if you, or a group from your church, would be willing to come and help with special projects or a soul winning campaign. To see what God is doing in the Upper Midwest will help you to see the GREAT need for churches in America and encourage you to know that there is STILL HOPE for AMERICA, but only in God.