Our History
This congregation began with a dream to plant a new congregation in a growing suburban area.
In 1960, church leaders identified an area just north of Minneapolis that was poised for population growth. With a desire to bring both the churched and unchurched to a local congregation, a mission developer was hired and began to knock on the doors of people living in Brooklyn Park. They soon gathered a small core group of people committed to the work of outreach and evangelism. After months of prayer and hard work, the first official worship service was conducted in a nearby elementary school. In the early years there were only a few dozen people in the congregation, but the vision endured and the suburb began to grow and God continued to bless.
The first church building was very modest, but the love for God was genuine and the closeness of the congregation gave them strength.
In the mid-'60s Pastor Harley Schmitt was called as Senior Pastor and led the congregation for the next 27 years. His ministry was a time of great growth and development both spiritually and numerically. Under his leadership, the congregation conducted several building programs while the surrounding community began to develop and change. But even more significantly, God used Pastor Schmitt to forge the core values that define the congregation to this day.
From that era, the congregation was established in a strong doctrine of the authority and reliability of the Bible. An emphasis on bringing people into a personal and life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ became a hallmark of the ministry. These years were also the peak years of the historic charismatic renewal in mainline churches, and that movement and the gifts and work of the Holy Spirit were embraced and integrated. An emphasis on prayer, world missions, and service to the community emerged as missional priorities. Yet, even during those years of growth and expansion, a core value of caring and support among the members remained a defining characteristic. The congregation entered a time of great transition upon the retirement of Pastor Schmitt after 27 years.
In 1996, Todd Wallace was called to be the second Senior Pastor in the history of the congregation and once again a new era was initiated. Pastor Wallace brought the gifts of focused leadership, missional innovation, and team building to the ministry. During the next decade the congregation completed its largest building program to date and an increase in attendance and membership followed. The small congregation first established in a new suburb became a large congregation that included elements of the multi-cultural and urban realities of the surrounding community.
Rev. Carl Billings, Jr. was called to become Senior Pastor in the Spring of 2010, and a new period of change began at Discover Church. After prayerful consideration, the congregation voted to become a part of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). For 13 years, Pastor Carl faithfully served the congregation and community and retired in January of 2023.
Today, as we enter into our next chapter, with Senior Pastor Jonathan Brandon, we are actively exploring what the Lord has next for Discover Church. We step out in faith seeking to further engage the rapidly changing community of Brooklyn Park and beyond with the love of Jesus Christ, inviting all people to discover their full life in Christ through believing, belonging and blessing.
In 1960, church leaders identified an area just north of Minneapolis that was poised for population growth. With a desire to bring both the churched and unchurched to a local congregation, a mission developer was hired and began to knock on the doors of people living in Brooklyn Park. They soon gathered a small core group of people committed to the work of outreach and evangelism. After months of prayer and hard work, the first official worship service was conducted in a nearby elementary school. In the early years there were only a few dozen people in the congregation, but the vision endured and the suburb began to grow and God continued to bless.
The first church building was very modest, but the love for God was genuine and the closeness of the congregation gave them strength.
In the mid-'60s Pastor Harley Schmitt was called as Senior Pastor and led the congregation for the next 27 years. His ministry was a time of great growth and development both spiritually and numerically. Under his leadership, the congregation conducted several building programs while the surrounding community began to develop and change. But even more significantly, God used Pastor Schmitt to forge the core values that define the congregation to this day.
From that era, the congregation was established in a strong doctrine of the authority and reliability of the Bible. An emphasis on bringing people into a personal and life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ became a hallmark of the ministry. These years were also the peak years of the historic charismatic renewal in mainline churches, and that movement and the gifts and work of the Holy Spirit were embraced and integrated. An emphasis on prayer, world missions, and service to the community emerged as missional priorities. Yet, even during those years of growth and expansion, a core value of caring and support among the members remained a defining characteristic. The congregation entered a time of great transition upon the retirement of Pastor Schmitt after 27 years.
In 1996, Todd Wallace was called to be the second Senior Pastor in the history of the congregation and once again a new era was initiated. Pastor Wallace brought the gifts of focused leadership, missional innovation, and team building to the ministry. During the next decade the congregation completed its largest building program to date and an increase in attendance and membership followed. The small congregation first established in a new suburb became a large congregation that included elements of the multi-cultural and urban realities of the surrounding community.
Rev. Carl Billings, Jr. was called to become Senior Pastor in the Spring of 2010, and a new period of change began at Discover Church. After prayerful consideration, the congregation voted to become a part of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). For 13 years, Pastor Carl faithfully served the congregation and community and retired in January of 2023.
Today, as we enter into our next chapter, with Senior Pastor Jonathan Brandon, we are actively exploring what the Lord has next for Discover Church. We step out in faith seeking to further engage the rapidly changing community of Brooklyn Park and beyond with the love of Jesus Christ, inviting all people to discover their full life in Christ through believing, belonging and blessing.
