Scott & Diane Mathis - Mitchell
Scott & I met at the University of Wyoming our Senior year of college. He was a rebel preacher's kid...I, a pampered college athlete. After only a few months of knowing each other, we found ourselves pregnant and married. In 1990, after 5 years of seemingly hopeless relationship, we decided to see a Christian counselor as the last ditch effort to save our mariage. It was at that time that I truly trusted in Jesus as my Savior. Scott saw such a dramatic change in me, he surrendered his life to Jesus a few months later. Jesus, not only saved our lives, our marriage and our family, He has given us a deep love for each other that we never knew exsisted. If the Lord can change us, we know He can change anyone! In fact, in the past 13 years since we've been at MBC, we've been in awe as we've seen Him change life after life! What a mighty God we serve!
Tom & Joan Abbott (Jacob & Jenna) - Gering
Tom & I did not know the Lord when we got married in 1988. Before we knew it, the trials of life began to pile up...tragic losses of loved ones, differing philosophies of parenting, a bitter marriage and for Tom, a 9 year losing battle with the cancer of anger and guilt. In 2001, I began to seek the Lord for my young family and especially my "troubled" husband. Gradually, I heard the Word of God through Christian radio, friends and MBC and began to see MY OWN sinfulness. In October 2002, Tom and I asked on another and God for forgiveneww and accepted Jesus as our Savior. He has saved our souls, marriage and family! Now we are growing in our relationship with Christ and learning to live like Christians by following the teaching and example we receive at MBC!
Megan Pritchard - 6th Grade, Scottsbluff
I was four when I was saved. We were driving home from Awana and my mom led me to the Lord! There was a time that I put Jesus aside. Some of my friends thought He wasn't cool, but when my grandma Suzanne got sick, it opened my eyes to what was really important. I love MBC! I really like my Life Group and the awesome music!
Curt & Debbie Sulzbach - Gering
Kurt & I met at a Christian social function in sunny California in 1993. Kurt did not grow up in a Christian home but came to know Christ as his Savior after moving to California from Nebraska and going through a painful divorce. Kurt's walk with the Lord was strong when we met and I had recently rededicated my life to the Lord after struggling through a painful period of time in my teenage years and a few years of being "wayward". Unlike Kurt, I had grown up in a home where we "always went to chruch" and had accepted Christ as my Savior at an early age. But I didn't really "know" Christ. Praise God that some Christian girlfriends brought me back to Christ - and that's when I met Kurt! We married in May of 1994 and struggled with being newlyweds and blended family issues. The Lord moved us to Nebraska in 1998 and has provided for us in abundant ways! We were able to buy a house, have good jobs, and enjoy the fresh, smog-free air! Today we are individually and as a couple still "works in progress" with the Lord as our Master Carpenter. MBC has helped us grow closer to the Lord with the connections fostered in the Life Groups and the welcoming openness of the MBC body of Christ. We love MBC!
Clyde & Louise Hilton - Mitchell
Clyde and I met at a country dance the year after we graduated from High School. When we married in 1944, neither of us knew the Lord personally. Growing up, I remember my mother reading the Bible to me so I knew about God but I always thought something was missing. One day when I was listening to the "Back to the Bible" radio program, I realized what the missing piece was. I said to Jesus, "If I'm not saved...I want to be." Clyde trusted in Christ a couple years later and was baptized a the same time as our 12 year old son. The Lord has blessed us with 60 years of marriage. We've gone through some great times and some difficult times and we know the Lord has been with us through it all. We came to Mitchell Berean in 1999 and right away felt the friendliness of the people. We have some wonderful friends in our Life Group and we appreciate how they help us to keep growing in the Lord!
Bill & Jennifer Books - Scottsbluff
Bill and I met a few years ago, neither looking for a serious relationship. Bill had survived two difficult marriages, and I was still healing from living in an alcoholic marriage which had tragically ended with my husbands? suicide. After we married, we felt our prayers had been answered, yet, something was missing. We both had good Christian backgrounds, we professed a belief in God, but neither of us truly practiced our ?religion.? We didn?t know which church to agree on for our new blended family. Mutual friends invited us to visit MBC and then to attend a marriage retreat. As we faced each other renewing our marriage vows, a majestic mountain view as our backdrop, our hearts became so incredibly heavy, the emotion so intense, we both tearfully surrendered ourselves and our marriage to Jesus Christ through His Spirit! It was never about a ?religion? but about a faith, a daily exercise of faith! MBC received us with such genuine loving care as new believers! We were encouraged to continue with services, baptism, Life Group and learning. Out of all of our pain, God reached down into our brokenness and produced something wonderful. A life may be shattered by sorrow, pain or sin, but God can arrange those broken pieces into beauty through which HIS light will shine! AMEN!!
Dave & Robin Hoxworth - Scottsbluff
My wife and I are kind of a unique story to some and probably somewhat of a usual story to others. Before coming to realize the importance of putting Christ first in our lives, we had both been through a divorce. We started attending Mitchell Berean Church around the same time that we were married and starting to blend our family of five children. We knew we needed a church that would welcome us no matter if we had no kids, three kids, or all five kids with us. We are so blessed that God has placed us here and thank him consistently for our church family. Over the course of the last three years we have come to know Christ in a personal way. Through Mitchell Berean we have a Church family that accepted us where we came from and has taught us to put our faith in Christ!
Dick & Deb Burford - Morrill
Before we knew Christ, we had no compass on life. Even though we had attended church as adolescents, we followed our own desires, made wrong choices and rarely had a thought of God. Our kids, James and Leslie, prompted us to seek out the Lord. We both agreed that they needed to learn about God. In our search for a church, we were invited and led to MBC. Deborah answered an alter call given by Pastor Scott Mathis in 1998. After her re-birth, we had some talks, and one night in a motel room in Brighton, CO, I woke up and gave my life to Jesus Christ. Now, we as a family have a firm foundation and know where to go for the answers to our questions. The best thing about MBC, is that the truth of the Bible is taught and the love of Jesus is evident in people's lives!!!
Shawn & Trinity Fuss - Mitchell
Shawn and I were both blessed to grow up in Christian families and have known Jesus for as long as we can remember. Neither of us have any remarkable moment of accepting Christ, he just seemed to always be some one we have believed and trusted in. Our relationship began in college, founded in friendship and fostered in God's love. Our marriage, likewise, is grounded in our faith in Jesus Christ. We have endured and continue to work through life's hurdles, not always understanding the "why's" but always accepting our Lord's will be done, no matter where he leads us. MBC has provided the strength and encouragement to remain committed to serving God and relying solely on Him!
Dale & Ida Shaul - Banner County
Ida and I met after I graduated from Banner High School and she was still attending Banner High School. We were married in 1950. Ida was saved in 1956 and I was saved shortly afterward. Having the Lord in our lives and our marriage brought us closer together as well as our family. Now we have been married 55 years! We are so glad the Lord brought us to MBC 13 years ago to be a part of what He has done and what is going to happen!
Shannon & Robin Neal - Banner County
Shannon and I started dating June, 1987. I grew up in a Christian home and was saved at a very young age. Even though I was going through some of the wildest times of my life, I knew that it was very important to share Christ with Shannon. As a result, I invited him to go to a Speers concert/revival and he accepted Christ as his personal Savior that night. We were married in May 1989 and had our first child in 1990. In the busyness of normal marriage trials and beginning a family, we did not get involved in a church at all except for Christmas and Easter. Last January we began attending Mitchell Berean and have been very dedicated to corporate worship ever since. God blessed us with Mitchell Berean in that we know genuine love from other Christ Ones. The last year has been full of blessings and trials in which we find ourselves ?growing up? in the Lord. We are definitely a testimony to ?God is still in the business of changing lives?.
Brenda Berganza - Gering
Before I trusted Christ, I was not aware of how amazing He was. I grew up in a Christian home, and grew up on Bible stories. I knew about Him but He didn?t become real to me until I accepted Him as my Lord & Savior when I was 7 years old at Vacation Bible School. Since I?ve trusted Christ, I no longer know about Him, I know Him! I see His love and faithfulness daily and I rest in His forgiveness, mercy and grace. He has changed my life! One of the things I like best about MBC is the Life Groups. I have grown so much by being involved in Women?s Life Groups and getting to know so many amazing, godly women in our church. I also have the wonderful opportunity to help with the HS Life Groups. They are amazing, awesome teenagers and they are a blessing to me and minister to my heart and life. I just love them! I am so thankful to be a part of MBC!
Terry & Cindy Rogers - Scottbluff
Cindy and I met in May of 1996, both beaten and badly bruised from previous marriages and the "conditions" which cause divorce. We were both "skittish" and lacking in faith, trust and compassion. God, the great orchestrator, engineered our coming together and taught us to love, trust, and forgive in a relationship formed of three strands: Cindy, myself, and an awesome God. I was saved, Cindy reaffirmed her relationship with God and the two of us who at one time hated marriage and refused to soften our hearts, now feel a marriage grounded in a walk with Jesus is a relationship that only grows stronger.
Kevin & Karen Lojka - Gering
Kevin & I started dating in June, 1988. He was 19 and I was 20. We were pregnant and married 4 months later. The early years were rocky, as we struggled to grow up. Kevin was an alcoholic and finally sought help in 1995. He stopped drinking and started making God?s Word a part of his daily life. We survived my brief affair in 1999, as I was depressed and needed some help with my self esteem. We have always loved each other deeply, and gotten along fairly well. In August 2003, I lost my mom to a lung disease. The week after her death, I found out my father had a girlfriend. In the months that followed, I cried a lot and was really looking for a place to belong. We started attending MBC in February, 2004. We love our church family and all the new friends we have made. We are closer now than we have ever been. We?ve been saved and baptized and we are still learning, growing and ministering to others, to see the church spread all over the valley.
Will Broeder - Mitchell
I was saved young, probably at the time? out of fear of Hell, and I was helped on by being blessed with Christian parents. After saying that, my life wasn?t yet honoring to God throughout my early teenage years. I was in quiet rebellion with God. My life started to change with Godly people who took me under their wing and then got me involved in the Youth Leadership program at MBC, which led me to a life-changing experience on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic. Now I had a clear distinction that I was a Christian and so much changed. God has since worked in my life in a number of ways; one that I especially enjoy is through music. Just to help lead people in worship and the support I receive in using my gift to play drums is amazing!
Byron & Amy Holzworth - Scottsbluff
Byron and I met at Grace Bible College in Omaha our Freshman year and were married in 1990. We were both from Christian homes and had both accepted Jesus as our Savior at young ages. Neither of us can remember a time when Jesus was not in our lives. He has been with us through every stage of our lives?through growing up, questioning our faith, death of a parent and the births of our 3 girls, and everything in between. We do however know the struggles of breaking free of legalism and the danger of having a stagnant faith and how these robbed us of the joy of being Christians. Three years ago we had come to the point where we were ready to give up on church and the ?Christian? life that we had been taught to live. It was at the time that we started attending MBC. God has used MBC in our lives to help us heal from the discouragement we felt and to open our eyes to the freedom we have in Him. For the first time in many years we are excited about our faith and about our church ? it?s incredible!
Natalie Andre - Scottsbluff
Since the day my parents brought me into this world, their hope and prayer for me was to trust Jesus as my eternal life saver! They taught me the gospel but knew they couldn?t save me. My mom would tell me that I would know when the minute came that I understood the gospel message. On July 13, 1991, I sat in my dads lap asking many questions. It was that night that Jesus used my dad to lead me to Himself. Since my second birth, God has used many people, bad times, and wonderful times to keep me growing in His grace. The night I was saved was also shared with my mom and brother and my family has never left me alone in my walk with Jesus. Having a Christian family is my greatest earthly treasure. Since I started attending MBC, my joy has been able to come as I am; I don?t have to put on an act?.no Sunday fake smiles!
Rob & Pam Bauer - Mitchell
Rob and I met during High School at an FFA convention. Rob was brought up in a Christian home. I was brought up in a home that knew God, but did not go to church. We were married right out of High School. We both knew the Lord, but we were not walking with Him. The Lord?s first blessing He gave us was our daughter 1 ? years after were married. Jamie was the light of our lives. In 1996, our second daughter was given to us from God. Since we farm, God led us to move from Colorado to Mitchell, Nebraska. What a leap of faith for us to move a whole farming operation! Little did we know that God was working in all of our lives in different ways, until our oldest daughter Jamie was taken home to be with the Lord at age 15, due to an auto accident. Jamie had been attending the MBC Youth Group before the accident happened. MBC opened their arms and hearts to Rob, Tori and I. With the love and support of a caring church family and all the prayers and fellowship, we have watched Tori grow in her walk with the Lord. Thanks to all at MBC, we know we will see Jamie again in heaven when it is our time to go and be with the Lord forever! Praise the Lord!
Kenny & Misty Stauffer - Banner County
After dating for about 2 years, Kenny and I decided that both coming from broken homes, we probably should see someone about helping us over come the fear of divorce in our own relationship. With that said, we found the wonderful Bob and Jaci Aue. We counseled with them for two years and were married and joined one of their many Life Groups. After about four years of being in a Life Group and still fighting with God, we had our 2nd daughter and were faced with some major challenges. I am so glad to say that on July 25th, 2004, we decided to quit fighting God and started trusting Him as our Lord & Savior. How AWESOME is our love for one another and for Christ!
Jaci Aue - Mitchell
My acceptance of Christ as my Savior has to go back to when I met my awesome husband, Bob Aue. We were both living in the rejected world of ?divorce.? I had always gone to church, but after meeting him, I knew that he had something that I was missing in my life and I received Christ personally as my Savior. Thirty five years of living with that precious man and serving the Lord has given me the strength to go on alone after his death a year ago. I can never express the thankfulness for my MBC family in the last year. From planning Bob?s Celebration Service, to organizing a farm auction, a household auction, and redoing the house in town; my Lord and my church family were there for me and they mean all the world to me!
Andy & Cathy Arellano - Mitchell
Andy and I met in 1977. Twelve hours after meeting, we decided to marry and after only seeing one another twice in two weeks, we wed. Andy said he loved me since I was fourteen. I on the other hand, did not reciprocate his love. Our marriage from the first day was seemingly doomed. Our marriage could have made a good argument for divorce. We were miserable?.BUT in September of 1982, I came to place my trust in Jesus as my Savior. Andy saw the difference in my life and how I was changed; then he too placed his trust in Christ. Our lives were changed personally and our marriage was transformed. Jesus gave me an awesome love for Andy and our marriage was saved, our lives and marriage are an example of what Jesus can truly accomplish in the lives of people! Since we have been coming to MBC, Andy and I are learning about Jesus? love for us and growing in our faith. We truly praise God for His awesome love and power!
Bruce & Deb Bonow - Morrill
Our lives were like a lot of other nonbelievers, feeling like we had it all, financial security, a home and two great kids! Our marriage wasn?t the best; we each lived our own lives, seldom worrying about the other and a lot of partying along the way. Suddenly, our lives came crashing down with Bruce having serious health problems, facing death and financial ruin. Three years ago, a miracle changed our lives: a kidney and pancreas transplant. We knew we had to change because Christ gave us a second chance at life. In the hospital, we talked about accepting the Lord, but we really worried about finding a church that would accept us. We consulted some friends and were invited to MBC. We came with open minds and haven?t looked back since. We were never uncomfortable and totally accepted for who we were. Our marriage and family is much closer and sincere since accepting Christ and how we lived without Him I don?t understand. MBC is a great place; the staff so friendly and accepting of everyone; even us! We now look forward to the ultimate ending being in Heaven with Christ! What an awesome reality!