NEW BLOOMFIELD – Pastor Matt Goodsell is seeing church growth, and he credits it to intentionally sharing Christ and making disciples.
The pastor of Dry Fork Baptist Church in New Bloomfield had been at Dry Fork before to tell of a ministry in the state Capitol in Jefferson City, but became the pastor of the church in October 2024. At that time the attendance was about two dozen people.
Since then, the attendance has more than doubled to more than 60 recently and higher than that on days before the weather turned cold. Baptisms have risen too, over a dozen.
Part of Goodsell’s plan was to move the hot water system closer to the baptistry and dressing up the outside of the church.
“A lot of Christians need boldness to ask other people if they know Jesus. I preach strongly from the Word of God and invite the church to follow,” Goodsell said.
That is a big factor in the growth of a rural church like Dry Fork.
“I’m excited what God is doing in a small country church. “I always give an invitation. There may be unbelievers in the audience. Invitations work if they are done the right way.”
What God is doing, in addition to more present on Sunday mornings is adding six new deacons, all unanimously approved by the church; holding Vacation Bible School again, for the first time in years; providing breakfast refreshments for the three weekly Bible studies at the Missouri Capitol building; and a new focus on reaching and working with a nearby Christian school in Guthrie.
“The church is very loving and warm to the process,” he said.
The deacons are learning structured pastoral care and a prayer ministry.
“We have older deacons, but we have a lot of men. We thought, ‘Let’s give the older ones a break and let the other men serve.’”
While some small church pastors are called bi-vocational, often taking a secular job to supplement the church pay, Goodsell has another view of that.
“Everything I do is ministry. I lead Bible studies with senators, representatives and Capitol staff. It’s growing since last year. I give a strong proclamation of the gospel and give the people an opportunity to respond.”
Goodsell used to be fulltime in Capitol Ministries, but he laid aside this fulltime position because he missed ministry in the local church. “I couldn’t handle not preaching.”
Since he had been at Dry Fork before becoming their pastor, they were already familiar with his work at the Capitol and were already supporting it when he became their pastor.
In the Capitol, he has both Republican and Democrats in Bible studies, and avoids legislative discussion. Instead, he lets the Bible speak for itself and work in the hearts of men and women at the Capitol.
Goodsell feels every church needs a revival “with a bonafide evangelist” every year.