In celebration of the twentieth year of West Coast Baptist College, I am posting interviews with WCBC alumni who are serving around the world.
This month’s interview is with Andrew and Amy Wolfenbarger, who graduated from WCBC in 2011, married shortly after graduation, and began serving in ministry together.
Andrew and Amy both exhibited a heart for ministry and servant leadership during their college years, and it is a joy to see the Lord’s hand of blessing on them in ministry.
In what ministry and role do you currently serve?
My wife and I are currently serving at Joshua Baptist Church in Joshua, Texas. About a year and a half ago, the church voted me in as the co-pastor, and I serve alongside my father in the preaching and counseling ministry of the church. My wife is serving part time as the financial secretary’s assistant and part time teaching several classes at our Christian school, Joshua Christian Academy.
What is a way in which you have seen God’s blessing in ministry over the past twelve months?
First and foremost, God has been faithful to my wife and me in our personal lives. About two years ago, we lost our daughter at birth, and it was an extremely trying time for us. God not only gave us much comfort during that time, He also allowed us to have a beautiful daughter almost exactly a year later.
In ministry, we have seen God do amazing things. Less than a year ago, God allowed our church to expand our church building with two Sunday school wings. And he allowed us to do this without having to change our weekly operating budget at all.
Another way that the Lord has blessed our ministry is the way that He has allowed my wife to be favored and accepted in the eyes of our church. I grew up in this congregation, but sometimes I wonder if the church had to choose between Amy and me, if she would be the one they would select!
Describe a time when you saw God’s supernatural provision for a dream you wanted to accomplish for Him.
Since the time I was called to preach, I have had one dream and desire. My dream job has always been to be a preacher, but even more specifically, to be a pastor. And more specifically than that, I have always wanted to be the pastor of what is, in my opinion, the greatest church in the world. I have been so blessed that God has called me to have my dream job, but also that He has allowed me the opportunity to serve at the Joshua Baptist Church.
I know I am not worthy in the least to shoulder the most glorious calling there is in this world, but God has counted me faithful and put me into the ministry. I have the opportunity each week to stand in front of the best people in the world and to preach from the most amazing Book in the world. And I get to do this all with God’s supernatural power and provision. Despite me being in His way many times, He still gave me the dream opportunity to be this wonderful church’s pastor.
What is the greatest ministry truth or principle you learned while at Lancaster Baptist Church and WCBC?
While at WCBC, I saw men who were talented out of their minds in both real world experience as well as spiritual gifting, such as preaching and teaching. It wasn’t their gifting that most amazed me though. (I’ve seen a lot of talented and gifted preachers in my life.) It was their humility. I had just never seen such talented leaders be so humble.
Dr. Rasmussen could be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Dr. Goetsch knows more Bible than any person I’ve ever met, and Pastor Chappell can “shuck the corn” with the very best of them, but all of these men are absolutely humble. These are just a few examples; there is talent everywhere in the faculty of WCBC. And yet, as a whole, these men and women share a trait of humility unlike any other group of people I have ever been around.
You are bringing a group to the West Coast Baptist Youth Conference in April. What are you praying God will do in their lives through Youth Conference?
I am bringing ten to twelve seniors that I have had in my youth department since I became the youth director. I am praying that God will give them very clear spiritual direction in regards to their future. Some already know that they are going to a Christian college, and others are undecided. Please pray with me that they will be sensitive when it comes to God leading them in one direction or another.
What specific prayer requests can I, fellow alumni, and readers of this blog pray with you and your family for over the next 12 months?
My wife and I recently found out that we are expecting. Please pray that the pregnancy will be complication free and that we would be able to carry the child full term.
Thank you, Andrew and Amy, for your faithfulness to the Lord.
Please do pray for the Wolfenbarger family and for God’s continued blessing in their labor for Him.
