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Local Reach
Scott and Chris Lynum serve in Michigan’s north central Upper Peninsula, in the rural areas along the southern shores of Lake Superior and the Keweenaw Peninsula. The main industries in these communities are logging and tourism, with some farming and copper/iron mines. The peninsula is a fairly financially oppressed area with minimal business opportunity.
There are strong Finnish American and Native American communities in this area. In the community where the Lynums serve, a strong blending of Native American religion and Catholicism is present.
The drug and alcohol addiction rate in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is among the highest in the nation per capita. With these addictions comes unemployment and poor academic performance. The greatest need in the community is to reach individuals through building relationships in order to share the hope and mercy found through faith in Christ. Generational abuse and family breakdowns have left a lack of belief that any hope can be found. Breaking through these personal barriers and speaking to the heart of the individual is the challenge.
After seeing the need for hope in their community, the Lynums began area-wide ministries focusing primarily on local church support and assistance and adult discipleship. Their main call is to evangelize in Bargaga County, where they hope to see a local church established. The work varies from community to community, and includes addiction recovery, jail ministry, church planting, speaking at youth camps and events, and more.
Scott and Chris’ role in pastoral ministry allows some small, local churches to keep the pulpit filled and doors open. Working with these local churches has also provided a place for the Lynums to send individuals and families they work with to receive additional mentorship and fellowship in a Christian body. They are currently involved in a church plant in their hometown of L’Anse, Michigan. While the project is moving slowly, Scott and Chris have already seen it start to become “home” for a number of people with no other place to be honest about their faith and struggles.
The Lynums have served as InFaith field staff since 2008.
Both Scott and Christ were raised on dairy farms; Scott in northern Wisconsin and Chris in northern Minnesota. They were married in 1982 and began working in Christian camping ministry in 1988. After sixteen years in camping, Scott took a job in industrial maintenance and began looking for other ministry opportunities. They were introduced to InFaith and joined the mission in 2008. The Lynums have five children and five grandsons, with two kids still at home.