Interview With Pastor Steve DeFrain

Steve grew up on a pastor’s home in Boyertown, PA.

“Growing up in the church didn’t do me any favors, he said. Let’s face it church people are mean, they are complainers and they cause problems. They fight music and who to dress and a lot more...It wasn’t until I got away from the church that I got saved.”

At the age of eighteen Steve felt the call into ministry at a youth convention. However, when he went to South West Bible College, in Texas he didn’t go to be in ministry.

“I only attend South West because my parents said they would pay for it, he said. I didn’t take college seriously until my senior year. It wasn’t until the age of twenty-one that I knew I was suppose to be in ministry so I got really involved in a church for the first time.”

“I started by being the janitor, cleaning toilets and felt this is not ministry! From being janitor I began to work with the children and Jr. High kids, I love it, I got to play games and hang out at Chuck E. Cheese. I loved ministry. I just didn’t like church.”

“Like I said, I love ministry but didn’t like church. The church I worked in couldn’t decide if I should wear a tie or not on Sunday mornings. So I started attending a different church on Saturday nights, called Life Church.”

Question: What was it life going to Life Church?

Answer: It was excellent music, message, kids church, everything was planned out. People wanted to be at church. The first message I heard there was titled ‘Dangerous Church’. Saturday nights I would get fired up and Sunday morning would go back to the traditional church. It was very frustrating. Sometimes it felt as though I was just treading water. But I still worked hard until I got an offer somewhere else.”

His dad, who pasotrs Morning Star Fellowship in Bechtelsville, PA wanted to start a Saturday night service for college age. However it did not go well as there were no college age people. “It was a depressing time, Steve said.”

Question: How did it change?

Answer: I was ready to move back to Oklahoma when my dad received a call from a Mennonite church called him to buy their building. It ended up that the congregation gave us the building and seven acres of land. After making some changes to the building we opened Journey Church.

Question: Did any of the Mennonites stay at the church?

Answer: There are a couple that come and they are supportive and positive.

Two months after they were in their new building Donnie gets saved.

Donnie ~ “I was the town trunk. A dead beat dad. I was into porn and drugs. I went around bragging how I left my wife and was living with a girl.

It wasn’t until I went on vacation to North Carolina that God began to get a hold of my heart and I was raised Catholic and wasn’t sure what was happening to me. On the drive home I cried out to God and He saved me on the highway. Once back in PA I went to recovery but from day one I didn’t struggle. Shortly after I was invited to Journey church, the first message I heard was ‘Tatoos and Sex’. From that day on I went after Christ. I knew God hated divorce so I left the girl I was living with and went back to my wife, who hated me. I got on my hand and knees and told her what God had done for me. God restored our marriage and on February 14 I moved her into my home, six months later she gave her heart to Jesus.”

Donnie now serves as the Campus Pastor in Phoenixville. He sees his ministry as doing everything possible to make it easy for Steve. “I submit to his authority. I have his back. When he comes in to preach all he needs to do is pick up the mike and preach the Word.

Question: How long did it take you to out grow the one hundred fifty in attendance?

Answer: Well we have parking for 130. We were running between 130-150 but when we went to two services we then went to 250. The key to growth was simple, I did a sermon series on ‘Jesus’. We also brought in a worship pastor, who just moved to the area.

Steve made a powerful statement, “There is always one more to get saved. Ninety-nine doesn’t impress me. We exist for those who are not yet here.”

Relating to services:
* Christmas Eve Service in Phoenixville - we tried the traditional candle light service and quickly realized that was not for us. Our second Christmas Eve Service rocked. We even had santa playing the organ.
* Easter - he held two services.
* We are now looking at an online campus.

Dealing with older pastors. “Never Judge A Book By It’s Cover”

* Jack Mason - My dad told me to give him a call. Which I did. He said he wanted to meet with me. I went to that meeting things that he was going to put down what we planned to do. Instead he blessed me, prayed with me and gave us $31,800 and the first month’s rent for the Phoenixville site.

“I want to be like Pastor Mason when I grow up.”

When asked what their prayer is:
Steve answered, “That I would stay out of the way.”
Donnie answered, “There are 18,900 people in Phoenixville, my prayer is to reach them all.”