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Our association of free Lutheran congregations has a rich, colorful history. Interestingly enough, our association is much like
our country. As our country had a dream to be free of all tyranny, and started with
thirteen colonies, our association was started by two people who had a dream to start a new association of free Lutheran congregations.
Early History of the Free Church Movementmore
Professor Georg Sverdrup and Professor Sven Offedal had a vision and dream of free and
living congregations being planted throughout America:
"I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions."
Joel: 2: 28 and Acts 2: 17
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Sverdrup and Offedal's concept was to offer Christians the chance to make a "new beginning"
by returning to the New Testament pattern of Christianity. Just as a few men who had a dream
to offer freedom to those oppressed, these two men had a dream to offer freedom within the
church body.
In 1890 three Norwegian Lutheran groups merged to form the United Norwegian Lutheran Church.
Sverdrup and Offedal had faith that this merger would be an open and a free Lutheran congregation, but in
practice the association was anything but free. The major sticking points were control of
Augsburg Seminary and free church policy - not theology.
Later in 1890, the new United Norwegian Lutheran Church had St. Olaf College,
and they wanted control of the Seminary. Sverdrup and Offedal refused to turn the
seminary over to them. Thirteen congregations joined in supporting the two professors, and
formed a group called the "Friends of Augsburg."
In the year 1895, the two professors were denied delegate status at the Annual Conference.
At the conference, the thirteen congregations were given a year to renounce their stand.
They refused to do so, and in 1897, those congregations were dismissed.
On June 12, 1897, the "Free Church Committee" submitted the "Rules for a Lutheran Free
Church." On that date, they then declared, together with representatives from over a 100
congregations, to be the Lutheran Free Church. Thus was born the forerunner of the
Association of Free Lutheran Congregations.
History of the Association of the Free Lutheran Churches more
The Association of Free Lutheran Congregations has a heritage of dreamers and risk-takers.
It is a heritage of people who believed that they "can do everything through Him who gives me
strength" (Philippians 4:13). The ones who went before us had confidence in God that
motivated them to dream and take courageous steps of faith. They did not know what God
would do, but they knew what He could do, so they went forward boldly.
To many, the dreams seemed foolish:
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
I Corinthians 1: 18.
"The man without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God,
for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually
discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject
to any man's judgment: For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?
But we have the mind of Christ."
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The dream did get planted, and in 1962 the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations was born.
Bible School and Seminarymore
The Association Free Lutheran Bible School, located in Plymouth, MN, was founded in 1966.
It consists of a two year, evangelical college level school of the Bible. High school graduates
come to build a Biblical foundation for future careers, grow in their relationship with Jesus
Christ, prepare for youth or world missions work and lay down a ground work for becoming
Pastors and Congregational leaders.
The seminary, a four year course of study, is located in Minneapolis, MN.
Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Churchmore
Our church, Abiding Savior, was founded in 1989. The association of free Lutheran congregations was started by the people, and a pastor or
organizer was not sent. The association first met in the multipurpose room at the Cleveland Elementary School,
Sioux Falls. 15 families comprised the group of the small free Lutheran congregation.
On January 22, 1989 at 8:30 am the first service at the school was conducted by Eldon Nelson,
the Mission Director of the AFLC. On the 29th of January, the first Sunday School class was held.
Ron Knutson offered to conduct services from the 29th of January to the 28th of May. In April 1989,
a steering committee was chosen to begin the work of organizing the church.
Abiding Savior at Cloudas Avenuemore
On August 20th, 1989, the congregation met and voted to purchase the building at 821 S Cloudas Avenue for the new church site of Abiding Savior. Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church was truly born. Then, on the 1st of September, the group that used to meet at Cleveland School held their first worship service at their new location. During the summer of 1989 a young seminary student. Lloyd Quanbeck conducted the worship services.
Pastor Erwin Brandt accepted the call to serve as interim pastor from September 1st, 1989 to September 1st, 1991. There was one worship service, conducted at 9:30 am along with Sunday school class at 10:45 am. In the fall of 1991, Pastor Michael Brandt because the new Pastor of the church. Still at the building on Cloudas Avenue, the free Lutheran congregation voted to add an educational fellowship building.
The association continued to grow. On October 13th, 1991, the Women's Missionary Fellowship (WMF), now known as Abiding Women was organized. The Men's Fellowship Group, which is now known as Band of Brothers also began to meet at the same time. In the beginning of 1995 another church service was added. Each year the free Lutheran congregation was growing and continuing to add new evangelistic opportunities for all ages. In 1997, Abiding Savior services began broadcasting on KSOO radio. The Word of God was now reaching others outside the church.
Abiding Savior at 49th and Bahnsonmore
In late November 1997, plans were being made to build a new church at the corner of 49th and Bahnson Avenue in Sioux Falls. The congregation had grown from 50 to 300 members. Praise God! By the end of July 1998, the building had been completed and the first service held in the new building was August 2, 1998.
Since then the free Lutheran congregation has continued to grow in size, but the mission has remained the same, the preaching of God's Holy Word. The free Lutheran congregation continues to offer many opportunities for all ages, including a preschool, after school and summer care ministries.Three radio stations broadcast our Sunday morning service:
- WNAX (out of Yankton)
- KBHB (out of Sturgis)
- KCGM (out of Scobey, MT)
New Senior Pastor at Abiding Saviormore
In 2006 Senior Pastor Michael Brandt returned from his sabbatical following the death of his wife Jeanne. He felt God directing Him to a new calling and with the approval of the church body Shepherding the Shepherds was born. Pastor Brandt now shepherds hundreds of Pastors and ministries and continues to have a close tie with the staff and church family of Abiding Savior.
God saw fit to raise up a new Senior Pastor among it's own family. Kirk Flaa and his family has previously attended Abiding Savior and he had served in many ministries including serving as a deacon for 6 years. Feeling a call from God Kirk left Sioux Falls to attend the association's Bible School and Seminary graduating in 2007. The Abiding Savior leadership and church body saw this as God's perfect timing and Pastor Kirk Flaa was ordained as the new Senior Pastor in August of 2007. God has continued to bring His blessing upon His church.
Church Plantingmore
Abiding Savior Free Lutheran seeks to spread the message of the Gospel everywhere. In 2002 Living Word Free Lutheran Church was planted as a sister church of Abiding Savior. It has grown and God has blessed it. In 2008 work began on a new church plant in Brandon as families began to meet, pray and seek God's will and direction.
Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church Todaymore
Abiding Savior still remains a Bible-based church located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We now have
over 1200 members in our congregation, but the free Lutheran church continues to maintain a caring, family of God atmosphere.
Our mission is to preach the Word of God, and our message is "Knowing the Savior and Making Him Known."
Our ministry however, is not contained in these walls; it is a ministry to spreading the Gospel everywhere.
Our activities calendar is packed with activities and
ministries for everyone: young, old, men, women, families.
We have certainly been blessed by God! Our focus remains on encouraging each other to grow closer to God and offer the truth
to those who are seeking God.
© 2008 Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church
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