LifeSpring Community Church (Goshen, Indiana, USA)
The Communion Fellowship in Goshen, Indiana, began in the fall of 1977 when student Doug Fike led a Bible study group at Goshen College. It moved off campus in 1983 and became a congregation. it affiliated with the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of the Mennonite Church (MC) and the Northern Indiana District of the Church of the Brethren in 1984. The group worshipped in various homes, at Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, at Bethany Christian High School, and at Peddlers Auction, before buying a bank data processing center in Goshen in 1993. At that time, attendance was about 175.
Communion Fellowship functioned with an elder-led cell group organizational model. It has been described as a combination of Anabaptist and Charismatic traditions.
In 1986, the Fellowship began to provide a nine-month School for Equipping and Nurturing Disciples (SEND), which offered church-based training, real-life integration, world-vision development, and spiritual renewal.
In the 1990s, Communion Fellowship became the lead congregation in "Friends of the Wolof," a church-planting venture among the Wolof, a traditionally Muslim group in Senegal.
In 2004, Communion Fellowship withdrew from the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
Soon thereafter, Communion Fellowship changed its name to LifeSpring Community Church and continued as an independent community church, using an elder team model of leadership.
Bibliography
"Church-planting effort gets underway in Muncie, Ind." Gospel Herald 81, no. 43 (25 October 1988): 737.
Green, Stanley W. "Transformed by the Spirit." theMennonite 4, no. 24 (26 June 2001): 6-7.
Jones, Timothy K. "A church no back pews." The Messenger 135, no.10 (October 1986): 11-14.
Preheim, Rich. In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 296, 310.
Price, Tom. "Nomadic congregation finds a new home in an old bank." Gospel Herald 86, no. 24 (15 June 1993): 12.
Zuercher, Melanie. "Partnership of friends reaches Senegal." theMennonite 1, no. 33 (20 October 1998): 10.
Additional Information
Address: 116 South 3rd Street, Goshen, Indiana 46526
Telephone: 574-533-0315
Website: https://www.lifespringgoshen.org/
Denominational Affiliations:
Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (Until 2004)
Mennonite Church USA (Until 2004)
Church of the Brethren (Until 2004?)
Pastoral Leaders/Lead Elders at LifeSpring Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Douglas L. Fike | 1977-1989 |
| Charles Buller | 1988-2000s |
| Mike Lechlitner | 1989-1993? |
| Jeanette Buller | 1995-1990s |
| Tina Stoltzfus Horst | 1998?-2000s? |
LifeSpring Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 70 |
| 1990 | 156 |
| 2000 | 107 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | June 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "LifeSpring Community Church (Goshen, Indiana, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2024. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=LifeSpring_Community_Church_(Goshen,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=179165.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (June 2024). LifeSpring Community Church (Goshen, Indiana, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=LifeSpring_Community_Church_(Goshen,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=179165.
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