For those who are interested… and to follow up on a previous post from eight months ago… my father has accepted a call to serve as the senior pastor at First Evangelical Free Church in Bismarck, North Dakota. Mom and Dad will begin their service there on Easter Sunday 2012.
As I reflect on the past eight months, I am persuaded that Southwest Community Church is a good, faithful, Bible-teaching church whose presence in the Valley is crucial to the mission of God there. It’s clear that God called my dad to Southwest to help the church recover from a devastating financial and leadership crisis. However, I think the church’s newfound financial woes ($1 million behind budget in the past 8 months?) are unsurprising in light of how Dad’s resignation was handled, communicated, and followed up on by the elders. (These are my opinions alone; I speak for no one else). I pray that the Spirit of God will bring deep renewal and reform to Southwest, both theologically and structurally, for the good of its people and for His own glory.
Bob, We miss Bob & Ruthie very much. They were a blessing to our church for many years! We pray everyday that the Lord will send SCC godly leaders even though our family and many others have left. Psalm 37:7
First Evangelical Free Church of Bismarck….. our Lord has blessed you with Bob and Ruthie Thune!
Blessings,
Julie St. Angelo
We know God is good. Blessing go out to Bob & Ruthie and ther new church home. We do miss your presence here at Southwest and we keep prying for God to work in. Oth churches.
Art Slaback
It is only my opinion as well, but the congregation was sure not brought along in the process. We miss all of the Thunes and praise God that we will go through some suffering in all of this because we evidently need it.
Whatever is right, whatever is true, let your mind dwell on these things.
Hello Bob.
My wife and I were stunned and hurt by the loss of a pastor who loves the bride of Christ so dearly and with such devotion. (God had me tell him that several times)
We have waited and trusted , not wanting to leave based on anger or similar emotion. A new lead pastor was recently voted in after a sermon that left my wife and I in a dumbfounded state. (see podcast at southwest web site for 1/13/13 ) Words that tickle the ears while the bride languishes at Southwest.
It appears that a “new agenda” of an “emerging nature’ is perhaps what direction has been desired all along.
Gone is the sWord and it’s sharpness ; it’s piercing point. No talk of sin, conviction, etc. Just soothing words to make us feel good. 15 minutes of “humerous anecdotes” with the scriptures as addendums to the self help message.
We miss your fathers gentle hand and fear that Ichabod will be the name Southwest will be known by.
so thankful for your Dad & Mom. Teachers. Leaders. Humble. Courageous. Grace.Faithful……rightly dividing the Word of Truth. They are a gift. Bismarck is blessed, indeed.
We are snowbirds who made Southwest our home. We so loved your dad and mother…and looked forward each Sunday to hear the message. Your mother was one of the greatest bible study teacher I’ve met. I so agree with Bob and his attitude toward debt and without his godly influence that church would most likely not even be there. Maybe I’m old fashioned but the flashing lights etc. do not encourage the reverence we should experience in the house of the LORD. BISMARK, is fortunate to have this man of God in their pulpit.