Humble Beginnings (2013)
In the summer of 2013, Tim, Anna, and their two-year-old son left their home in California to embark on a new journey: planting a church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. After arriving in Minnesota on August 2nd, the Molter family quickly got to work, attending community events and visiting neighbors.
Their initial outreach efforts included hosting a Harvest America event with Greg Laurie and a My Hope event with Billy Graham, which helped to establish connections within the community. As they shared their vision for a home fellowship, the seeds of Calvary Chapel Fergus Falls were sown.
Early Years (2013-2014)
On September 8th, 2013, Calvary Chapel Fergus Falls began, with studies starting in the Gospel of John. As the home fellowship grew, they completed the book of John and moved on to the book of Acts. It soon became clear that they would need a larger space to accommodate their expanding congregation.
Expansion and Growth (2014-2021)
On June 3rd, 2014, Calvary Chapel Fergus Falls began holding services at the YMCA community room, picking up where they left off in Acts 4. This new location allowed them to reach more people and continue their in-depth Bible studies. Over the next several years, they completed studies book-by-book from Romans to Revelation, then through Daniel, and then started from Genesis onward.
New Beginnings (2021-Present)
On July 18th, 2021, after renovations the church fellowship relocated to 120 1/2 W Cavour Ave, marking a significant milestone in their growth. Picking up in Exodus 27, they continued their verse-by-verse studies, eventually completing the book of Joshua. To accommodate new attendees, they also conducted a study of the Gospel of Matthew, ensuring a solid understanding of Jesus’ life and ministry.
In 2024, Calvary Chapel Fergus Falls moved again, this time to 1500 S Cascade St. In God’s providence they were not looking to move but another church was closing their doors and let Calvary Chapel have the first opportunity to buy. After renovations their first service was on March 3rd and picked up in Matthew 11. Once they completed their study of Matthew, they resumed their study in the Old Testament with the book of Judges.
Today, Calvary Chapel Fergus Falls continues to thrive, driven by a passion for sharing God’s Word and building a community of believers.
A Bit of History on Calvary Chapel:
Calvary Chapel is an association of evangelical churches, and has a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs. The fellowship of Calvary Chapel churches began in 1965 in Southern California under Chuck Smith at his church in Costa Mesa. Today, there are approximately 2000 Calvary Chapels worldwide. Calvary Chapel influenced the Bible verses put on the bottom of the In-N-Out food wrappers and trays, and started the modern Contemporary Christian Music with Maranatha Music in 1971, and influenced many Musicians/Worship Bands such as Jeremy Camp, P.O.D., Switchfoot, Phil Wickham and more. Check out the movie called Jesus Revolution which shares the start of Calvary Chapel.