“My goal in ministry has always been to create intentional, functioning disciples” - Jerry Frey, Calvary Church Global Partner
Jerry and Cheryl Frey are global partners focusing on the LiveSent imperative of creating disciples of Jesus Christ. Having been discipled themselves during their formative years, now they continue to focus on discipleship, even though it is hard work. “Discipleship is messy. Pastoring a church without discipling is cultural but not biblical,” says Jerry.
While in his senior year of college Jerry took a course in church planting. His professor continued to disciple him on a regular basis. After college, Jerry worked as an internship with Jay Diller who continued to disciple him for two more years. These two men, along with others, instilled in Jerry a strong desire to see people discipled.
Cheryl became a Christian in the summer before her 9th grade year. In high school, she had a Home Economics teacher who was a great encouragement to her. “Knowing that she was a Christian and someone I could talk to was huge to me. I had to search for new friends because my old friends did not encourage me to live as a Christian.” Through this teacher, Bible Club at School, Youth For Christ (YFC), and Calvary Church, Cheryl grew in her walk with the Lord.
Jerry and Cheryl have been in ministry for over 35 years. Most of those years were church planting in Vermont. Vermont is considered the least religious state in the country with barely 1 in 5 attending church. “Many people just don’t go to church in Vermont. We went there looking for families that loved their town and community and wanted to start a church.”
Being bi-vocational, Jerry and Cheryl lived, worked, and ministered in the rural towns where they planted churches. Jerry would focus on discipling leaders in the church to be elders so that they would be able to reach out and train others in the Scriptures. “Spending time with people was the most important thing we did.” Cheryl added, “We would spend time with couples who were first-generation Christians. As we got to know them, you got to know the real issues that they were facing. God had to ‘untangle’ a lot of people.”
In 2017, they returned to Central Pennsylvania and began to minister to former Amish families living in this area. Jerry and Cheryl are currently working with a small church of five former Amish families who have taken steps of faith in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Freys have been working alongside Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church who initiated and support this local ministry.
Jerry is seeking to help this church focus on the need for strong biblically-based leadership. Understanding the role of elders, what baptism is, church membership and many other topics provide opportunities to work with them searching the Scriptures for answers and growth. Cheryl has been embraced by the women while engaging in Bible studies and in answering questions. “I’m a listening ear. When they have a question, I encourage them to look for the answers in the Scriptures.”
Jerry and Cheryl's LiveSent goal of making disciples who will make disciples hasn’t changed, even though their location has. Whether it was in rural Vermont or is in Central Pennsylvania, they strive to fulfill the great commission of going and making disciples and engaging Kingdom partners.