Riverview Church | Pastor Ben & Sarah Fischer
Ben and Sarah Fischer’s life, ministry, and church planting story can be described as unorthodox yet well aligned. They were the result of encounters, confirmations, and incredible community support.
Ben grew up a Lutheran pastor’s kid. He experienced a prodigal season as a late teen before coming to faith at Evangel University. Soon after, a friend prophesied his pastoral calling, which he resisted for six years. However, signs persisted, and Ben attended seminary, where he met and married Sarah in 2008. After graduating, the couple spent the next decade working with domestic missions and later worked with MN Adult and Teen Challenge (MNATC).
Ben met Rev. Rob Dean at MNATC and was encouraged to join the Assemblies of God. He was also introduced to Secretary Treasurer Jim Filbeck. In their first meeting, Jim asked, “Would you consider planting a church?” This surprised Ben, and soon he was connected with Doug Vagle, MN Church Multiplication. He received his ordination in May 2022.
That year, Ben and Sarah attended the CMN launch event at River Valley Church, and though they almost didn’t go, the event changed everything. An old seminary professor appeared out of nowhere, looked at him, and said, “Ben Fischer, I am not surprised to see you here.”
Later, Sarah’s father independently prayed Isaiah 61 over them. The verse mirrored a note Sarah had written in her Bible 22 years earlier in which she sensed God calling her to an Isaiah 61 ministry—to proclaim the gospel, bind up the brokenhearted, and set captives free. The confirmation was undeniable.
In 2023, Ben and Sarah held their first interest meeting in a public library. Expecting about 25 attendees, they were shocked when 47 people showed up. Encouraged, they planned a worship night, but had no funds. They prayed, and unexpectedly, a woman covered the rental costs. That night, nearly 90 people filled the venue.
What was meant to be one worship night turned into three consecutive weeks of services. Ben called Jarvis Glanzer, a MN Church Multiplication leader, and said, “I think we accidentally planted a church.”
By the fall of 2023, attendance had outgrown the initial venue. By February 2024, they began renting space in Anoka and officially launched Riverview Church.
As the church grew, space remained an issue. Their children’s ministry operated out of a 10×10 room, often squeezing in 15 kids at a time. By October 2024, they moved into a larger venue and held a Fall Open House with 100+ attendees.
Riverview’s heart is to see healing, restoration, and salvation. Ben believes revival must be rooted in Scripture. “Right now, people are hungry for the Spirit and the Word. This always leads to Reformation and Revival.”
