Good News Fellowship
In the early 1940s the Lancaster Mennonite Conference established an Itinerant Evangelism Committee to work at outreach, included the USA southeast. Teams of persons with roots in the Lancaster Conference gave a portion of their summers to Summer Bible School outreach in the South. They would set up a tent and hold Bible classes for children during the day and revival meetings for the community each evening. By 1949 six teams ran 24 Vacation Bible Schools in rural areas near the Florida/Alabama border.
In some of these locations churches were started. The first church to be planted was in East Brewton, Alabama. Others followed in surrounding communities including Bethel, Appleton, Atmore, Crestview, etc. Later churches began in more urban areas like Mobile and Birmingham, Alabama.
In 2000 the Lancaster Mennonite Conference "released" the 14 churches then established in the southeast to form a new network called Good News Fellowship (GNF). This allowed the churches to work more effectively towards a common mission. J. D. Landis and Steve Longenecker gave early leadership to this newly formed network.
In 2023 the Good News Fellowship consisted of approximately 30 churches in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. Congregations were grouped in regions and served by a Primary Leader. GNF's stated purpose was to empower and network leaders and churches for Jesus-centered ministry. It was not linked to a Mennonite denominational entity.
In 2017 there were eight "Primary leaders" in GNF: J. D. Landis (at-large), Steve Longenecker & Ralph Garth (Birmingham, Alabama area), Dave Lambert (Atlanta, Georgia area), David R. Landis (Gulf Coast area), David Weaver & Ruskin Clay (MLA area (Mississippi, Louisiana & Alabama), and Geraldo Navarro (Spanish).
Good News Fellowship Congregations
In 2023 the following congregations were part of Good News Fellowship:
| Name | Location |
|---|---|
| Ambassadors for Christ | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Berean Christian Fellowship | Tallahassee, Florida |
| Bethel Community Mennonite Church | Brewton, Alabama |
| Calvary Mennonite Church | Brewton, Alabama |
| Cellebration Fellowship | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Choctaw Christian Church | Louisville, Mississippi |
| Confraternidad Cristiana | East Point, Florida |
| Confraternidad Cristiana | Rogers, Arkansas |
| Confraternidad Cristiana | Tallahassee, Florida |
| Cornerstone Community Church | Macon, Mississippi |
| Crestview Mennonite Church | Crestview, Florida |
| Des Allemands Mennonite Church | Des Allemands, Louisiana |
| Evangelical Garifuna Church | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Faith Chapel Mennonite Church | Cleveland, Alabama |
| Grace & Truth Church | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Grace Fellowship | Atmore, Alabama |
| Gulfhaven Mennonite Church | Gulfport, Mississippi |
| Iglesia Bethel | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Mennonite Christian Fellowship | Atmore, Alabama |
| Mynamar Baptist Church | Decatur, Georgia |
| Nanih Waiya Indian Mennonite Chapel | Preston, Mississippi |
| New Vision | Bessemer, Alabama |
| Pearl River Bible Church | Philadelphia, Mississippi |
| Poarch Community Church | Atmore, Alabama |
| Rivertown Community Church | Blountstown, Florida |
| Straight Mountain Mennonite Church | Springville, Alabama |
| True Vine Evangelical Church | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Way of Life Community Church | Bayou La Batre, Alabama |
| Way of Life Community Church | Mobile, Alabama |
| Way of the Cross | Brooksville, Mississippi |
Bibliography
"History." Good News Fellowship. 2015. Web. 2 June 2017. http://www.gnfonline.org/?page_id=17.
Ruth, John L. The Earth is the Lord’s: a Narrative History of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 2001: 993-999.
Additional Information
Website: https://www.gnfonline.org/
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | November 2023 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Good News Fellowship." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2023. Web. 1 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Good_News_Fellowship&oldid=177981.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (November 2023). Good News Fellowship. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 1 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Good_News_Fellowship&oldid=177981.
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