The story of WellSpring Community began in prayer with a small group of believers crying out to God for Awakening in our lives, in the church, in our nation and in the world. In 2016 Pastor David gave a prophetic word in a message that God was birthing us to become “WellSpring Community.” Little did we know that was truly a word from the Lord, and His word never returns void of purpose, of meaning (Isaiah 55:11).
WellSpring was birthed out of prayer in confirmation from Scripture (see Genesis 26; Isaiah 43:18-21; Ezekiel 47; John 4:14; 7:38), and a transforming call upon David’s life. “You are to plant a missional community called WellSpring – it is to be a house of prayer and healing for all nations and a center of holy fire where revival flourishes and we advance God’s kingdom through prayer, passion, and partnership.” As they say, “the rest is His-story....”
Out of faithful obedience to God’s vision and call, a small group of believers launched WellSpring Community on July 6, 2018 in humble beginnings – in a tent revival, reminiscent of the idea of the glory of God dwelling in a tent of tabernacle. We believe that God is attracted to weak things. And there is nothing incredibly attractive in our culture about gathering in a tent, but we gathered with hopeful anticipation and faith-filled expectation to encounter the manifest presence of God at the “Glory Fest Revival” (Exodus 33).
Following the launch with the “Glory Fest Revival” we gathered in David and Rebecca’s home on 1219 Maplewood Road for weekly worship and prayer services, the first being Sunday July 15. We jokingly talk about God converting the garage into a “Glory Garage.” WSC began as a small house church with the understanding that we are to move – to follow the cloud – as the Lord gives us direction.
While we are not against buildings, we believe we are not to be a community that settles in the security of a building. We are to be a community that follows the Lord into the places of sin and suffering, into the darkness where the light of His glory shines brightest. We are to become a movement of “kingdom advancement” against the gates of hell. Isn’t that what the “church” is supposed to be anyway? (Matthew 16:18-19).
Following the launch, WSC sent a group of eight on mission with Jesus to Kenya, to literally “Walk Across Kenya,” in a prayer walk with the church of Jesus Christ in Kenya, as a sign of kingdom witness in a spirit of unity and love for the beautiful Kenyan people.
Seven weeks into the humble beginnings of WSC, we were invited to move into the storefront on 113 N. Sycamore for our Sunday morning worship gatherings, thanks to pastor Chad Wilt and Proclaiming Jesus Ministries (PJM). Our first Sunday in the Sycamore location was September 2, 2018. Eventually, the Lord would call us to move back to the glory garage a year later where we gathered for all our weekly gatherings.
Under the leadership of the Lord, the storefront came open for us, to move all our weekly gatherings on May 2, 2021, where we currently reside to serve God’s mission of sending love for Harrison, our region, and beyond.
We have been asked, “What kind of church are you?” This, of course, is a good question in today’s religious marketplace. We are an independent Wesleyan faith community. Our doctrinal beliefs are grounded in the historic Christian faith, the biblical teachings of the early apostles, with a Wesleyan accent on the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit, salvation and sanctification, the nature of grace, faith and holiness. We are led by a small board of spiritual directors with two Methodist pastors who offer themselves to us in an advisory role.
We genuinely desire to be a Wesleyan faith community that:
- hosts the manifest presence of God
- that stewards a revival culture
- that pursues Christ-likeness (“holiness of heart and life”)
- that cultivates intimacy and fellowship (a relationship) with Christ through the Holy Spirit
- that powerfully demonstrates the gospel toward others out of our beloved identity and delegated authority in Christ-like love and compassion
- that is passionately committed to serve God’s mission for all nations, “to make Christ-like disciples in the nations”
- that is committed to “keep the spirit of unity” and be a source of unity in the body of Christ in our city
- Our mandate is to prepare for the coming Day of the Lord, the glorious return of Jesus Christ
- Toward that end, we are a Wesleyan faith community contending for a third great awakening in our nation for the general spread of the gospel to every tongue, tribe, and nation
In 2019, The Lord gave us clarity in His desires for WSC “to be, build, and become a house of prayer” in Harrison and Boone County. We understand that WSC is a ministry of the church (universal) for the church (local) to help serve the church with a priestly mandate to be a house of prayer in unceasing prayer and worship, and to help strengthen the ministry of prayer for the church in our city, region, state and nation and beyond. All people (regardless of denominational affiliation) are invited to join us in our prayer room and in our weekly prayer meetings.
