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SEFC exists to build disciples of grace and truth who glorify God, know Jesus’ commands, live according to Jesus’ word, and share Jesus’ gospel with the world.
(Mt 28:18-20; Jn 1:12-14)
Jesus affirms the first and great commandment is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” SEFC exists to love and magnify God together each Sunday as He speaks to us through His holy Word, and as we respond to Him through our prayers, tithes and singing of praise.
(Mt 22:37; Ps 34:3; Acts 2:42)
We grow best when we grow together! Discipleship cannot happen solely during a Sunday morning worship service, so SEFC seeks to facilitate community groups in order to help disciples connect to one another and grow in Christian community. There are several community group options that happen each week both in the church and in the homes of members.
(Heb 10:25; Prov. 27:17; Acts 2:42-47)
The first great command is to the love the Lord, and the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Disciples do not grow by simply being ministered to, but by using the gifts God has given them to serve others. SEFC exists to equip disciples to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the local church, in the Saint Croix Valley, and throughout the world. To accomplish this calling, SEFC has several ministry teams to facilitate service opportunities.
(Mt 22:39; Eph 4:11-12; 1 Pet 2:5-9)
At its core Jesus’ mission for the church is to be outward focused. The book of Acts records several miracles but only one occurs in a church, the rest happen as disciples are sent out to proclaim the good news of salvation in Christ. Although we gather together to magnify God in worship and we meet together in fellowship to mature in Christ, the goal is to be sent out into the community and into the world to multiply more disciples of Jesus Christ.
(Acts 8:1,4; Col 1:28-29 & 4:2-6; 2 Pet 3:9)
SEFC exists to build disciples of grace and truth who glorify God, know Jesus’ commands, live according to Jesus’ word, and share Jesus’ gospel with the world.
(Mt 28:18-20; Jn 1:12-14)
Jesus affirms the first and great commandment is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” SEFC exists to love and magnify God together each Sunday as He speaks to us through His holy Word, and as we respond to Him through our prayers, tithes and singing of praise.
(Mt 22:37; Ps 34:3; Acts 2:42)
We grow best when we grow together! Discipleship cannot happen solely during a Sunday morning worship service, so SEFC seeks to facilitate community groups in order to help disciples connect to one another and grow in Christian community. There are several community group options that happen each week both in the church and in the homes of members.
(Heb 10:25; Prov. 27:17; Acts 2:42-47)
The first great command is to the love the Lord, and the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Disciples do not grow by simply being ministered to, but by using the gifts God has given them to serve others. SEFC exists to equip disciples to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the local church, in the Saint Croix Valley, and throughout the world. To accomplish this calling, SEFC has several ministry teams to facilitate service opportunities.
(Mt 22:39; Eph 4:11-12; 1 Pet 2:5-9)
At its core Jesus’ mission for the church is to be outward focused. The book of Acts records several miracles but only one occurs in a church, the rest happen as disciples are sent out to proclaim the good news of salvation in Christ. Although we gather together to magnify God in worship and we meet together in fellowship to mature in Christ, the goal is to be sent out into the community and into the world to multiply more disciples of Jesus Christ.
(Acts 8:1,4; Col 1:28-29 & 4:2-6; 2 Pet 3:9)
We are a Christ-Centered, Bible-based church in Stillwater, MN.
We exist to build disciples of grace and truth who glorify God, know Jesus’ commands, live according to Jesus’ word, and share Jesus’ gospel with the world.
Whether you’re looking for a church family or simply curious, we welcome you to join us in worship and service.
We are a Christ-Centered, Bible-based church in Stillwater, MN.
We exist to build disciples of grace and truth who glorify God, know Jesus’ commands, live according to Jesus’ word, and share Jesus’ gospel with the world.
Whether you’re looking for a church family or simply curious, we welcome you to join us in worship and service.
Nick’s journey into pastoral ministry started as a Molecular Biology/Biochemistry student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. God used his time as an undergraduate, particularly through the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, to reveal a calling to full time pastoral ministry. After graduating from UWEC, Nick enrolled at Bethel seminary and graduated with a Masters of Divinity with an emphasis in New Testament Greek. He has been in church pastoral ministry since 2005 and has served at SEFC since 2007. Nick has a great love of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to others and laboring to develop and deploy fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Some of Nick’s other passions include cycling, running, bowhunting, and hiking. Nick has been blessed with a wonderful wife Alana and three energetic young sons.
[email protected]
(651) 439-0433
[email protected]
(651) 439-0433
Erik is passionate about partnering with parents in the discipleship of students towards a Scripture-saturated, gospel-centered and God-glorifying faith in Jesus Christ.He graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA in 2014, where he majored in Biology with intent to pursue medical school, but felt God calling him to ministry while working as a Bible camp counselor for three summers near his hometown of Okoboji, IA. After college, Erik graduated from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN in 2019 with a Masters of Divinity with an emphasis on biblical languages. He has served in various youth ministry contexts since 2011 and has been serving at SEFC since 2022.
Erik loves reading about the best ways to diligently teach God’s Word to our children (Deut. 6:7), and he also enjoys leading worship, teaching, and counseling others to know and worship God in every area of their lives. Erik has been married to his lovely wife, Jess, since 2020, and they have a wonderful little boy named Ezekiel and an adorable goldendoodle named Penny. His other interests include running, hiking, coffee, playing guitar and following professional soccer.
[email protected]
(651) 439-0433
But now he is semi-retired and, outside the church, has turned his energies to his original passion for art. He enjoys remodeling his home and his history books and traveling to historical sites. He has 4 boys and 6 grandchildren.
Ruthie’s love of music started at a very young age. Having parents who were musical and involved in ministry helped Ruthie develop a love of hymns and classical music which created a passion for using music to help draw people to the lord. Ruthie has served as a worship leader in three church. She has decades of experience in developing worship teams, discipling and mentoring team members, designing services from weddings and funerals to worship services for churches and seminars.
Ruthie attended St. Paul Bible College and transferred to Northwestern College to pursue her degree in Music Performance. She met Matt in a music theory class and they have been making music together for over 41 years. Ruthie and Matt have 4 married children and 9 grandchildren. Ruthie also runs her own business of staging and interior design. In her spare time you might find Ruthie baking and
making delicious food and spending quality time with her grandchildren.
Claire attended the University of Wisconsin – Stout where she received a degree in communications and journalism. After working for several years in publishing, Claire quit her job to become a stay-at-home mom, but continues to work part time in editing and book design at night.
A Stillwater native, Claire grew up with a close and caring Christ-loving church family. Becoming a mother created a passion in Claire for her children to have the same, which led her family to SEFC in 2022. Claire’s desire for her role at SEFC is to serve and glorify God by being a blessing to other parents and their children, that they may grow to know and love Jesus. She prays that God will use her to support and equip volunteers to care for the children of SEFC in a fun, safe, and God-centered environment.
Claire has been married to her husband Peter since 2017 and they have two wonderful children, Cameron and Lily, along with a gentle giant German Shepard, Harvey. The Vanden Brandens enjoy spending time outdoors, eating new foods, and hanging out with friends.
Stillwater Evangelical Free Church was started by five families as a church plant from a nearby Evangelical Free church in 1984.
After meeting initially in homes, they moved to Lily Lake Elementary School.
The current church building was built in faith and anticipation of God’s continued blessing in 1991. Stillwater EFC has developed into a vital and growing congregation.
This local church is part of the Evangelical Free Church of America. This denomination is a voluntary association of Evangelical Free churches that subscribe to a common doctrine and work together for encouragement, training, accountability, and multiplied effectiveness in ministry.
The Evangelical in our name means that we believe in the inspiration, authority and guidance of God’s Word, the Bible, for our lives and ministry, and that we are committed to the proclamation of the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ.
Free means that we have a congregational form of church government through which each congregation governs its own local ministry.
This local church is part of the Evangelical Free Church of America. This denomination is a voluntary association of Evangelical Free churches that subscribe to a common doctrine and work together for encouragement, training, accountability, and multiplied effectiveness in ministry.
The Evangelical in our name means that we believe in the inspiration, authority and guidance of God’s Word, the Bible, for our lives and ministry, and that we are committed to the proclamation of the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ.
Free means that we have a congregational form of church government through which each congregation governs its own local ministry.