Gil grew up in West Philly and went to Central High School in North Philly. His father was a Philadelphia Police officer and his mother became a Director of Geriatric Medicine. His mother was a believer and Gil was saved at the age of 14. He says that God miraculously changed his life and set him on fire for God. He prayed and witnessed to his friends all throughout high school. He went to Temple University for a year before he came to Valley Forge Christian College and graduated. He went to Camden, New Jersey to help with a church and church plant.
Don't leave a Christian college farther from God than when you came.
Don't work out of just gift and no relationship.
He left the Assemblies of God because of spiritual pride and things began to spin out of control.
We are called to seek God's face not success.
He moved to Western Pennsylvania to a farm to start a Christian community. However, in hindsight he say that they were steeped in legalism and were in bondage. He says that he finally cried out to God and God answered him. He says he ignored promptings of the Holy Spirit originally but says that through a series of events that at the time seemed evil God used for good to break Gil down.
He came back to Philly and to his surprise they all gave him grace.
Gil Trusty has gone on a journey that has had its ups and downs. But Gil is so thankful that God has had His hand in His life through it all. I really feel a sense of humility, thankfulness and very very authentic. He is a very genuine and truthful person.
Gil currently is the youth pastor at Calvary Chapel Philadelphia. They currently are running about 350 kids.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Dan Miller
Dan is the pastor of Back Mountain Harvest Assembly in Trucksville, Pa. He grew up in Selinsgrove area of Central Pa and grew up in a farming home. He ended up in the ministry because of visions and dreams where God told him that he would preach. He also was prophesied over that he would preach. He was 19 when he was married. He helped start a church. He went back up to Millersville with Glenn White.
"Never go against a man of God unless he is doing something immoral. Always support a man of God."
If you can't serve, you can't lead. Do not ask someone to be subordinate if you can't be. Serve your superior even if they are wrong, unless they are doing evil.
He then goes to Trucksville to Back Mountain Harvest Assembly, the church at the time was dying. 8 of the 16 that were there left.
"Hang your hat at what you're good at."
"Some comes to your door; love them. If they leave; love them."
Work yourself out of a job. If someone is better at you than preaching, put them into a position to preach somewhere.
Be among sinners. If you can't be among sinners, you will not get saints. (He does state that if you are a new Christian, it is not a good idea for them to be with sinners because they may be tempted.)
The are currently running about 650 on Sundays.
Instead of a new church building, they built The Rock. It's a recreational center for the public. They are community driven. "It's about those that aren't us yet [Christian]." About 1000 people use the The Rock.
They also have free eye glasses, free legal, and a bunch of other ways to reach out and love on the community!
I really like what Dan Miller is doing in NEPA. I am from the area though so I may be biased but there are really strides being made. I like that the church is community based because I feel that sometimes we are more about souls and less about their lives. We need to meet their needs in order for them to be able to hear about what we have to say. We need to genuinely care for them so that see that we care about them and are not just another "notch in our belt." In other words, what Dan Miller is saying and doing... really resounds with me. I pray God continues to bless them and they continue to bless others.
[This blog is really all over the place because everything Dan Miller is saying is so good and solid. Please excuse the messiness and the disorganization.]
"Never go against a man of God unless he is doing something immoral. Always support a man of God."
If you can't serve, you can't lead. Do not ask someone to be subordinate if you can't be. Serve your superior even if they are wrong, unless they are doing evil.
He then goes to Trucksville to Back Mountain Harvest Assembly, the church at the time was dying. 8 of the 16 that were there left.
"Hang your hat at what you're good at."
"Some comes to your door; love them. If they leave; love them."
Work yourself out of a job. If someone is better at you than preaching, put them into a position to preach somewhere.
Be among sinners. If you can't be among sinners, you will not get saints. (He does state that if you are a new Christian, it is not a good idea for them to be with sinners because they may be tempted.)
The are currently running about 650 on Sundays.
Instead of a new church building, they built The Rock. It's a recreational center for the public. They are community driven. "It's about those that aren't us yet [Christian]." About 1000 people use the The Rock.
They also have free eye glasses, free legal, and a bunch of other ways to reach out and love on the community!
I really like what Dan Miller is doing in NEPA. I am from the area though so I may be biased but there are really strides being made. I like that the church is community based because I feel that sometimes we are more about souls and less about their lives. We need to meet their needs in order for them to be able to hear about what we have to say. We need to genuinely care for them so that see that we care about them and are not just another "notch in our belt." In other words, what Dan Miller is saying and doing... really resounds with me. I pray God continues to bless them and they continue to bless others.
[This blog is really all over the place because everything Dan Miller is saying is so good and solid. Please excuse the messiness and the disorganization.]
Project: Church Planter
For my class project I chose to take the church planting test and talk with some church planters. I really enjoyed doing this because church planting was something that I was interested in. I found that I did well on the entrepreneurial side but I was lacking in what I could grow or build. I talked with a few people about this including Tom Rees and found that to strengthen this area I needed experience. I could go about this in different ways. I could help out at a church plant or even intern at one so that I could get hands on experience as to how a church plant is run. I could also try to look for a job at a church plant to also gain experience. I also learned that I could go through a program run through Chi Alpha, since I was interested in possibly getting involved with starting a campus ministry, to get training and even do an internship at a campus that has Chi Alpha ministry.
I also feel that by gaining more experience I will learn more about ministry than I do in classes. I did an internship over the summer and learned a great deal about ministry through doing ministry and talking with the founder of the organization that I interned with. I feel as if there was more experience involved in classes at college, students would learn far more than what they could from textbooks and reading.
I am currently praying as well as sending my resume and applications to different churches and organizations to gain experience and find what God has for me. I am still interested in possibly at least getting involved with church planting and I pray that somehow I will get involved with it in some aspect.
I also feel that by gaining more experience I will learn more about ministry than I do in classes. I did an internship over the summer and learned a great deal about ministry through doing ministry and talking with the founder of the organization that I interned with. I feel as if there was more experience involved in classes at college, students would learn far more than what they could from textbooks and reading.
I am currently praying as well as sending my resume and applications to different churches and organizations to gain experience and find what God has for me. I am still interested in possibly at least getting involved with church planting and I pray that somehow I will get involved with it in some aspect.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Jerry Stoltzfoos
Raised Amish but when he was 16-17 he began to question why people did not get saved? He disagreed with his church and began going to another church (Pentecostal). He was mentored and says that he was changed and learned a lot while being mentored maybe even more so then actually in class. His mentor then left to go into missions in Russia.
Transitioned from a church in Lancaster to begin a church plant. They were looking for a growing community, those praying for a church and a conceivable way to provide for his family. He was originally looking to go to Philly but ended up in Gettysburg. He went to a meeting of a group of churches wanting to plant a church. He went in with the expectation that he was still going to Philly but after talking with them. He found that he liked them and found them honest and genuine. After leaving, on the way home his wife told him that they were going to move into a house she saw in New Oxford, Pa. After a crazy series of events, they moved there and started a church called Freedom Valley Worship Center. Their church slogan is "Church for those who have given up on church."
He also feels that we need to start treating kids (at age 13) like adults. He feels that we look at kids as less when they have an incredible amount of potential. I think that this is an interesting concept.
States he did everything wrong in the church plant but it grew with the grace of God. They started with 42 but have now grown to four campuses with 1250-1300 people.
"New churches reach people like nothing else does."
They do many different things to help reach the lost. If you come to their church and you are from another church, they will welcome you and are glad you are there, but they are there for the lost. THey are there for the new converts only. I feel this is an awesome concept to follow. Church should be to help feed those that are there but primarily should be for reaching those that do not know Jesus.
Jerry was on a Nightline Special on speaking in tongues. A researcher at the University of Pennsylvania says that he has medical research to show that speaking in tongues is really what we say it is. According to the researcher, during tests when those that are praying are speaking in tongues the parts of the brain that controls language is actually not as active. In others
He also got publicity because he refused to take out the name of Jesus in a prayer at the House of Representatives. However he prayed at the Senate, where he was able to say the name of Jesus.
Transitioned from a church in Lancaster to begin a church plant. They were looking for a growing community, those praying for a church and a conceivable way to provide for his family. He was originally looking to go to Philly but ended up in Gettysburg. He went to a meeting of a group of churches wanting to plant a church. He went in with the expectation that he was still going to Philly but after talking with them. He found that he liked them and found them honest and genuine. After leaving, on the way home his wife told him that they were going to move into a house she saw in New Oxford, Pa. After a crazy series of events, they moved there and started a church called Freedom Valley Worship Center. Their church slogan is "Church for those who have given up on church."
He also feels that we need to start treating kids (at age 13) like adults. He feels that we look at kids as less when they have an incredible amount of potential. I think that this is an interesting concept.
States he did everything wrong in the church plant but it grew with the grace of God. They started with 42 but have now grown to four campuses with 1250-1300 people.
"New churches reach people like nothing else does."
They do many different things to help reach the lost. If you come to their church and you are from another church, they will welcome you and are glad you are there, but they are there for the lost. THey are there for the new converts only. I feel this is an awesome concept to follow. Church should be to help feed those that are there but primarily should be for reaching those that do not know Jesus.
Jerry was on a Nightline Special on speaking in tongues. A researcher at the University of Pennsylvania says that he has medical research to show that speaking in tongues is really what we say it is. According to the researcher, during tests when those that are praying are speaking in tongues the parts of the brain that controls language is actually not as active. In others
He also got publicity because he refused to take out the name of Jesus in a prayer at the House of Representatives. However he prayed at the Senate, where he was able to say the name of Jesus.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Steve Trader
Steve grew up in a born again Christian home with both parents involved in church planting. He was a teenager who accepted Christ as his Savior at 21 and went to Widner University. He spent 23 years in the pharmaceutical field as a draftsman and also went to school at night in order to get his business management degree so he could move up within the company as a supervisor.
When it comes to leadership in the church, you need to surround yourself with people that are smarter than you and better than you in areas that you are not good at.
In church at Wilmington First Assembly, he did everything but missionettes. He went through Berean to take pastors classes because he had felt that he was called to plant churches.
"The difference between what you like doing or really good at and doing what you are called to do is big."
A few other couples along with Steve Trader and his wife prayed and fasted for three months and after three months he left his job at the pharmaceutical company to start a church in Hockessin, Delaware. 7 families went with them from Wilmington, but states that these were "high caliber" people that
"You cannot train your core team enough before the actual start."
"Be Our Guest" was also used in the training materials that they used.
They had to use outreach to gain attention. They mostly relied on people to be very intentional to bringing people to church. The also had luncheons twice a month for those that were new or visitors to the church.
He explained that hospitality was a huge part of a launch as well.
The last thing you need to do when people are coming from a Catholic background or leaving the Catholic church is guilt them. They feel enough guilt as it is.
They also have bought an old produce market that is turned into a church market and coffee house that even on Sunday their second service is broadcast live there for those that do not want to or are leery about coming to a church.
Steve says that ministering is far harder than working in the pharmaceutical field.
Steve Trader's story and journey is not like other stories. He was a supervisor in a pharmaceutical company who left that and started a church. I actually really like his story in that he was able to reach people because he knew how they lived because he lived where they lived and knew them personally already. This way all those around him could see the change in his life and knew that he was a trustworthy and true person that was genuine. I really enjoyed listening to Steve and hearing the words of wisdom that he had to offer.
When it comes to leadership in the church, you need to surround yourself with people that are smarter than you and better than you in areas that you are not good at.
In church at Wilmington First Assembly, he did everything but missionettes. He went through Berean to take pastors classes because he had felt that he was called to plant churches.
"The difference between what you like doing or really good at and doing what you are called to do is big."
A few other couples along with Steve Trader and his wife prayed and fasted for three months and after three months he left his job at the pharmaceutical company to start a church in Hockessin, Delaware. 7 families went with them from Wilmington, but states that these were "high caliber" people that
"You cannot train your core team enough before the actual start."
"Be Our Guest" was also used in the training materials that they used.
They had to use outreach to gain attention. They mostly relied on people to be very intentional to bringing people to church. The also had luncheons twice a month for those that were new or visitors to the church.
He explained that hospitality was a huge part of a launch as well.
The last thing you need to do when people are coming from a Catholic background or leaving the Catholic church is guilt them. They feel enough guilt as it is.
They also have bought an old produce market that is turned into a church market and coffee house that even on Sunday their second service is broadcast live there for those that do not want to or are leery about coming to a church.
Steve says that ministering is far harder than working in the pharmaceutical field.
Steve Trader's story and journey is not like other stories. He was a supervisor in a pharmaceutical company who left that and started a church. I actually really like his story in that he was able to reach people because he knew how they lived because he lived where they lived and knew them personally already. This way all those around him could see the change in his life and knew that he was a trustworthy and true person that was genuine. I really enjoyed listening to Steve and hearing the words of wisdom that he had to offer.
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