WATER OF LIFE
Lutheran church grows with emphasis on helping others
The Rev. Matthew Vogt of Water of Life Lutheran Church in the southwest valley will never forget the call he received after graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wis.
He had been assigned to “Exploratory mission, Las Vegas, Nevada.”
To Vogt, who always thought doing world mission work would be exciting, going to Las Vegas was a natural. Sin City would be the perfect alternative to some faraway land.
After all, missionary work can be done in your backyard, in your own town or, yes, even in a place where gambling is legal and other elements not generally allowed in other cities are seemingly accepted.
A nearly 2,000-mile trip to Las Vegas in an old Saturn pulling a trailer and going 25 mph through the desert heat in August 1997 is one of those stories that will never be forgotten by Vogt or his wife, Kelli. Upon arrival, work began on creating a small church with an emphasis on helping others.
Just purchasing the land for Water of Life at Mesa Vista Avenue and Grand Canyon Drive was a challenge considering that aggressive homebuilders wanted the five acres.
In the end, the private owner of the real estate determined that a church would be a pleasant change from the norm of either new homes or additional apartments.
Founded in 1997, Water of Life, 5430 S. Grand Canyon Drive, has added new life to the neighborhood while also including an outreach program to not only help others, but also teach English to immigrants and offer them assistance in various ways.
Vogt and the small group that helped found the church chose the name Water of Life to indicate the value of the Gospel. It seemed especially fitting for a church in the middle of the desert.
“Water is not only essential to life, it is also so refreshing,” Vogt explained. “So also is the Gospel of Jesus Christ essential to spiritual life. And its message of forgiveness of sins and eternal life is so refreshing to souls parched by hopelessness, guilt and fear.”
Vogt has never been afraid of a good challenge, as evidenced by the fact that he completed his fifth Tough Mudder competition earlier this year. He also played defensive back from 1989-93 at Northwestern College, which was featured by Sports Illustrated for being the smallest college in the country with a football team.
Vogt said Water of Life’s goal has been to fulfill Jesus’ command to “make disciples of all nations” by “boldly proclaiming the forgiveness of sins to southwest Las Vegas.”
Las Vegas has granted Water of Life the opportunity to reach people of many nations right in its own community, Vogt said. “I love the fact that we get to do world mission work right in our own backyard.”
With its collection of middle-class residents, Water of Life does all the things you would expect a Biblebelieving Christian church to do.
“The Lord has richly blessed our outreach efforts over the years,” Vogt said.
The activities of the church continue on a never-ending basis. Starting with only two people in their home, Water of Life grew to more than 350 souls and even has a daughter church in the northwest valley called Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.
In addition, a preschool was opened last year for children ages 3-5 with capacity for as many as 68. A kindergarten through fifth-grade elementary school is also planned.
It is not hard finding happy members of the church who like the services, the outreach and the fact that Water of Life is a short walk from home.
Congregants include a variety of backgrounds from places such as China, the Philippines, Jordan, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Romania and elsewhere.
“We’re a member of this church, and it’s very warm and welcoming, sharing the love Jesus has for all of us, with awesome Christian fellowship,” said Debi Stupnik, who attends the church with her husband, Jim.
The Stupniks have been attending Water of Life for 13 years.
“Water of Life is a warm and welcoming congregation,” Jim Stupnik said. “It’s very biblically centered.”
This neighborhood church also has world mission vision.
“The DNA of our church is to reach out to people with the Gospel of Christ, many of whom are not like us,” Vogt said. “They need Jesus just the same as we do. Everyone is welcome here.”
In addition to the English services, Bible study and fellowship opportunities, Vogt and Water of Life have also been instrumental in founding two cross-cultural mission efforts.
The Rev. Taesang Kim of Korean Fellowship Lutheran Church reached out to Vogt and received training and support to bring a Korean ministry to the location.
Water of Life has supported the ministry of Korean Fellowship Lutheran while also teaching Korean children in Sunday school, running an afterschool tutoring program, and teaching English as a second language to Korean adults.
The two groups also combine to present joint events such as their annual Neighborhood Block Party, special holiday musical concerts, and an annual bilingual worship service.
Water of Life also is involved in supporting a mission effort to African refugee immigrants being settled in Las Vegas.
“These people all come out of horrific situations, having experienced terrible atrocities, and then spent years in refugee camps before being brought to America,” Vogt said.
“Their needs are numerous on a variety of levels; they all have very real physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. The church is uniquely set up to provide for them, as only Christ is the answer to many of those needs.”
How does a relatively small neighborhood church do so much?
“We don’t have any big donors,” Vogt said. “We are simply a church with many hard-working and committed people who love the Lord and love the people he lived, died and rose for. It is very rewarding to see what has taken place. It’s a God thing and it’s awesome.”