The Argents in Montana
- Met in 1995 in Oklahoma City and married in 1996
- 2 children and 5 grandchildren.
- 28+ years of full-time and volunteer ministry
- Served on short-term mission trips in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa, Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, and Montana.
- Experience with construction ministry, disaster relief ministry, various evangelistic and discipleship focused projects, community service projects, apartment ministry, and church planting.
Our Call to Montana
A little over two years ago while in Montana on a mission trip, we experienced a sense of spiritual darkness and heard the staggering spiritual statistics for the area. The Father began to place a burden on both of our hearts for the people of Montana. Over the next year, this burden and love for the people of Montana continued to grow stronger. At a missions conference in 2023, we surrendered to a call to serve the Lord in Montana. After almost two years of much prayer and seeking the Father’s specific direction and will in this area for us, we are now preparing to follow Him into Southwestern Montana to live among the people of the Gallatin Gateway community.
We are serving as church planters with The Bridge Network. Our focus will be planting a healthy church at the Gallatin Gateway campus. As this church becomes a healthy body, we believe we are called to plant several smaller groups (micro churches) in the communities along the corridor from Gallatin Gateway to West Yellowstone. Our prayer is that this work would grow to function together as one corporate body under the stewardship of the Bridge. Our ultimate goal is to see The Bridge and other SBC churches partner together to spread the gospel through planting, replanting, and revitalizing churches across the southern and western regions of Montana.
Montana
The Physical
- 4th largest state in size, but 44th in population (1,132,812)
- Home to some of the most beautiful places in North America: Parts of Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, Little Bighorn National Battlefield Monument, Beartooth Highway, Big Sky Resort, and more.
The Spiritual
- Approximately 38% of Montanans identify themselves as spiritual. Spiritual does not equal born again.
- Many Native Americans in Montana practice traditional tribal religions. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Latter Day Saints both have a presence in Montana.
- Montanans who identify themselves as born again believers make up only 3-5% of the population of 1.1 million—only 34,000 – 56,000 people.
The Field
- Montanans are a ruggedly independent people, who are friendly, helpful, and patriotic.
- While most of the population is generally politically conservative, Bozeman and Missoula both have major universities and are much more liberal.
- Both conservative and liberal Montanans need Jesus.
The spiritual need is great, but many evangelical churches in Montana are struggling to keep their doors open.
“How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?
And how will they hear without a preacher?”
Romans 10:14
Vision
God has called us to plant, replant, and revitalize churches in Montana as part of The Bridge network.
History
- In 1999, Curtis Crow became the pastor of a church in Belgrade, MT nearing closure. He began revitalizing the church and, in 2000, Curtis led The Bridge to join the Southern Baptist Convention.
- The Bridge has grown consistently over the last 25 years and now functions as a network of 3 campuses.
- The main campus in Belgrade has become a strong and growing witness in its community.
- The church plant in Manhattan has experienced consistent growth.
- The Gallatin Gateway campus was given to The Bridge several years ago. It offers a valuable location for a potential church plant.
Current Network Goals
- Plant a new work at the Gallatin Gateway campus focused on outreach into the community.
- Plant a new work in Missoula (in a campus given to The Bridge in 2022).
- Identify opportunities to plant, replant, and revitalize churches across Montana.
Our Focus – Gallatin Gateway
- Traditionally, the area was a lower middle-class community that was the last stop before entering the Gallatin River Canyon that leads to the vacation destinations of Big Sky & West Yellowstone.
- In recent years, the area has changed in many ways:
- An influx of people migrating from California & other West Coast states has brought a dramatic increase in population, diversity, and housing costs.
- New apartments have been constructed to house J-1 visa workers employed in the Big Sky ski community. These workers are internationals living in the U.S. for a period of 3-18 months.
- These changes are creating new mission fields in the area and new avenues for the gospel that can have a global impact.
Partnering With Us
Pray
- Ask God to do something that only He can do! Pray that He will pour out His Spirit on Montana.
- Pray that many people will be born again and that they become mature disciples of Christ.
- The area code for Montana is 406. Set a reminder on your phone to pray for us at 4:06 each day.
- Pray for God to provide the funds needed for our transition from N Alabama to SW Montana.
- Pray for partners to come along side in supporting the ministry in Gallatin Gateway and Gallatin County, Montana.
- Pray for God to provide Thomas the opportunity to successfully move his repair and remodeling business to Montana or that the Father will provide a position that will help support us financially and provide flexibility for ministry.
Go
- Could your church send a short-term mission team to Montana to help with ministry and outreach projects? Teams are needed throughout the late spring, summer, and fall months.
- Would your church partner with The Bridge Network in reaching Montana for Christ? Your church could be a crucial part of what God is doing in Montana and the Gallatin Valley.
Give
We are trusting God to provide for our financial needs in this mission.
- Could He be leading you to partner with us by giving?
- Funds are needed to provide for initial living and ministry expenses.
- Both one-time and regular giving partners are needed.
Ways to give:
By mail:
The Argents in Montana
c/o Gilliam Springs Baptist Church
1351 N Brindlee Mountain Pkwy
Arab, AL 35016
- Make checks payable to Gilliam Springs Baptist Church.
- Please note Montana Missionaries in the memo line.
Online:
Select “Fund: Montana Missionaries“