Cottonwood Community Church
Our History
In August of 1983, a small group of young men and women began
an evangelistic outreach on the campus of the University of North
Dakota. Through Bible studies, literature distribution, ‘open-air’
preaching, and a great deal of prayer, a small fellowship of students
and young adults was established. Sunday worship and teachings were
held in campus facilities or in members’ homes. Then, in 1985,
God graciously opened a door of opportunity to acquire a church
building at 321 Cottonwood Street. It was purchased on a contract
for deed and paid off within four and one-half years.
Though the ‘complexion’ of Cottonwood Community Church
has gone through changes over the years – from ‘college’
to ‘community’ to its present ‘college-community’
mix – our mission has always been the same: to reach the Greater
Grand Forks Area for Jesus Christ! This includes getting the gospel
to every resident in the area as well as discipling members to maturity
in Jesus Christ. The great natural disaster of the flood of 1997
served particularly to re-ignite us with the vision of reaching
a needy society with the Good News of Jesus Christ and it is our
pleasure and privilege to labor for God in that capacity!
In 2004, God sovereignly and graciously led us to buy and renovate our present building at 308 S. 5th Street. What a wonderful provision it has been for us.
Our Government
Cottonwood
is an autonomous church, which governs her affairs
independent of denominational controls.
Our governing body consists of the pastors, pastors-in-training,
and deacons. Pastors oversee the church and are particularly involved
with teaching, prayer, counseling, and guidance of the church. Deacons
serve in designated roles such as music ministry, building and grounds,
printing, finances, etc.
Each pastor must meet the qualifications set forth in I Timothy
3 and Titus 1. Emphasis is placed on godly character, but a pastor
must also have ministry skills and hold to sound biblical doctrine.
Prospective pastors are developed from the church congregation and
are required to fulfill a 2-year course through the Great Commission
Leadership Institute that consists of 2 national and 6 regional
conferences/seminars with home study under the tutelage of local
pastors. The local pastors also teach weekly and monthly pastor-training
classes. New pastors are appointed/recognized by the existing governing
board with consent of the church members.
Deacons must meet the qualifications outlined in I Timothy 3:8-12.
Their service will be in designated areas requiring trust, leadership,
and initiative. They, like pastors, are appointed by the governing
board with consent of the church members.
Pastors and deacons and all those serving in leadership or ministry
capacities must agree to a moral purity covenant.
Recognizing the benifits of cooperation with other churces in missions, Cottonwood has chosen to affiliate with the Great Commission Association.
Great Commission Churches
In 1970, a small group of university students from Colorado was
challenged by the commission Jesus Christ gave us to reach people
worldwide with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Challenged with the discipline,
love and vitality of the early church as expressed in the New Testament,
these Christians began praying, planning, and working to advance
God’s kingdom across our nation and our world.
From that small group of students, there has grown an international
affiliation of churches called Great Commission Churches. Great
Commission Churches are reaching out and affecting the lives of
thousands of people in all walks of life.
