About Raise the Standard Ministries

Pastor Matt Flanders and his wife Aimee graduated from Bible School in 1991 and served as youth pastors at Faith Family Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for six years. In 1997, they relocated to Lebanon, Missouri, where they pioneered Family Church in Lebanon. Matt and Aimee pastored there for 21 years until they felt God calling them to move on. In February of 2019, they received a divine call to Iowa, which is Matt's home state. They are now at Family Church Iowa City, where Pastor Matt Flanders leads the congregation and Aimee serves as the worship pastor. They have a son, Jake, who plays a vital role in their ministry,

In May of 1997, the Lord told Aimee and I to go and raise the standard of truth. We knew that the origin of this phrase is found in Isaiah 59:19 - "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him." That's exactly what we have been doing since that day at Family Church Iowa City. We've learned that the standard is the standard of God's Word. A few years later, we discovered Isaiah 59:14, which states, "truth has fallen in the streets," and that has been evident in our nation during this last season. However, Isaiah 59:1 reminds us that the Lord's arm isn't too short to save, and His ear isn't too distant to hear. With that mandate, Aimee and I continue to raise the standard of truth through worship, teaching, fervent prayer, networking with adults who share our vision, and ministering to college students and student athletes.