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Melanie Kilby Storie
Minister of Children & Preschool Education
Education
Personal Faith Statement of Melanie Storie
Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I came to faith in Christ through my growth in a Christian home and through my involvement in a loving church. My parents taught me to love my neighbor as myself through their quiet example. I remember sitting on my mother’s bed one Sunday afternoon, when I was twelve years old, as she opened her Bible and showed me the answer to my questions about salvation. That day, I felt everything that I had been learning in church come together within me. I knew that I wanted to give myself to God. Through my teenage years, I began to ask tough questions of my growing faith. My parents never stifled these questions, but encouraged me to find answers. I believe that their willingness to allow me to come to my own conclusions about who Jesus was to be for me opened the door for a deepening of my faith.
During my college years, I experienced a time of running from God. I was beginning to hear God call me to a deeper walk with Christ as a minister of the Gospel, and I was frightened. God was diligent in seeking me, and my call came as the wall I had built around me fell. I began to pray and long for the knowledge of my specific calling. Through seminary courses and experiences in church life, I feel God leading me to be a pastor. I am exploring this calling with great care as I gain experience that will enable me to be the pastor God has called me to be. My experience as a minister to youth and to children has shown me that everyone has a vital role to play in God’s Kingdom. I desire to continue to know more about God’s Church by learning from and ministering to all of God’s people. As I continue to explore my calling, I see my role as a Christian educator; helping Christians come to know their potential within God’s Kingdom. I desire to serve others and to enable others to serve God.
Recently, I have been serving as a wife, a mother, and a volunteer at my church. I have greatly enjoyed this time in my life. As a wife to a youth minister, I have learned to be an encourager. As a mother, I have learned to play and look at the world through fresh eyes. As a lay person, I have learned that service to God can be manifested in following, as well as leading. I desire to be a minister in all these things, helping husband, son, and church family discover a Loving God who is always seeking us.
Matthew L. Storie
Minister of Youth & Ministry Activities
Education
Campbell University Divinity School, Master of Divinity, May 2003
Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, Bachelor of Arts
El Centro Norte Americano, Seville Spain, June-July 1994
Personal Faith Statement of Matthew Storie
I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. My salvation is assured through my faith in Him. I am dedicated to serving God by striving each day to put Christ first in all my decisions and trusting His will and guidance for my life.
At the age of eleven, I realized my need for salvation. Growing up in church, I was taught that, by nature, humanity is sinful and God is Holy. In order to have a personal relationship with God and to be assured of eternal life I needed to be cleansed, renewed, and made pure in God’s eyes. This was made possible by Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. Christ’s blood, offered as a sacrifice, is what cleansed me of my sins, renews my spirit, and makes me holy. I accepted this gift of God’s grace and started trusting Jesus for salvation and guidance.
I was convicted of what was right and wrong and never strayed too far from God’s guidance and love, but I never fully gave God control of my life. My success in athletics and school always gave me some security to rely on, but I am thankful that God watched over me during those years waiting for me to truly trust Him with my life. At the age of sixteen, I decided to give God total control of my life. My re-commitment to fully trust God’s guidance was based on my realization that success and peace was not going to come through anything but Christ. I have learned that Christianity is more than some reassurance of eternal life but a personal relationship with the Creator. A big influence that helped strengthen my relationship with God was the time I spent each day in prayer and reading the Bible. I feel that my personal devotion time each day is a vital part in my life and walk with Christ. This time gives me peace and reassurance that God is going to guide me through the day.
From the point of my rededication, my spiritual life begin to grow and strengthen as I became more involved in my church youth group and later involved in college with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I have had the opportunity to go on numerous mission trips where the lessons learned and the experience gained has helped me mature as a person, but more importantly as a Christian.
During an FCA retreat while in college, I was given the invitation to stand if I felt the calling to Christian ministry. With no doubt or hesitation, I was touched by God’s Spirit and felt the call to Christian ministry. At that time, I did not realize to what extent I would serve, but simple felt that I would be dedicated to serving God in whatever I did. After numerous mission trips, I felt like I would, at some point in my life, work as a missionary. During my first trip to Guatemala, I realized that God was reminding me of my calling to Christian ministry and that the next step was to go to seminary to prepare for my life’s ministry of serving God.
Upon entering seminary, my ministry goal was to be a career missionary. Early in my Christian walk, I was involved in youth and college missions. These trips and experiences were a tremendous help for my spiritual growth and maturity. During the first year of my studies, I was challenged by my professor of missions to consider working in a local church emphasizing a new idea for missions and ministry. The local church would be an encourager and facilitator for mission. Church members are to play an active role in missions. Instead of writing a check, the church could also partner with another church or organization in need. Through this direct involvement, members are able to learn from their experiences and help show everyone in the church how faithful God is in blessing those who serve Him. Throughout my seminary/divinity school experience, I had the opportunity to serve in several local churches. Those involved in the mission ministries were the ones whose faith was strengthened and developed into stronger Christian leaders.
My faith journey will continue with many ministry challenges and blessings. I look forward to all the exciting opportunities that await, but I also continue to humbly serve God through my present ministry. It is only through God’s direction and strength that I am able to work in ministry. My life’s promise verse is 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” My whole life is God’s. No matter where I go, God is in control.