THIRD DAY COMMUNITY CHURCH exploring the dissolving their charter.

TIMELINE:

Founded in 2017 by Pastor Joe Lindstrom, the church started with support from the Blue Ridge Baptist Association as a mission church plant. The church was more of an independent evangelical church in the way it was created, but they liked being a part of the local association of church families, and working with other believers and pastors to do ministry projects together. BRBA Director of Missions, Pastor Bruce Conley coached Pastor Lindstrom as a church planter for 5 years after the official start of the mission.

In 2022, Pastor Lindstrom was diagnosed with cancer, and the church prayed fervently for his healing, but he lost his battle with cancer in November that same year. The Blue Ridge Baptist Association was asked by lay church leaders at that time to come in and help after Joe’s death. Rev. Bruce Conley was appointed “church overseer” in early 2023, and served as Interim Pastor until March 2024.

In 2023 an embezzlement was discovered – committed by a volunteer church treasurer – consisting of tens of thousands of dollars missing from church accounts. Pastor Conley led the investigation into the matter, and was able to get some reimbursement to the church through prosecution of the case.

With the loss of their Pastor, and the shock of an internal theft being discovered – many attending members left the church. In April 2024 a few lay leaders decided to move forward without a interim pastor, and the small group that remained (about 7-8 families) started holding bible studies on Sundays – led by a layman at a coffee shop in Boonsboro, MD, which was being offered to the group rent free.

In June 2026, the last remaining attender to the weekly Bible study group chose to leave TDCC to worship at a church in Hagerstown, MD.

We want to thank deacon Michael Simpson for his steadfast support of Third Day Community church over the years, and also Andy Yoder for leading the weekly bible studies for the last 2+ years for those folks who remained.

Our goal now is to handle the church finances and resources in a God honoring and legal way. By law, those resources must go to another 501(c)3 organization, and preferably to those involved in gospel ministry. The Blue Ridge Baptist Association in 2024 set up a LEGACY FUND to honor Pastor Joe Lindstrom, and some of the funds will most likely be distributed there to assist other mission church plants in Frederick County, MD and the surrounding area. We have the help of 2 attorneys to make sure that everything is done in a transparent and honest way. PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS PROCESS – which we hope will be completed by the end 2026.

If you have input or comments please send them to pastorbruce@thirddaychurch.org, or call him at (301) 821-0370.