Idaho Conference Churches Embrace Pentecost 2025

Idaho Conference churches have embraced Pentecost 2025. Some started efforts early in the year, others have events scheduled for the fall. There have already been 62 baptisms and professions of faith, with more to come. Churches large and small have engaged in bridging events and reaping evangelistic series.

Nampa

Bill McClendon, North Pacific Union vice president for administration, spoke at meetings held at Nampa Church, which resulted in many baptisms. 

Ann moved onto her father-in-law's property. She and Don, her father-in-law, talked about the Bible and topics such as the Sabbath. Then Don received a flyer in the mail for Prophecies of Hope. He wanted to go but wasn’t feeling well. When he shared the flyer with Ann, she and two of her teen children decided they would attend. They attended the meetings and, at the end, Ann joined the church family by profession of faith and her daughter was baptized. Don is doing better and has attended church. 

Mindy, a member, couldn’t attend the evening meetings, but on Sabbath, a card response asked for those who wanted to be baptized or rebaptized. Mindy checked that she wanted to be rebaptized. She was baptized when she was young but then walked away from God. Over the last couple of years, she has felt a need to change her life and return to God. She is looking forward to being rebaptized soon.

Cloverdale

At Cloverdale Church, Marlon Seifert, pastor, presented nightly meetings for a week, and then moved to a weekly format. During the first week, they ran into a problem — the sewer backed up! They were able to move the meetings to their community center, HUB 365. The devil tried but God still won. 

Teri has been witnessing to her family members and recently started giving her son-in-law, Marc, Bible studies. Teri was baptized after attending evangelistic meetings in 2022. Seifert met with Teri and Marc as they studied the Bible to answer any questions, and he invited Marc to this year's meetings. 

Marc and Jessica, his wife, attended all the meetings and expressed a desire to be baptized. Marc had been invited to church before and had been interested in being baptized, but for one reason or another, never followed through. This time, he made his decision and would not let anything discourage him. The following Sabbath, Marc and Jessica were baptized. 

Marc's story shows the benefits of having evangelistic meetings every year. One year, his mother-in-law was baptized, and he had attended a few nights of other meetings, but this most recent one was the one that caused him to finally make his decision for Jesus. 

Payette and Weiser

Payette Church and Weiser Church had meetings presented by Michael Mirra, their pastor. As the meetings at Payette Church finished, Samantha, a young lady with a Mormon and Baptist background, joined the church by profession of faith. She had been previously baptized by immersion but accepted the new truths she heard at each presentation. She spoke of how welcoming the church was to her. 

Samantha was invited by the Brown family. Rebecca Brown and her son, Ryman, joined the church through the Great Reset series in 2023. They were very helpful during the series, along with D. Brown, who, although not joining church membership, was also very encouraging throughout the series.

Additional Locations

Cheri Gatton, Parma Church bi-vocational pastor, led a heartfelt series of meetings that resulted in three baptisms — a testament to her faithful witness. Among those baptized was Tonya, who had been attending the church for some time. A member of a nearby church faithfully brought her to each meeting. She was baptized during the series, followed by a father and son who made their decision the next Sabbath.

Salmon Church has a membership of 100. James Farber, pastor, reported they are hosting a MindFit series as a bridge event to meetings they will hold later in the year. 

Ontario Church in Oregon held a MindFit series and a revival series with Dan Gerard. This small church with a membership of 53 serves a town that has more than a dozen marijuana dispensaries. Todd Parker, pastor, shared that they had several members from the community attend the MindFit series and are looking forward to continuing their relationship with those guests.

Emmett Church hosted Tim Roosenberg, evangelist, with his Islam and Christianity series. Several community members attended. Starting the second meeting, two nightly meetings were held, with a light meal in between. The first meetings were a repeat of the previous night. The second meetings had the new subject. Follow-up continues with those who attended.

Peter Simpson, Idaho Falls Church pastor, began weekly meetings at his church in January. So far this year, this church of about 150 has had seven baptisms. One of them was a Pathfinder whom the Adventurer director had been working with for a few years. Pathfinders and Adventurers are a great avenue of evangelism.

Hispanic

Idaho Hispanic churches and companies have held several meetings already this year, with more to come. While all the baptisms haven’t been reported yet, Gerald Margil, Hispanic ministries coordinator, initially reported 33 baptisms to date, due in part to the evangelistic series from Peter Simpson, NPUC vice president for Hispanic ministries and ministerial director.

Haxel Fley, Southeast Idaho Hispanic district part-time pastor, has held meetings in Idaho Falls and Heyburn. There have been at least four baptisms as a result, with more to come.

Out of the 49 churches and companies in Idaho Conference, plus a couple of unofficial groups, 26 congregations had planned to participate in Pentecost 2025. Idaho Conference is excited to see what God has in store for the rest of the year!