https://www.npdefca.com/events daily 0.75 2025-09-03 https://www.npdefca.com/events/npd-fall-retreat monthly 0.5 2025-09-03 https://www.npdefca.com/resources daily 0.75 2023-12-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617746931427-CEEELPPGSDL07HE1DTJS/efca-horizontal-rgb.png Resources - EFCA Helps is a library of relevant resources for church leaders. EFCA Helps https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/b6b5ccf7-9f51-4d14-ad6e-49894338cbbc/MS.png Resources - Free Ministry Safe: Sexual Abuse Awareness Training for Your Church As a means to support our district church the Northern Plains District is making the online Sexual Abuse Awareness Training from Ministry Safe available to all out district churches and staff at no cost to you. We would strongly recommend that all staff and volunteers who work with children or youth take this online training. It takes about one hour to complete and upon passing the assessment at the end of training participants receive a certificate to verify their completion. The district is covering all the costs related to providing this training as a way to partner with our churches to protect our children and youth. You can use the link provide below for volunteers to sign up for the training. MINISTRY SAFE TRAINING https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/8d5a22ff-61fe-4346-8aba-879c9dccb073/protect+my+ministry.png Resources - Special NPD Pricing on Background Checks The NPD has an agreement for special pricing on background checks for NPD churches. Click HERE to learn more. Protect My Ministry has a very helpful library of webinars on child safety issues. You can access those HERE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1618961242377-YS6T4XYA4IBDZFQ9PY9F/NextStepHarvest2019_v1.jpg Resources - Nextstep Resources Visit here if you are looking for: Group Studies Children’s Ministry ChurchSmart Resources Sunday School Church Ministry Denominational Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1620058891269-LFGYEHUCFR219C3HDZAP/cif_logo-black_type+%281%29.jpg Resources - Christian Investors Financial Financial services on a mission Through investments, loans, and capital campaigns, and as a Christian investment company, CIF helps churches--and individuals--grow so they can serve others. As a result, our clients are empowered to grow their finances, engage with their communities and advance God’s Kingdom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/5b34522c-d81b-49f3-9d68-d24e238b031c/Rightnowmedia.png Resources - RightNow Media E xperience the world’s largest customizable library of biblical video resources for every person in your church or ministry. Equip and inspire your people beyond Sunday. A free RightNow Media account is available to all pastors in the NPD. Contact the district office to learn more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/d77e6793-2cc9-42d7-a3b9-6f855bc82802/pure%2Bdesire%2Blogo.jpg Resources - Pure Desire Ministry This is a ministry that provides support, healing & restoration to those dealing with sexual sin. Their resources deal with prevention as well as intervention. Attendance at their conferences are free to NPD pastors and materials are available at a discount. A number of their individual and group materials for men and women are available for check out at the district office. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/c1e87688-f03b-498e-9406-8003e6f94b0c/251-2513368_breeze-church-management-logo-hd-png-download.png Resources - Breeze Church Management Software People - Store, organize, and search for people. Groups - Organize, manage, and communicate with groups of people. Giving -Track giving, generate reports & online giving. Events & Check In -Check in children, take attendance, schedule events. https://www.npdefca.com/contact-us daily 0.75 2022-10-14 https://www.npdefca.com/home daily 1.0 2026-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1611974189554-HH6VTRCVKO6H3TVXC6KL/image.jpg Home - Welcome to the Northern Plains District of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The Northern Plains District is an association of 37 congregations in northwestern Minnesota, North Dakota, northern South Dakota and eastern Montana. We are one of 17 district organizations in the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), an association of over 1600 autonomous churches. We exist to support our district churches in accomplishing their mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ so that together we might multiply healthy churches among all people. https://www.npdefca.com/team-2 daily 0.75 2025-10-11 https://www.npdefca.com/student-ministries daily 0.75 2026-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/c98f5c44-f4c5-4b25-87ca-9760f3b08d5d/DSW_Logo_Clr_Full.png Student Ministries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617473528048-GTCP46PWGJC68BHV7KZM/Challenge_Logo_2020_black.png Student Ministries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1618961674023-5Y1449WOEVWS8QJ18KRY/logo.png Student Ministries https://www.npdefca.com/credentialing daily 0.75 2023-03-28 https://www.npdefca.com/church-multiplication daily 0.75 2025-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617465748155-NDS3K9AY1OP8YES0K4Z5/network.jpg Church Multiplication - Resource Church Multiplication A Resource Church is committed to serving the larger evangelical community of churches, pastors, and leaders. It ministers in a geographical region through in-person ministry and digital networking by providing ministry and resources for small and mid-size churches and pastors and lay leaders in smaller communities. It provides training for the existing leaders and have a focus the need for equipping, training, mentoring and release for ministry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617465893724-NGKSZ0I5AFEK8PIKLTH2/unsplash-image-x8ZStukS2PM.jpg Church Multiplication - Church Plant Multiplication New churches start in many ways. They can begin with people living in a community where there is no strong evangelical witness and who have a desire to be active in reaching their friends and neighbors with the gospel. These churches begin with a core of committed believers, who then later call their first pastor. They can also begin with a pastor who has a heart for starting churches in new communities. Finally, they can start when an existing church chooses to send out members of their congregation to form a new church in a new community. The NPD is here to help encourage and support you no matter what path a plant may take. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617466540052-WRN4HDOB5T2686SNY15R/revitalization.jpg Church Multiplication - Revitalized Church Multiplication God can make any church come alive, but its people must turn to the Lord and experience revitalization God’s way. Our desire is to come alongside the local church to join in the journey to restore the church to be the beacon of hope for a community in need of Jesus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617481345881-4IKUO2M8V0WO2DWAXJ2E/Conference+pic.jpg Church Multiplication - Interested in Joining the EFCA? You may be an independent church that has come to recognize that being alone is not always the best way to have a healthy ministry. Pastors often want and need the benefit of solid friendships in ministry that only come with a denomination. Churches often recognize that to attract the pastor they want, they need the assistance of a denominational representative like a district superintendent. A number of other churches are seeking a strong biblical home because the denomination they have historically belonged to has departed from its roots. If you’re an existing church considering joining us, we encourage you to contact Brian Wright, our Superintendent. He will be glad to have a confidential initial discussion with you about starting a process of affiliation that will be of benefit to both your local church and the Northern Plains District EFCA. https://www.npdefca.com/missions daily 0.75 2021-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617471412254-HZV8NLVZEVD3LGMPSW1C/Steve+Austvold+%5Bsquare+pic%5D.png Missions - Steve Austvold Missions Mobilizer Steve’s main focus is to help mobilize Christians, NPD churches, and churches beyond to become Great Commission Christians and Great Commission Churches through training, consulting, networking, promoting, and leading mission initiatives. Mobilizing EFCA churches to become Great Commission Churches through training, consulting, networking, and promoting mission initiatives. Steve Austvold serves the NPD and NCD by mobilizing missions. Steve has served all over the world including Romania and the former Soviet Union, and spent many years with Trinity Equipping Center and ReachGlobal. Steve would love to come to your church and provide Training Seminars, Global Outreach Summits, Theological Training, or a variety of other services. You can email Steve at: Steve.Austvold@ncdefca.org How You Can Get Involved Mission conference weekend Mission training weekend Consultation with your mission teams Join our prayer team Join our support team Join Justice Initiatives newsletter list Interested in short-term teams Mission opportunities https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617471590272-5SFFOCF5NOR2T96U6MXT/Micah%2B6-8%2BLogo.png Missions - The 6:8 Gospel Kathy Austvold serves on the lead team of The 6:8 Gospel in the area of mobilization. The 6:8 Gospel provides resources to aid the local church in combating human trafficking and the devaluation and oppression of men, women and children and to bring the transformational power of the gospel into vulnerable communities. For more information email Kathy at Kathy.Austvold@ncdefca.org or go to www.the68Gospel.org. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617472325678-C7VZM9ILTZQ7IK919MHQ/globalfingerprints.jpg Missions - GobalFingerprints GlobalFingerprints is the child sponsorship ministry of the Evangelical Free Church of America. We send children to school and help care for their physical, spiritual and emotional needs. All of this happens through the ministry of local churches around the world who want to see lives transformed. When a child is sponsored, we commit to regularly assess their spiritual, nutritional, medical, and educational needs. We then use sponsorship funds to supplement these areas accordingly. This puts children on a path to escape the cycle of poverty. Physical needs are just a portion of what we aim to support because we believe each child’s relationship with Christ is their most vital need. That’s why we commit to serving sponsored children through the ministry of a local church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617472100590-OZN97LUOFXJ5FSRV4MKU/reach-global-logo.jpg Missions - ReachGlobal ReachGlobal is your partner in the Great Commission. 63% of EFCA churches partner with ReachGlobal in a variety of capacities: sending people, supporting ministries, learning how to reach the international community in their own neighborhood, and countless opportunities for serving. https://www.npdefca.com/church-health daily 0.75 2021-04-18 https://www.npdefca.com/pastor-placement daily 0.75 2022-04-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617483311002-7IIF4426119RHQFQL7H5/pastor-search.jpg Pastor Placement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617483657072-ITZRSGHN25GNQH04N13U/unsplash-image-vdhNO4mGQ14.jpg Pastor Placement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617483901540-SIESF9VX9MBMJ9WVSPAZ/ipm-30horizlockup.png Pastor Placement https://www.npdefca.com/affiliate-ministries daily 0.75 2021-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617469841198-YN2GCFEDAUF0FPNHE426/cooperstownbiblecamp.png Affiliate Ministries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617470275690-Q1XOPH26M3ZWV4G9OYW8/logo-fargo-elim-400x177.png Affiliate Ministries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617471119571-TRHPXD7DGUALZE0N8OBA/Baptist%2520Health%2520Care%2520Center_01.jpg Affiliate Ministries https://www.npdefca.com/team-1 daily 0.75 2023-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1662475905122-I5USD8NEEYCB7HY1IGIM/family+picture.jpg Staff https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1662476041619-1WYKA4XOYF4TYI3HCHEE/99906A5447E849ED8F6F6958A41EDD08.png Staff https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1662476232224-57K21A1TIJWL4L5SVXB7/Steve+Austvold+%5Bsquare+pic%5D.png Staff https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/eaea41d8-f697-4291-b10e-c7d8db5c558b/PXL_20221226_013030588.jpg Staff Dr. Brian Wright District Superintendent npdefca.ds@gmail.com Brian and Bridget Wright live in Brian’s home town of Valley City, ND . They have three children Anne, Jacob (and his wife Siri) and Grace. Brian served in the EFCA for as a pastor for 24 years. For 12 of those years he served in the Northern Plains District as the pastor at the Mott Evangelical Community Church in Mott, ND. He also served for 12 years in Owatonna, MN. He is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute (BA), Denver Seminary (MA) and Bethel Seminary (D. Min.) Brian has served as the District Superintendent of the Northern Plains District since 2020. Brian and Bridget greatly enjoy the outdoors and traveling. Our whole family also enjoys music and theater. Above all they enjoy spending time with family and especially attending their concerts and performances. https://www.npdefca.com/history daily 0.75 2023-08-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1612052017287-XUMVTRZSIAJ2Q0H9KAOC/image-asset.jpeg History - The Northern Plains District was formed in 1988. The Northern Plains District began when the North Central District, our neighbor district to the east, spun off twenty-nine churches in northwestern Minnesota (MN), North Dakota (ND), northern South Dakota (SD), and eastern Montana to form a new district. The majority of these churches had been in existence for many years. This step was undertaken with the belief that the new district would be better positioned to serve these churches and thus to enable them to better accomplish the mission of multiplying healthy churches among all peoples. There have been three district superintendents. The first district superintendent was George Walker. He served from the district’s inception in 1988 to 1997 when he retired. Mike Boyle was the district’s second superintendent serving from 1997 to 2007. Mike left to assume a teaching position at Moody Bible Institute in the fall of 2007. Daryl Thompson served as the third superintendent from 2008 until he retired in 2020. Brian Wright became the fourth NPD superintendent in July of 2020. Today there are 37 congregations and two church plants that are part of NPD famil. Of those churches nine have histories of one hundred years or more and two more churches are over seventy five years old. We would love to welcome you in the Northern Plains District family! You can find a church to attend, find information on how your church can become part of the Evangelical Free Church or you contact us about starting a church in your community. https://www.npdefca.com/find-a-church daily 0.75 2024-01-24 https://www.npdefca.com/mission-and-vision daily 0.75 2022-10-14 https://www.npdefca.com/statement-of-faith daily 0.75 2025-02-04 https://www.npdefca.com/learn-more-about-the-efca daily 0.75 2024-12-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617747580481-YPN5RD9JTMVQY99FTHSU/efca-horizontal-tagline-rgb.png Learn More About the EFCA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/6adbefaf-afa5-4fe7-9c57-7f7ece1e9f46/download.png Learn More About the EFCA - Make it stand out Click here to order This is the EFCA brochures https://www.npdefca.com/healthy-pastors daily 0.75 2021-12-01 https://www.npdefca.com/education daily 0.75 2024-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/b9e9d7df-bf16-4e22-a2b4-311e156370b0/TEDS-Logo_Hori_2-Color.jpg Education https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/f03c47fd-1412-4eea-a379-b1798f837eb0/university-northwestern-st-paul-minnesota-united-states-e1540838588320.jpg Education https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/2049c3ae-05ab-4b46-801e-b96921e9c287/1519897982512.jfif Education https://www.npdefca.com/delegate-form daily 0.75 2026-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/b112ee74-1e66-4bdf-8c1a-13eb97eab4f2/2026+District+Conference+Poster+%28Facebook+Cover%29.png 2025 District Conference Delegate Registration Form - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.npdefca.com/district-conference-information daily 0.75 2026-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/5c54a0e2-3fd4-4e43-8659-cb58ccfaed38/2026+District+Conference+Poster+%28Facebook+Cover%29.png Conference Main Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.npdefca.com/2026-district-conference-hotel-information daily 0.75 2025-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/5c54a0e2-3fd4-4e43-8659-cb58ccfaed38/2026+District+Conference+Poster+%28Facebook+Cover%29.png 2026 District Conference Hotel Information - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.npdefca.com/2026-district-conference-workshop-descriptions daily 0.75 2026-02-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/5c54a0e2-3fd4-4e43-8659-cb58ccfaed38/2026+District+Conference+Poster+%28Facebook+Cover%29.png 2026 District Conference Workshop Descriptions - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.npdefca.com/npd-jobs daily 0.75 2024-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/e737b06f-1b78-4834-87c3-06d592082463/grafton.png NPD Jobs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/f5c94fb3-cd68-4602-a864-57b8eb409387/mission.jpg NPD Jobs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1c48d5b8-e51d-49df-8ae1-5f96d6e208ff/GracePoint+2.jpg NPD Jobs https://www.npdefca.com/fallretreat daily 0.75 2025-11-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/27d26d26-ef8a-4a20-bf23-1426c7360500/Conference+Cover.png https://www.npdefca.com/-district-conference-schedule daily 0.75 2026-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/5c54a0e2-3fd4-4e43-8659-cb58ccfaed38/2026+District+Conference+Poster+%28Facebook+Cover%29.png 2026 Conference Schedule - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.npdefca.com/outreach-grant daily 0.75 2024-11-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1731981655295-Y4K3BQHM6QX6FZ3FTSDG/unsplash-image-Ds0ZIA5gzc4.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1731981768775-G38RG1GKVIRMZC2GTSXI/unsplash-image-cAtzHUz7Z8g.jpg https://www.npdefca.com/cmpt daily 0.75 2025-02-06 https://www.npdefca.com/npddonations daily 0.75 2026-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/9063ce89-6830-4d06-81f3-1ce14c6d2ba9/dreamstime_xxl_176082309.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fff2fbf891df1315fe10931/1617130022788-U89ZETUDEJEVR34SDFU9/IMG_8601.JPG