The following comes from our partners at Church Investors Fund, an investment firm that supports churches as they seek to expand, or, in the case of The Grove Baptist, plant.
By Mike Kurrle
The Grove Baptist Church
Larchwood, Iowa
My name is Mike Kurrle, and I am a Christian involved in leading a church plant in Larchwood, Iowa. Larchwood is a small community of about 800 people in the northwest corner of the state. By many worldly measurements or metrics for success, Larchwood is not an ideal place to plant a church. It is a small community that is not booming with population growth. It is considered a quiet bedroom community where many residents drive elsewhere for work. There are not many meeting places to gather, and there are no public schools in town.
So why Larchwood?
Because as Christians, we are not led by metrics and statistics but rather a merciful and loving God who seeks and saves the lost (Luke 19:10). There are many who are lost and hurting in Larchwood.
At first, I did not sense a specific call to this area. While I was growing in my understanding that God was calling me to church planting, I also assumed that He would place a passion or desire in my heart for the specific community to which He would call me. I did not have that for Larchwood—at least not at first.
What I did see, however, were several pastors and Christians in surrounding communities with a heart for Larchwood. They were doing prayer drives and speaking of Larchwood as a place they believed the Lord wanted His church to reach. I even attended a couple of those prayer drives with them.
A few years later, several people from my church—Faith Baptist Church in Rock Rapids, Iowa—spent an extended season of about 14 weeks praying and visiting surrounding communities to discern what God was doing and whether He was calling us to move beyond our Jerusalem and into our Judea (Acts 1:8). There were four outcomes from that season together, and reaching Larchwood with the gospel of Christ was one of them.
Shortly after, I began visiting Larchwood with my wife. It started with simple prayer drives through the community. . . .
Even though yesterday was the deadline to register for Bonfire, we’ve got good news: you can still sign up by emailing Carissa at the link below.
But don’t wait too long; this limited-time extension won’t be available for long!
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This year, we are streamlining Bonfire in a way we hope reflects its purpose. There will be two main evening sessions for the entire group, including dinner, fellowship, worship, and unified speakers. During the days, each attendee will join their specific group gathering, or Ministry Track – Multipliers Summit, MAT, Missional Initiatives Collective, etc. – to engage with each other.
It is our hope that Bonfire 2026 will serve you, equip you, and encourage you in ways both specific to your individual group but also in broad ways as a vital member of our conference of churches.
Bonfire is May 5–8, 2026, in Medina, Ohio.
Time is running out to sign up for the next Fit Assessment taking place May 27–29 in Edmonton, Alberta!
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Back in February, we held our ninth Fit Assessment. These few days together with potential church planters, church revitalizers, and international missionaries are intended to help each candidate and couple discern together their best next step in ministry. Our February Fit Assessment was in Roseville, California, hosted by Grace Collective Church – a church whose pastor went through Fit Assessment exactly one year prior.
If you are or know anyone interested in even just dipping a toe in what it would mean to plant or revitalize a church or serve as an international missionary, we guarantee these few days will provide you a clear picture of your strengths are and what skills you will need to sharpen, as well as tangible steps to take as you follow God where he is leading.
To learn more or apply, follow the link below.