Our Story

Our church began with some ordinary people who wanted a return to the simplicity of the gospel for our life with God.  We felt other churches complicated the gospel with extraneous teachings. We wanted alignment with Biblical teaching that Jesus is fully sufficient for our soul's acceptance with God.  We found our convictions embodied in the EFCA movement.

In the summer of 1982, Dr. John and Roberta Herr wrote a letter to Pastor Rick Penner, then serving as associate Superintendent of the Northern Plains District of EFCA. They inquired about starting an EFCA church in Williston, and happily discovered the district has been praying for a contact in this area for over a year. Rick Penner visited Williston to meet with this group of interested people. The group affirmed their desire to form a home Bible Study that fall. In January of 1983, the group unanimously voted to continue the process and start an Evangelical Free Church in Williston. 

Merle Christiansen from Fargo was called to be LEFC's first pastor. Pastor Merle found our current property for us. Services were first held at our present location in October 1983.  

In 1985 a pastoral call was extended to Pastor Daryl Thompson to serve as our pastor. Not long after his arrival, we transitioned from renting to purchasing this facility. In 2000, major renovations were made to our building and a large fellowship hall and additional classroom space were added. Liberty owes much to Daryl Thompson.  His steady leadership brought over two decades of stability and growth to our assembly. 

In the spring of 2008, Pastor Thompson resigned to become the Northern Plains District Superintendent.  For a while, Liberty was without a steady pastor until the summer of 2013, when we called Brian Martin to serve as our Senior Pastor. He and his wife, Dayna, moved here from Vancouver, Washington with their five children.  We believe the best is yet to come.  Right now we are enjoying a renewed passion for God's work and God's people, and we are praying for people like you to join us as we move into the next season of fruitfulness.

To find out more about our affiliation with EFCA, click here.