At the 2020 one-day Fall BFC Conference, twelve men were approved for ordination to the ministry in the Bible Fellowship Church. A special ordination service on April 27, 2021, was held at Cedar Crest BFC, Allentown, PA, for those who wanted to participate rather than wait until the 2021 BFC Conference in October. Historic, because as far as anyone can remember, it was the largest ordination service ever held by the BFC. Ten men were ordained or had their prior ordinations recognized. Different? Well, it was the first ordination to be attended both in person and live online.
The following are the testimonies of these newly ordained men. Remember to read with prayer for their service to God’s church and for their families.
Paul S. Harvey, Assistant Pastor
Calvary BFC, Sinking Spring, PA
Of first importance, what I received. At a young age, I began to understand differences between the way people generally behave and the teachings of Jesus. Specifically, I was impressed by the higher standards that Jesus taught – to love enemies and to treat others as you would want to be treated. As a result of this enlightened perspective I declared at our family table, “When I grow up I want to be a Christian.” My mother immediately replied that I didn’t need to wait, I could become a Christian “right now.” I was sure that is what I wanted to do. She took me to the living room and prayed with me.
Next, what I’ve done. Life passed in normal ways but I never doubted my desire to be one of God’s children. By the age of thirteen, I was keenly aware of my chosen path; I wanted to be a Pastor. This desire never faded though remained far off. I studied for the ministry throughout high school and graduated from Moody Bible Institute. After my father’s untimely death, I earned a MBA and worked in my family’s third generation business. My career transformed through twenty years and two other companies, but I maintained regular service in my home church through teaching and leadership. I worked full time but continued looking for opportunities to find my “dream job.”
Meanwhile, God blessed me with Sara and then He blessed us with four daughters and a son. In May 2021, our youngest girl will add a fourth son-in-law. Currently the other three have provided four grandsons and two granddaughters. At turning points I’ve encountered temptations to doubt and challenges to faith. The result of each has proved to strengthen my commitment to follow our Savior.
While serving as an Elder at Calvary BFC, Sinking Spring, I welcomed the chance to provide regular pulpit supply at the First Reformed Church, Wernersville, PA. First Reformed would later become a “campus” of Calvary. Serving there is a part of my responsibilities with Calvary, which became full-time in 2016. These have been the best five years of my life. God broke me down and built me up so that I am loving my teenage dream job, which has been confirmed as my calling.
Jules Hull, Youth Pastor
Emmanuel BFC, Sunbury, PA
I was raised in a Catholic home going to mass and CCD every week. When I was in first grade my mother’s mom died, and after that time my mom had a lot of trouble going back to church. I continued CCD, but my family only attended church on holidays.
In middle school, I got into the wrong crowd which led me to try marijuana. I felt extremely guilty, so I told my mom what I did. Being young and not really thinking, I told the kid that gave it to me that I told my mom. Kids started making fun of me for telling on him. It got so bad that my parents wanted to get me out of that atmosphere. We started to look at private schools. We finally found Salem Christian School. I thought I could handle the Bible classes because I had a Catholic background, but I soon realized I really didn’t know much about the Bible. While attending class I noticed a glow in the other students, like they all had something that I didn’t. I began to ask a lot of questions until one day in my freshman year I sat down with one of my teachers and my best friend and asked many questions. While the teacher prayed, I was praying silently that Christ would come into my life and that He would forgive me of my sins.
During sophomore year at Philadelphia Biblical University, I went on a mission trip to Kenya. There, God really confirmed my calling. When I returned, I called my high school youth pastor, Jon King, and asked if I could intern with him. He said I was welcome to do the internship. It was a great way to grow in both my faith and my calling. I stayed as a youth leader with Jon for 2½ years. The Lord fully confirmed my calling with a career in youth ministry at Emmanuel BFC starting in January 2013.
I met my wife, Adrianne, while serving at Cedar Crest BFC and we were married on December 29, 2012. My wife and I adopted our son, Anthony, in January, 2019. In October, of the same year, we were connected with a family, who had heard our story and asked if we would foster their daughter. We officially adopted Genesis in December, 2020. Anthony and Genesis are just 6 months apart.
I thank the Lord who has done amazing things in my life – first, and foremost, for opening my eyes to the Truth, for leading me to my amazing wife, for the opportunity to serve Him in Sunbury, and most recently in the adoption of our two kids.
To God be the glory!
Jeffrey Kauffman, Senior Pastor
Faith BFC, Spring City, PA
For generations, my family has had a history of faith and obedience to Christ. I was raised in a Christian home, Christian school, going to church weekly, knowing right from wrong, understanding how to act like a Christian. I “prayed” to ask Jesus into my heart at 5. When I was 13, I gave my life to Christ, since this is what a Christian boy did, during a mission’s conference.
As high school drew to a close, I continued in my religious formalism and went to trade school to become a carpenter. Yet, it was not until I was 25 that I believe God converted me from my religious self-love. My wife, Rebecca, and I had been married for 4 years. We had a son, and she was pregnant with our oldest daughter. On Reformation Day 2008, I was laid off and hit rock bottom. God began to test me. Through the financial difficulties, my depressive state, and others, God got a hold of me and called me to be in a relationship of faith, affection, and devotion to Him. That winter I began to grow in my relationship with God and to search for how God wanted me to glorify Him.
It was through my wife, brother, mentors, and theological books, like “The Holiness of God” that I began to sense God wanted me to give my life to Him for service in His church. It was summer 2009 when I gave my first message in the church my young family and I were attending.
I continued to work in construction to support my family but enrolled in Lancaster Bible College in the fall of 2009 to complete a BS in Bible. During this season, God gave my family two more beautiful girls. I began to sense and desire the calling of God to be a preacher and teacher in the church. Through classmates and new mentors God began to direct me to pastoral ministry.
After completing my bachelor’s degree in 2011, God divinely led me to my first church – a small independent congregation in York, PA. God was not finished with me yet though. It was during the tumultuous 4-year ministry with this small flock, God began to truly show me His character and what it means to be His under-shepherd. Even though it was hard, I remained faithful to Him. Thus, through the wisdom of my family and other godly men, like Timothy Bertolet, God has continued to guide and lead me. And I am excited today for the way God is still moving and remaining faithful, even as I look with excitement to what He is going to do through me at Faith BFC.
