IN THE BEGINNING

Refuge, formerly Good New Fellowship Church, is a movement birthed in prayer. In the early 1980’s, praying members of our community reached out to Stevens Point area native and recent Rhema Bible College Graduate, Matthew Mallek, to see if he would consider returning home to plant a church. After much prayer and consideration, he answered the call of God and Good News Fellowship Church opened its doors on Sunday, January 22, 1984. 

The first meetings were held in a conference room at the Best Western Royale hotel, but the young church soon outgrew the space and moved to its present location later the same year where its ministries, facilities, and impact have continued to expand.

Most notably, in the spring of 1985, Canaland Early Learning was launched on campus as a Christian childcare center that continues to serve the community today. Later that year in the fall of 1985, Stevens Point Christian Academy kicked off its first school year with 16 children in grades K-6. Today, the school serves children in grades K-12 and enrollment continues to multiply.

In 2014 Good News Fellowship Church celebrated 30 years of ministry to central Wisconsin and partnerships in Ghana, West Africa and Italy. It was evident that a fresh move of God was sweeping the nation, and our church was to be a part of it. God revealed that He was giving us a new name for a new season with a renewed zeal for His work. We sought God to answer the question, “How can we be more relevant to impact our culture with the message of the Gospel?” Out of this yearning, Refuge was born. 

This transition wasn’t just about a new name; it was to rethink the way we do church in order to make a greater impact in our community and beyond. Today, Refuge is a safe place where people from every generation, race, creed, and are welcomed and given access to God’s love, acceptance and forgiveness. It’s a place for the hurting to receive healing. It’s a place where people encounter Jesus and find their Refuge in Him.

Our Vision

Having vision is important for any organization to be effective.

“At Refuge we believe all people matter to God. This is a place we grow while finding authentic hope, purpose, and love; through Jesus.”

We are a church that reaches inward, discovering wholeness in our relationship with Jesus Christ so that we can reach outward. Refuge is outwardly focused in its vision to impact the community. We are far more concerned about loving people rather than being judgmental and pointing out their faults. To be a part of Refuge means to view people differently, as God sees them. We are not in a place to cast stones but to offer a helping hand for people to discover their true potential in a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. Everyone is welcome at Refuge.

Our Mission

A mission is just as important as vision. It describes the steps we take in order to accomplish our vision:

“We are a place that welcomes all people; equipping them to grow in faith through God‘s word. We create engaging environments where people discover their purpose, resulting in a life-changing encounter with Jesus. We take His message of love and hope to our community and beyond.”

Core Values

Core values are fundamental statements that inspire an organization; it is how we interact with one another. Our core values underlie our work, how we interact with each other, and which strategies we employ to fulfill our mission. They are basic elements of how we go about our work. Our core values are important as we make decisions for the church that affect the people in it as well as those we are reaching. Every event, ministry, and outreach at Refuge is based on at least one of our core values. At Refuge we have twelve of them.

We are a people who cannot be broken.

We are a family that will always forgive.

We are peacemakers in a world at war.

We are a body that when damaged will heal.

We are a safe place for poor and for rich.

We are a haven for those who are tired.

We are a friend who will never grow weary.

We are enablers for those who seek truth.

We are a journey that never grows old.

We are servants who love without an agenda.

We are in awe of the one true God.

We are a Refuge.

We Are Refuge

Now that you have read our vision, mission, and core values; what do you think it means to be a part of Refuge? It really can be summed up in our name. We are a refuge, a safe place in a troubled world. It doesn‘t matter who you are, what your background is, what you look like, or what you‘ve done, you are welcome at Refuge. We all need to find our refuge in God.

As a part of Refuge, active involvement is something that’s encouraged. We know God has placed unique gifts in every person, and our church is a safe place to grow and develop in them. We have many opportunities to get involved through volunteering and contributing our time, talent and resources.  As Pastor Matt often says, “When everyone does their part in the church, every need is met.”