One of the guiding beacons of The Refuge is our Vision and Mission Statements which state:
Vision Statement: Our vision is to be a healing community where all may know the Father’s Passionate love for them and that through a relationship with his Son, Jesus Christ, experience the reality of his transforming p
ower in their life.Mission Statement::
We are called to create an environment where the hearts of people will become fully alive through intimacy with Christ. As the Holy Spirit awakens our hearts we experience forgiveness, healing, renewal and transformation into the people we were created to be.
- Objectives:
1. Walking with God.
“Discipleship” at our church is learning to walk with God (Matthew 4:19; Matthew 19:21; Mark 8:34). Someone who follows Christ trains his heart in wisdom (1 Kings 3:9) and develops a capacity to hear his voice (John 10:27). As a healing community, we will learn how to develop an intimate walk with Jesus.
• “Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19
• “Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21
• “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34
• “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” 1 Ki 3:9
• “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
2. Receiving God’s Intimate Counsel
An intimate walk with Jesus Christ is ultimately a life led by the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; John 14:26: Romans 8:14-15). The Holy Spirit has been given to direct our decisions, counsel us continually and remain with us forever. It is he who guides us into the truth about ourselves, revealing our deepest hurts and helping us to discover our God-given gifts and place in the Body. As a healing community, we will learn how to receive the Spirit’s intimate counsel.
• “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16-17
• “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
• “…those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:14-15
3. Spiritual Warfare
We live in a world at war and we have a mortal enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10; Ephesians 6:12: 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:17) As a healing community, we will war against the enemy fighting not only for our own heart but also for the hearts of others.
• “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” John 10:10
• “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
• “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8
• “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 12:17
4. Deep Restoration
Jesus Christ has come to heal broken hearts. He wants us to come to Him with the broken pieces of our life. He wants to minister to us in our places of hurt and shame. He will make us whole, set us free, and we will display his glory by becoming fully alive in Christ. (Psalm 147:3; Luke 9:11; John 8:36). As a healing community, we will bring our hearts to Jesus Christ that we may experience his deep restoration.
• “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
• “He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.” Luke 9:11
• “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
Healing comes to the human heart when these four “streams” converge. At that place we begin to experience what it means to live for the glory of God. As a healing community, we want to see each other restored and released into the life we were meant to live.
- Core Values
The ministry of The Refuge flows out of our shared 10 Core Values.
1. Bible-centered preaching and teaching
The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32) We can only hope to experience salvation, healing and maturity through the proclamation and application of the truth as found in Holy Scripture.
2. Prayer
We cannot fulfill the Vision and Mission God has given us without prayer. Literally as well as figuratively, without prayer we do not have a prayer of accomplishing what he has called us to do. As Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Prayer is not peripheral to what we’re about. It is the atmosphere in which our ministry will be fruitful.
3. Worship
Worship flows out of revelation of who He is and what He has done and continues to do. As the scales fall from our eyes he gives us more grace, both as individuals and as a fellowship, to grasp “..how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19). As Jesus said, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
4. Outreach
People matter to God. As image bearers they are of infinite worth. Jesus put it this way, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16, 17) Since God’s love was succinctly expressed in the ‘giving’ and ‘sending’ of Jesus, both locally and globally we will do the same as individuals and as a fellowship. We will help spread the influence of His Kingdom to every corner of the earth until it is “full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).
5. Service
Jesus said, “I did not come to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). As members of His Kingdom we represent him in our community and are called to serve the whole person – body, heart and soul. We are to be “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13, 14) flavoring and lighting our world through acts of service to all in need. As we serve others, we serve Him. As Jesus put it, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine – [those hungry, thirsty, and in need],you did for me” (see Matthew 25:31-40).
6. Healthy relationships
Jesus says that the two greatest commandments are to “love God, heart and soul” and “love our neighbor as ourselves” (Matthew 22:38-39). Growing and maturing in our walk as Christ-followers then is not only a progression in the “grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) but also developing healthy, loving relationships in our lives and between each other.
7. Every member a minister
Our conviction is that every member of our fellowship is a minister. All of us have a part to play and no gift is unnecessary or irrelevant. As Paul put it, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). If one of us does not play our part, it will not be played. So in our fellowship we will seek to discover and activate our gifts. Our primary ministry as individuals will reflect our unique giftedness and we will respond to Jesus’ call to do our part that the whole work will be done.
8. The unity of the body
It is God’s will that His Body here on earth be of one heart and mind. Jesus prayed as such that our unity be like that he shares with His Father “… just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me” (John 17:21,22). Because this is his heart’s cry we will promote unity and a spirit of cooperation among Christian churches of all denominations and affiliation both here in Barron County and across the globe.
9. Godly, servant leadership
God gifts his body with leaders at all different levels to help build it up (see Ephesians 4:11-13). Leadership is a gift as well as a responsibility God gives certain individuals in a fellowship to lead it and equip it for the work God has given that congregation to do. Those set apart for just such a task “rule” by serving the body not bossing it around. As Jesus says, “… whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28).
10. The church is a force, not a fortress
Just as a church is not a building but a community, we are called to be a force in our community not a fortress from it. The church is people, equipped to serve, meeting needs everywhere in Jesus’ name. We will actively seek to expand the kingdom of God from our neighborhood to the nations. Like the mustard seed of Jesus’ parable, though it seem impossibly miniscule and frail the church as it grows it becomes “the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:32).
Our stance toward the world will be offensive, not defensive because Jesus assured us that the gates of hell cannot ultimately withstand the advance of his kingdom upon the earth (see Matthew 16:18). Because we are only one of the houses of worship in our community, we will seek and promote the establishment of partnerships with other believers and congregations in fulfilling our common purpose of advancing his kingdom to every corner of the earth.
our history (1955-present)
On March 6, 1955, Rev. R.C. and Ruth Mattson of neighboring Hillsdale began holding afternoon services at what is now the VFW Hall in Chetek. He and a small group of followers were exploring the possibility of establishing a Pentecostal fellowship in Chetek where there had been none previously. By August, he had resigned the church in Hillsdale and he and his young family had moved to Chetek. Services were then held in their home located directly across from today’s Chetek Vet Clinic for the next three years.
In 1956, the church officially incorporated as Chetek Full Gospel Tabernacle and the lots where our current worship facility stands were purchased. Construction began sometime in 1957. By 1958, the congregation moved into the basement of the church where services were held until the upstairs was completed in 1965. The church was officially dedicated on October 17, 1969. The bulletin from the dedication service cites that Pastor Robert Forseth of then Bethel Christian Temple (now Bethel Christian Fellowship) of St. Paul, and E.C. Erickson of the historic Duluth Gospel Tabernacle presided at this ceremony.
Rev. Mattson continued to serve as pastor of CFGT until his untimely death on January 1, 1975. During the next few years, CFGT went through a period of adjustment, grieving and difficulty as they sought to transition to new leadership. That season of ministry was understandably very trying as several pastors served during that time.
• Jonathan Reine: Rev. Reine came sometime in 1975 and only served approximately 6 months. He abruptly left and began another fellowship in neighboring New Auburn. Several of CFGT members joined him at what was called Liberty Chapel.
• Del Grandstrand: Rev. Grandstrand came in 1975 and served until sometime in 1976 after about 18 months of service.
• Chester Lodgelin: He followed Rev. Grandstrand in 1977 and it was during his tenure that serious attempts were made to heal and bring back together the two small congregations. Equally instrumental in this was Rev. David Bakken who was by this time serving Liberty Chapel as its pastor. After much prayer and discussion the two fellowships did indeed merge again and between 1979-1980, were co-pastored by Revs. Lodgelin and Bakken, rotating back and forth on alternating Sundays.
In 1980, when it was clear the congregation would remain together, Rev. Lodgelin returned to his retirement and Rev. Bakken remained as CFGT’s sole pastor until sometime in 1981 when he left full time ministry for a season. In his absence, Rev. Randy Trowbridge, serving in the capacity of CFGT’s youth pastor, oversaw the church until the congregation extended a call to Rev. John Tuttle in 1981.
With Rev. Tuttle’s arrival, he and his wife, Char, began a long, slow journey of contemporizing the congregation and leading them diligently through the so-called “worship-wars” of the 1980s when many congregations were embracing new, contemporary songs as opposed to hymns and older Pentecostal choruses. This transition was not without its challenges. Due to some of the turmoil that had gone on following Rev. Mattson’s death, the congregation had suffered numerically. By the time Pastor Tuttle and his wife arrived, there were perhaps 25 members total. But slowly and steadily, under Pastor Tuttle’s leadership that small congregation grew to 65 people over the next 10 years. Instead of being a congregation of mostly senior citizens when he arrived by the time Pastor Tuttle was directed to another fellowship, the congregation had become a relatively blended one.
In the spring of 1991, after 10 years of ministry, Pastor Tuttle resigned sensing his work completed here. The candidating process then began for a new pastor over the summer months. In October 1991, CFGT called Pastor Jeff Martin to serve as their pastor. Under his ministry, the church has continued to contemporize, has had significant impact upon the youth of this community, has forged important relationships with other churches and with the Youth With A Mission (YWAM)’s Northwoods Campus and been led into the healing mandate we now hold. During this time, the building has undergone significant improvements such as carpeting, installment of a new sound system and insulated windows and the remodeling of the sanctuary.
On January 28, 2005, at the Annual Meeting of CFGT the congregation overwhelmingly embraced the Vision & Mission Statement that the Leadership Team had crafted over the period of several months and prayed over for several years. That statement has become our mandate for being and will shape the course of our ministry for years to come.
In the fall of 2004 at a Leadership retreat outside of Chetek, while waiting upon the Lord in prayer and fasting, the leaders of CFGT felt God speak a new name for our fellowship. Thinking it best to have this matter confirmed, the Leadership continued to weigh the matter carefully and in prayer. In 2007, they felt the time was right to present this matter before the congregation for confirmation.
On March 2, 2007, at the Annual Meeting of the membership “Chetek Full Gospel Tabernacle” became “The Refuge” by a near unanimous vote. “The Refuge”, we sense and believe, reflects our vision and purpose for existence.