The Open Bible mission statement is not designed to fill space in brochures, hang on walls to impress people, or decorate the Message magazine. Never!! We believe it ...breathe it. . pray and plan around it...and direct our energies and finance toward it. It represents our purpose and our passion, and it includes the multiplication mandate to plant new churches and make disciples.

Here is one story of how your World Evangelism dollars are changing lives while fulfilling the Great Commission. God spoke to Eric and Helene Holdeman in Bible College about planting a church, but it was two years after graduation and a referral from Marilyn Hickey Ministries that linked the Holdeman's with Paul Parker, Mt. Plains Regional Superintendent of Open Bible. Eric and Helene lived in Roselle, Illinois, the vision and word were in their hearts...they just needed a mentor...and needed to let God readjust their timetable. Enter Ken Groen, Central Region Superintendent.

After eight months of networking with the Groen's and the Northern Illinois/Wisconsin District pastors, the Holdeman's prayerfully submitted to a church planter's assessment. Given the green light, Open Bible sent them to church planters boot camp in Atlanta, Georgia, hello reality! From the glamorous pie-in-the-sky imagery of church planting, Eric and Helene were brought down to earth with the lonely prospect of what it really means to carve out a church while working full-time. (It is called bi-vocational pastoring.) They completed the camp, and were extremely grateful for a supportive new circle of friends. The Holdeman's were robed with the realization they were not prepared to launch a church during the Christmas season of 1997 as they had hoped. Eric and Helene were assigned a "coach" for counsel, resource and support.

Firm Foundation Church of the Open Bible held its first public service on February 1, 1998, in the cafeteria of a junior high school. Eric's brother strong-armed every biker (not bicyclist) friend he could find to attend. Eighty people were at the inaugural service. On week two, forty-five people attended, discouraged? not necessarily, as they had been taught in boot camp to expect a drop. However, today, nineteen months later, the church has seen 105 people come to Christ and has a regular attendance of sixty-five. "It's not your typical church," Eric confides. "While there is a good blend of young and old, you won't see any suits, and the profile of those committed include alcoholics, ex-drug dealers, and bikers. God has us on the cutting edge of lifting to leadership the downtrodden, and using not-so-perfect people."

Eric recalls a time in his past when leaders did not recognize the call on his life...the potential in him to serve. Therefore, as a philosophy of ministry, the Holdeman's have covenanted to look beyond the outer appearance of people. Pouring the Word into them - and let God peel off the old layers of the world. In addition it is working, with eight people in INSTE and half of his congregation in small groups. "The neat thing," exclaims Eric, "is that I don't personally teach these programs anymore...for God is raising up leaders out of our discipleship pool. It's so exciting to see the radical change in people hearts."

The Holdeman's want to thank the Open Bible family for their World Evangelism support. Everyone who gives to W. E. will share in the rewards and fruit of this new church, now every believer can expand into new ministries, sow new seeds, and reap in the harvest.

Early in 2007 God called the Holdeman's to an Open Bible Church in Spirit Lake Iowa.  We miss them but they are on a new journey to spread the Gospel of the good news of Jesus Christ in their new Church.  We also thank them for all the hard work they accomplished while doing God's work here in this community!

Beginning our new journey!

We would like to announce our new Senior Pastor Matt Dillon and his wife Erin. They were voted in as Pastors on 6-03-07 by every partner voting them in without a single no.

We would like to thank God first and foremost for the call you put on their lives. Next, we would like to thank Pastor Bruce and Pastor Ken for making this time of transition easier and frustration free. Last, but not least, thank you to Matt and Erin Dillon for answering, fasting and praying about this call on your lives to Firm Foundation Church. God has sent us a wonderful and gifted Pastor, thank you Lord! God is moving in a mighty way in our Church, please come by and see what is happening!

September 2008;

We have moved out of the Roselle building and are now sharing space with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Christ Presbyterian Church in Hanover Park Illinois. We thank them for their loving welcome and hospitality!

As of September 22nd 2008, Frank Dominowski accepted the position of Pastor of Firm Foundation Church!

We want to congratulate our new Pastor, Frank Dominowski. Frank has attended Firm Foundation Church since the beginning and has been God's servant ever since then. He is also a Chaplain for the Hanover Park Fire Department and has a heart for spreading God's word. He has great plans for our body of Christ, we thank God for Frank's humble service!

Congratulations Pastor Frank!

We want to thank Pastor Matt Dillon for his 15 months at Firm Foundation, he has continued to build on and strengthen the foundation of this Church, he has brought us on a wonderful journey into God's word. He challenged us to study deeply into God's word, to understand our Lord and Savior, and to learn our Christian roots!  May God bless him and his family!

Yeshua Ha Mashiach!