OUR MISSION:
We are but a small part of the body of Christ throughout the world and throughout history.
Nonetheless, we join the rest of the body, as ambassadors for Jesus Christ,
in fulfilling the command He gave to the Church.
To PREACH THE GOSPEL—to all creation,
and to MAKE DISCIPLES—of all the nations.
 
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History of IFF

 The Early Years
In early 1990, Phil Lancaster resigned his position as associate pastor of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, MO. to pursue his vision to begin a new "family-friendly" non-denominational New Testament church, one in which a family could be strengthened together, instead of separately.

Several preliminary meetings were held with others interested in this vision during that summer. The vision appealed primarily, not by design, but by default, to home-educating families. Two men agreed to act as "temporary elders" for accountability purposes, at the request of founder and lone elder Phil Lancaster. A name---Immanuel Family Fellowship---was chosen and a date was set for implementation of the vision.

This local church officially met for worship and communion the first time in September of 1990 at the Sheraton-Westport Hotel in west St. Louis County. Although there was no formal membership procedure in place, there were 17 founding families.

A couple of months later the meetings were moved to the Flaming Pit Restaurant in Des Peres. Our church's first baptisms took place in January of 1991 as we utilized the baptistry at the nearby Des Peres Baptist Church. By April of 1991 we relocated there and began renting their building and using it after their own congregation had departed from morning services.

After the temporary elders had departed, monthly "Fathers Council" (male heads of families) meetings were instituted for accountability, training, and communication purposes.

Phil Lancaster put his writing skills to use and began Patriarch magazine in the summer of 1993 in order to reach a wider circle of men with his desire to equip them. In September of 1994, the Lancaster family moved from St. Louis to the Rolla, MO. area, about a 2-hour drive away. There they joined with a Congregation of Christ's Church, another "sister" start-up family-friendly church. This physical move was also accompanied by an increasingly larger vision of church planting.
 Eldership
Phil's departure left IFF without eldership and its future in question. However, he was still committed to monthly visits to provide oversight and teaching until local elders could be recognized and ordained. Until that time arrived a three man leadership team was established. Based on the counsel of Phil and several outside elders, it was decided that the regular-attending families of IFF should make some commitment to the new leaders to show support and solidarity.

One Sunday in June of 1995 we held a formal membership "Confession Day" in which each father was to stand and speak on behalf of his family. Each personal "confession" was to include at least, 1) a testimony of the family's relationship with Jesus Christ and 2) a verbal commitment that IFF was to be considered their home church. Scripture reading and a verbal commitment of submission to the temporary leadership team were strongly encouraged, but optional. Without a doubt, this was the most special day in our young 5-year history. Men spoke and made it clear where they stood with the Lord and with the church.

However, this day also brought heartache as two families refused to participate and left the church. Then, in time, several other families, who had made their confession, left over the whole ordeal. With the leadership team now in place, Phil's oversight was reduced to meeting with us just quarterly.

On February 11, 1996, five and half years after the church's inception, two men were recognized by the congregation, and ordained as the first "home-grown" elders. Phil Lancaster and two other local ordained ministers laid hands on the new elders at their request. Phil Lancaster's responsibility with IFF then ended and, soon thereafter, the Fathers Council meetings also ended, no longer being necessary.
 Home Churching
In October of 1996, being persuaded by scripture, and hastened along by the geographical locations of our member families (at one time we had 12 families, but they were living in 7 different counties), we slowly began a transition and movement towards three regional meetings to be held in private homes, the last Sunday of every month.

By April of 1997 we moved to meeting every other week in homes. After much prayer and planning the elders decided in May of 2000 to meet regionally in homes 8 out of 9 Sundays, with one remaining corporate meeting at Des Peres on the first Sunday of every other month in order to help maintain unity.
 Recent History
September 28, 2000 marked the 10th anniversary of the founding of our fellowship. A "homecoming" was planned and Phil Lancaster, who had since moved to Virginia in 1998, was invited to be the guest speaker and teacher that day. Our sister churches from New Haven and Rolla, and previous members were also invited.

Today we have 2 elders and 1 deacon, and we pray that God will continue to raise up men to be leaders in their own homes and within this local church.

Many families have come and gone over these past 13 years. We trust and pray that they have been blessed and ministered to by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and have grown in their walk and knowledge of Him. We will continue to strive to be obedient to His plan and pattern for His church.

To God Be The Glory—November 2004