Spring 2007
Facing Bench

Life Transformation Ministry Reaches Outside Church Walls

It began over 20 years ago while Adrian Halverstadt was pastoring Mt. Pleasant (OH) Friends Church. He learned that some of the fire fighters at the local fire station were dealing with their stress with unhealthy, addictive behaviors. Adrian came along side to share the transforming power of Christ as revealed in scripture. Resources were developed to share Kingdom principles of living and dealing with the pressures of our hectic lives. Lives were changed in powerful ways. Habits were transformed, relationships were healed and the Christ was glorified through transformed lives.

Nine years ago, Adrian began to implement the same concepts at Willoughby Hills (OH) Friends Church. The ministry expanded as industry and law-enforcemnet agencies began to realize that surviving the stresses of today required the transforming of attitudes and habits from the inside out. Pastor Adrian applied Biblical truths and the reality of Christ into workshops, seminars and 12-step recovery programs that spread into the community.

Court systems began to require first and second time domestic violence offenders to attend the class and lives continued to be changed.

Eleven months ago, Adrian began a community transformation center at Morning Star Friends Church in Chardon, Ohio, called the Life Training Center. The Center has served as a resource to the citizens of the greater community to address their social, relational, physical, emotional and spiritual needs. In such a short period of time it has provided healthy avenues of growth for the church and served as a change agent to the Chardon Community. Their three year vision is to plant two other Life Training Centers in city of Painesville and Middlefield with the possibility that they will become the genesis of two new Friends churches. (On a side note, Morning Star is scheduled to be released from the care of Willoughby Hills Friends to full church status on July 1).

Word is spreading. Lives are being transformed, and Christ is being glorified as churches choose to take bold steps of faith to emerge beyond the barriers of their church walls and meet people where they are with the love, grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Information submitted by Pastor Adrian Halverstadt, Willoughby Hills Friends, WIlloughby Hills, Ohio