West River Road Baptist Church

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About

Let me introduce myself. I am Pastor Floyd Lunde. My wife Becky and I have two daughters, who have both graduated from Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny Iowa, and are seeking God’s will for their lives.  My wife Becky grew up in Western New York, in Jamestown, and was for several years a member of the Bethel Baptist Church in Jamestown. She was converted at age 8 after family devotions. Becky attended and graduated from Baptist Bible College of Clarks Summit PA in 1980. In 1981 she joined Baptist Mid-Missions with the aim of ministering among Native Americans in Canada. While still on deputation, she and I met and after a period of dating, married in January 1986.

I grew up in Brooklyn Center, a northern suburb of Minneapolis, and attended the Fourth Baptist Church where I heard the gospel from my infancy. My parents were converted and they, along with my older brother were faithful in the church for many years. However, I was not a genuine believer. Having made a quick profession of faith when I was 11, I allowed myself to be baptized and join the church, but it was not real. At age 17, the Lord began to convict me of my need for Christ and my need of forgiveness of sin and His call on me to follow Him. On the 17th of November, 1974, as a senior in High School, I was convicted of my sin and yielded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Through repentance and faith, the Lord wonderfully saved and forgave me and made me new in Christ. I was baptized again (properly) a few weeks later. That next autumn I began to attend Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna MN, where I graduated in 1978. Following my college years, the Lord allowed me to go to Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minneapolis where I was able to graduate in 1983. During my years at Central, many opportunities were given to work in youth work, Christian radio and teaching. But a burden was placed upon me to preach and teach God's word, and to go to the mission field of England to start churches.

After serving under Dr. B. Northrup in Brooklyn Park, MN at the West River Road Baptist Church, I joined Baptist Mid-Missions in 1984 and began deputation to go to England as a Church Planter. During my deputation I met and married Becky Blackmer, and we then finished deputation together. We arrived in England in February 1987, and began 19 years of ministry there. The Lord allowed us to start, see grow and in time turn over the Ivybridge Baptist Church on the East side of Plymouth England, which is a strong and good church today with a wonderful British pastor and family, and a youth pastor and wife from the church itself. We are so very thankful for the privilege of being missionaries and of seeing a church born, grow and graduate in the needy land of England.  

When we returned on a furlough to the U.S. and our home church of West River Road Baptist in Brooklyn Park MN, the Lord had a new plan for us. Our pastor of 21 years (Pastor Day) was led of the Lord to move up to Brainerd, MN. The pulpit committee approached me to ask if I would consider becoming the pastor of our home church. After a month or so of prayer and consideration, we allowed our name to be put forward. The church called us and we accepted, confident that this was the next step in our adventure of faith. We have served this church since January 1, 2007 for which we are thankful.  

Our goal here is that we desire to represent the Lord Jesus Christ, reach out to the lost with the good news of forgiveness and new life in Christ Jesus, discipleship of new and growing believers, encouragement of all the believers and of course, worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I share with our people that our church exists for three reasons. To worship God, second to encourage and build up one another in the faith and third to reach out to the lost with the gospel.  I would like to invite you to come and grow with us in Christ Jesus. If your desire is to know the Lord Jesus personally and deeply, to grow in Christ Jesus personally and deliberately, and worship our Lord personally and devotedly, we would like to grow with you and worship God together..

As a Church, we want to come and worship the Lord in the beauty of His Holiness and the joy of forgiveness of sin.  We are not interested in 'whatever appeals' to our society, but in what honors and glorifies God.  Our Church and worship reflect that.

"The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." Titus 2:11-14 (NKJV)

God bless and may He give you joy in Himself.

Pastor F. Lunde