A group of Illinois pastors from different denominations have been working together to plant new churches in rural communities. Three of those churches joined together to plant Redeemer Community Church in Minonk, Illinois. Now, at two years old, Redeemer Community Church has endured a pandemic and moved into the historic downtown in Minonk.
Redeemer Community Church began through the combined effort of Crosspoint Community in Eureka, Community Bible Fellowship in El Paso, and Christ Community in Gridley–all located along State Road 24 in central Illinois. They called Erik Johnson and his wife Bree to pastor the new church. To prepare, the Johnsons attended FEC’s Church Planters Assessment Center, and launched Redeemer Community Church as an FEC church on October 20, 2019.
The church began meeting in the local high school until the pandemic lockdowns canceled in-person gatherings. When they began meeting again in the summer of 2020, they rented space in a banquet center located in Minonk’s historic downtown. The building’s owner loved what they were doing and offered them an opportunity to buy it. So they purchased the building without incurring debt in October 2020.
Reflecting on the two years of growth in Minonk, Erik said, “We have been a small group of people with a growing dependence on Christ and confidence in Him. We are experiencing God’s normal, everyday grace. It’s not big and dramatic. It’s the everyday things that we face, the small decisions to trust Jesus, and then do it again tomorrow.”
