What We Are About? New Testament Christianity!
-
Our goal is to restore primitive Christianity as revealed in the New Testament, not just in physical appearance, but in spirit also. We want to serve and worship God as the original Apostles and Prophets of Jesus did in the first century because the New Testament teaches that the Lord's church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets (Eph 2:19-20). We can know that we are a local congregation that is pleasing to God when we follow their instructions.
-
We desire to only do what we know is pleasing to God in the New Testament (2 Cor 5:9). We want to follow our Shepherd's voice in how we live as individuals and in how we work and worship together as a church family.
-
Our desire is to make true disciples by baptizing and by teaching people to obey all that Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20).
-
Our prayer is that we will do this in a spirit of humility, so that God’s name will be glorified and more disciples will be brought to Him (1 Peter 3:15; Ephesians 3:21).
Looking for Something Real?
-
We are not a recreation center.
-
We are not a welfare society.
-
We are not a political action committee.
-
We are not a country club.
-
We are a church family.
​
This all we want to be, and this is all the Lord wants us to be.
Our single aim when we come together is to accomplish the Divine mission laid out for God’s people in Ephesians 4, where we are told that Jesus Christ has given gifts to individuals "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12-13 NASB). The God given purpose of a local church is to equip it’s members for their work of ministry outside of the walls of the building we assemble in. As a local church, we are called to challenge our members to be disciples of Christ.
"… let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:24-25 NASB)
Come Study and Learn With Us!
We would love to help your spiritual growth, please come and study God’s Word and worship with us on Sundays and Wednesdays. You would be our honored guest!
Our Shepherds
Larry Williams
Larry Williams was born in 1949 and is a native of Madrid Iowa. He was born again when he was baptized into Christ in 1964. He married his wife Francis ("Frankie") Burich in 1972, who also was a Madrid Native. Larry worked at John Deere from 1968-2000 and has been raising Angus Beef since 1962. Larry and Frankie have been blessed with three children, Jennie, Ken, and Jeff, their spouses, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. When Larry is not doing chores or shepherding the church, you could find him working on one of his antique cars. He has served as a shepherd of the Madrid Church since 2012.
Scott Chumbley
Scott Chumbley was born in Rantuel Illinois in 1959. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a Ph.D in metallurgical engineering and moved to Ames, Iowa in 1987 to work as a full-time professor. During the summers spanning of 2003-2023, Scott taught at the Brunel University in London, England every other year. He retired from Iowa State in 2023. Scott married Amy Thompson of Garden City, Iowa in 1998. They have two children: Jeff and Ed. Scott continues to do some consulting work and enjoys traveling, reading books, and working outside. He has worshiped at Madrid since 1987 and became a shepherd in the spring of 2017.
Kelley Kokemiller
Kelley Kokemiller was born (1969) and raised in rural Madrid, Iowa. He was baptized in 1988 and has been a member at the Madrid Church since 1995. He married Kristen ("Kris") Elsner in 1991. He, his brother, and his nephew farm corn, soybeans, cattle, pigs, and hay together. Kelley and Kris have been blessed with two girls: Kate and Erin. When Kelley is not farming, he enjoys flying his plane (he calls it "altitude therapy") and woodworking. He has served as a shepherd since the spring of 2017.