"The River exists to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ."
Jesus is the perfect example of God's original intent for humanity. He embodies the character and compassion of God Himself. The River is a church that motivates people to discover Jesus as their Savior and provides an environment where they can learn to live and love like Him.
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We all have a story to tell about how we came to know Christ and how he continues to move in our lives. At The River we want to help you share your story and be the catalyst that will lead someone else to Christ.
…God’s Word has been the substance of my life since, and it’s never returned empty-handed or void; it’s filled me to overflowing. -A
Read Their Story…
I showed up at Indiana Wesleyan as a freshman in 2020, only focused on baseball. Baseball, lust, selfishness, and comfort were the controllers of my life. I was super lukewarm and had a lot of different idols. I was a “Christian” when it was convenient. To summarize, my freshmen year was a HARD year of God pulling back the veil and undoing many strongholds and false illusions I thought were my foundation. My sophomore year was when things started to make sense and God began to fill me with His Word and I started to live it out! Two years later I’m still walking this walk, growing and learning. God’s Word has been the substance of my life since, and it’s never returned empty-handed or void; it’s filled me to overflowing. -A
…To know the Holy Spirit is the same for everyone and to feel His presence there! I encourage you to consider going on some kind of mission trip. You will be stretched, your faith will grow, and you will leave with your cup filled… -L
Read Their Story…
I recently went on my first mission trip to the Dominican Republic. While there, we attended church services and witnessed baptisms. It doesn’t matter the language spoken or the geographic location, it’s a beautiful experience to worship and praise God with fellow believers. To know the Holy Spirit is the same for everyone and to feel His presence there! I encourage you to consider going on some kind of mission trip. You will be stretched, your faith will grow, and you will leave with your cup filled to overflowing. -L
…When I think about all that God has done in my life in recent years, I think about the key verse from RESET— Isaiah 43:19. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. -K
Read Their Story…
In the span of 15 months, the Lord has performed a tremendous miracle in my life that has given me a complete physical healing! Toward the end of July 2023, I found out I would need emergency heart surgery to fix a severe tear in my aorta. Doctors told my family that my diagnosis often has a very low survival rate. I know that the many prayers lifted on my behalf were heard. I came through the surgery and complications. There were months of hospital and physical rehabilitation centers that spanned three states. Due to the length of surgery, my kidneys also experienced trauma and were not functioning well. Dialysis became part of my life 3 times a week for 9 months. Specialists were cautious and told me not to expect kidney function to return, and yet we all kept praying and believing! God was not finished healing me. In April 2024, I was told kidney function was back and I no longer needed dialysis! Isn’t God AMAZING?! During my time in the hospital, I kept telling people who would visit, “I feel like God is giving me a reset—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.” When I think about all that God has done in my life in recent years, I think about the key verse from RESET— Isaiah 43:19. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. -K
…I’m blessed God left the 99 to find me, a lost, broken sinner. I’m in awe that he loves me and sees me as worthy. My God is my rock, my strength, and my Life!… -T
Read Their Story…
I grew up going to church every weekend with my grandma. I loved church, kids ministry was my favorite because I got to serve in the 2-3-year-old class and the nursery. As I got older I got out into sports and we had games every weekend so church was a back burner thing. I remember one time in the 5th grade a girl said she had never heard me say a bad word and I kept telling her I don’t say them. However, she kept on pushing me, and from that bad word on, I knew the devil had a grip. My relationship with Christ was broken and in high school, I got a boyfriend who I found my identity in. I didn’t think I could live without him. We went to college at different universities. I was so sad at my school because I was on the softball team, but the coach hated me. She made fun of me for being short and skinny, she did anything she could to make my life miserable. I thought how could God love me and give me people like this?? How could God love me and have me under the wings of people who just frown upon me? My boyfriend convinced me to move to Bloomington, so I did. He was my whole world, but the day I moved in he broke up with me and my whole life no longer was worth living. I got into relationships with people who were living for the devil and I came to know that lifestyle. Drinking, drugs, meaningless hookups, parties. My life was in shambles and I thought this was all I deserved. In one of my classes, I met a girl and she had a youth group. She asked me to come and I said yes, but backed out later that night because I wasn’t ready(or so I thought). She then showed up at my apartment and said come on let’s go, it will be fun. I walked into the house and all of these girls were excited to see me, me! I was like why are you guys so excited to see me you don’t know me, I’m a mess, I don’t deserve God’s love, but they told me I do! Those girls changed my life for the better, not only did they help me out of the trenches, but God sent them to save my life! I no longer drank or partied, I no longer did drugs or had meaningless hookups. God used them to show me love. Love that I longed for, for so long. My relationship with Christ deepened and I have come to be on fire. When I moved back home I had a friend who brought me to the river and I fell in love with Christ more through worship, friends, and a sense of community. I’m blessed God left the 99 to find me, a lost, broken sinner. I’m in awe that he loves me and sees me as worthy. My God is my rock, my strength, and my Life!!! Thank you for taking the time to read this and God bless! -T
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