About

Our Story

How God Led Us to Brookings

Brookings Bible Church began through a shared burden to see the gospel take root in the Dakotas. After months of prayer, conversations, and seeking the Lord’s direction, the Alva and Phelan families sensed God calling them to plant a church in Brookings, South Dakota.  

As we visited the city and met people in the community, it became increasingly clear that Brookings is a place where people are building lives, forming relationships, and searching for hope. We believe God is preparing hearts and opening doors for a Christ-centered church to serve this city for generations to come.

Doctrine

  • The Bible is God’s Word and our authority for faith and life.
  • Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances given by Christ.
  • Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ.
  • We affirm the Baptist Faith & Message 2000.
  • The church exists to glorify God by making disciples.

Core Values

Christ-Centered

Abide in Jesus. Proclaim His Gospel. Glorify God.
We are rooted in Christ, shaped by the gospel, and live for God’s glory.
(1 Corinthians 15:3–4; John 15:1–11)

Disciple-Making

Follow Jesus. Make disciples who make disciples.
We invest relationally to multiply disciples who make disciples.
(Matthew 28:18–20; 1 Corinthians 11:1)

Missional Living

Sent to our city. Reaching the nations.
We live as ambassadors of Christ in Brookings and beyond. 
(2 Corinthians 5:20)

Authentic Community

Known deeply. Loved genuinely. Serving faithfully.
We pursue real relationships marked by love, service, and presence in our community.
(Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:25)

Leadership

The Alvas

Ryan and Tolly Alva’s story is marked by God’s steady faithfulness. High school sweethearts, they have been married for 14 years and are raising five children, with one more on the way. Ryan moved to Mississippi from Indiana in 2005, while Tolly has called Mississippi home her entire life. Together, they have built a life centered on faith in God, family, and serving the local church.

During their time at Longview Point, God began to stir their hearts through exposure to missions and church planting. What started as simple curiosity grew into a deep burden to see the gospel take root in places where it is not yet firmly established. In 2021, a trip to North Dakota became a defining moment. What they expected to be just another ministry experience became a point of clarity, as both Ryan and Tolly sensed God leading them beyond the Midsouth.

In the years that followed, God used seasons of seminary, pastoral ministry, and even their journey through adoption to shape and confirm that calling. Step by step, their direction became clearer. What once felt like a possibility became a deep conviction: God is calling Ryan and Tolly to plant a church in Brookings, South Dakota—to invest their lives in that community, make disciples, and help establish a lasting gospel presence for generations to come.

The Phelans

Alex was raised in Syracuse, New York, and moved to Hernando, Mississippi in 2017 in response to God’s call to full-time ministry. While serving as Worship and Youth Pastor at Riverbend Church, the Lord began stirring in his heart a clear vision for church planting. Through prayer and partnership with Ryan Alva, that calling took shape as a commitment to plant a church in South Dakota.

Alex and his wife, Cheyenne, have been married since October 2017 and are blessed with two daughters, Juliet and Elsie. Their family is united in this calling and views ministry as a shared mission.

Alex has been serving in ministry since 2015, beginning as the interim Worship Leader at Northside Baptist Church in Liverpool, New York. Since coming to Riverbend, he has developed a passion for leading and equipping teams, helping others grow as they serve and advance the Gospel. As his understanding of Scripture has deepened, so has his burden for those who are far from God—especially those who have not yet experienced the joy of abiding in Christ.

Cheyenne shares this calling wholeheartedly and is eager to use her gifts in administration and discipleship to support the work of the church and invest in others. Together, they are stepping forward in faith, trusting God to bring a great harvest through the ministry of Brookings Bible Church. They are expectant and excited to see what He will do.