Christian Ministries Alumni Outcomes

Christyn Herr Riehl '16
Asst. Direstor, Center for Career Development
Eastern University
St. David's, PA

In the Fall following graduation, I returned to Massachusetts as the Resident Director for Gordon’s Wilderness Immersion and Leadership Development (W.I.L.D.) Semester. I then accepted a job at Eastern University.  Wherever God may lead me in the years to come, I am deeply grateful for the many ways in which Gordon shaped and prepared me to strive to serve the world as a thinking citizen of the Kingdom. During my time there, Gordon re-awakened my love for learning. It particularly opened my eyes to the immense beauty within scripture and theology and the extent to which intentional study enriches the global community of the Church. I was and continue to be inspired by the dedication my professors exhibited to continually bridge the false dichotomy between faith and life, never ceasing to exhort students toward an awareness of the vast scope of the Gospel and our responsibility to join in its mission.  

Jean Lapitan '16
Youth Minister
Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church
Tampa, FL

Right before graduation, I accepted a position as Youth Minister in Florida. I’m now working full-time, building a youth ministry from the ground up with a supportive, loving ministry team. From my first interview on, it was clear that my time at Gordon had prepared me well. Thanks to the many books I read, papers I wrote, and discussions I had with others from different backgrounds, I found myself with a stronger faith than ever before and an ability to clearly articulate informed, thoughtful opinions. I left Gordon full of ideas and excited to serve. Better still are the connections I made while at Gordon. Even after graduating, I have continuous, loving support from friends and professors to keep me grounded.

Shannon Burgoyne '15
Young Life Director
Nashoba Valley, MA

During my years at Gordon, I served as a volunteer leader for Young Life, a ministry that reaches out to local high school students who have little to no exposure to the Gospel. After graduating, I continued to volunteer and then was hired as a Young Life Staff Associate in that same town. It is a joy and privilege to see students come to know Jesus and dedicate their lives to Him. I am incredibly grateful that I was able to attend Gordon, as it was the place God really placed a call on my heart for youth ministry. I learned so much about God’s role for us as ministers of the Gospel and in the process further discovered God’s deep passion for us and His people.

Wes Buckley '13
Youth Pastor
Truro Anglican Church
Fairfax, VA

After graduation, I moved to Virginia to begin full-time student ministry with about 400 teenagers. Gordon College fully prepared me to go into full-time ministry in many ways. I was taught and challenged to think theologically and practice ministry passionately both in the classroom and serving in ministries on campus and in the community. At Gordon I really discovered who I am spiritually. My faith grew significantly as I was immersed in theological conversations in classes, chapel, and among friends and mentors. I was challenged to see how my faith engages our culture and how to help young people see the relevance of Christianity in a post-modern culture. 

Kyle Lincoln '13
Assistant Pastor
North Point EPC
Danvers, MA 

Reflecting back on my time at Gordon I vividly remember friends, classes, and professors that made a difference in my life. It was hard work—college is—but it was well worth the effort and sacrifice.  Gordon, and especially its Christian ministries department, is contagious. You walk away with a stronger sense of who you are and a deeper love for people. And here’s the best thing: I got a job right after graduation—and in my field, too!

Josh Porizky '13
Youth Director
New England Chapel
Franklin, MA

Right after graduation I got married, moved to Colorado, and became the youth minister at a great church. Five years later I returned to New England serving a church in Franklin, MA. Our students are energetic and passionate about growing into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Our ministry is focused on embodying the incarnational ministry and lifestyle of Jesus by coming alongside the students and sharing our lives together as we seek to develop genuine disciples of Christ. Gordon is where I truly learned the meaning of unconditional love and how to build genuine relationships that were theologically rich and grounded in community. Gordon prepared me for real life ministry by challenging me to integrate classroom lessons into my real world life and ministry. 

Mike Spatz '13
Director of Student Ministries
First Baptist Church
Metuchen, NJ

Upon graduating from Gordon College with a Christian ministries major, I immediately began serving with the student ministry at First Baptist Church of Metuchen, New Jersey. The education I received at Gordon proved invaluable as I plunged into the heart of relational ministry. The most notable aspect of the Christian ministries program is the professors' ability to teach from their own experiences in ministry and bring real life examples into the classroom. I am currently the Director of Student Ministries at First Baptist Church and look forward to many more years investing in the lives of these students.

JT Himmelstein ‘12
Director of Next Generation Ministries
South United Methodist Church
Manchester, CT

My professors invested in me from the start and helped me to acquire and practice the skill set provided throughout the program. They passed along many valuable life and ministry lessons, which I have carried over into my daily walk with Christ and my current ministry to Youth and Young Adults.

Brittany Whitgrove '12
Training Coordinator
Center for Student Missions
Philadelphia, PA

I completed my practicum senior year with the Center for Student Missions, which ended with the offer of a full-time position! My days are now spent working with group leaders preparing their teams for a week of serving alongside our year-round ministry partners. I also disciple our summer staff, frame the vision of the greater citywide ministry and supporting them as they are leading groups around Philadelphia. My time at Gordon prepared me by shaping my idea of what ministry should look like, grounding me in the foundations of faith, rooting me in deep community and equipping me with the tools to serve with sincere compassion and openness.

Kerry Trunfio '12
Director of Youth Ministry
Our Savior Lutheran Church
Topsfield, MA

Three days after graduating I accepted a position in youth ministry. A lot of my job is spent in a small diner meeting with kids one-on-one or in small groups encouraging them as they continue to journey on their road with Jesus. The Lord has been so faithful in this ministry, and I am so thankful that when I said yes to my first job in the real world I felt equipped to be a part of church leadership.  It is because of the professors who mentored me and truly cared about what they were teaching that I feel prepared to be in ministry today.

Jared Cave '09
Director of Missionary Development
CCO Campus Ministry
Pittsburgh, PA

Shortly after graduating I began serving in a residential program with at-risk teenagers. After spending three years in this social service position I felt called to serve in a position that provided greater opportunities for direct ministry with students. God led me into college ministry and answered my prayers in ways I never imagined. I have worked with CCO Campus Ministry in Pittsburgh and partnered with a Homeless Ministry.  I am the Director of Missionary Development, responsible for creating a culture in our organization of care and growth for our staff. I engage college students by inviting them into our work and encouraging the same missionary spirit in them. My career path has not been a straight line since college, but because of my education at Gordon College I was prepared for each step in the path to what is now my true calling.

Nate Harrison '09
Director of Communication and Connection Groups
Trinity Evangelical Free Church
South Bend, IN

After serving youth and their families in the beach town of Pawleys Island, South Carolina for three years I am now in serving in the mid-west community of South Bend, Indiana where I am committed to community ministry and outreach. I absolutely love our ministry and the students I am blessed to spend time with every single day. Most days are spent connecting with people and helping people connect with one another. I love sharing in great conversations. It's awesome! Throughout my time in ministry I have been constantly reminded of and thankful for the education and training I received through my years at Gordon College.

Megan Lietz ‘09
Founder and Director, Race & Christian Community Initiative
Emmanual Gospel Center
Boston, MA

During my time at Gordon I took part in an internship at Abundant Life Church, a predominantly Black church in Cambridge, MA. Though I am from the country and had little experience in either urban ministry or Black church tradition, the Lord knit me into this new community and I was invited to serve on staff. By working as the Church Administrator for five years, I came to understand the inner workings of an urban church and wrestle with issues related to race and culture. Now I serve as a program director for race relations at the Emmanuel Gospel Center, a nationally known ministry committed to strengthening Christian leaders to serve urban communities. My current work focuses on walking with white evangelicals to help them engage issues related to race more effectively. I am grateful to Gordon for providing me with a solid foundation for ministry that has helped me succeed in a variety of contexts ranging from ministering at a local congregation to leading social justice initiatives in the city. 

Leah Knight '08
Pastor, Digital Ministry
Grace Chapel
Lexington, MA

Gordon prepared me well for graduate school, and I completed a Master of Arts in Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. My time at Gordon taught me above all to value intellectual honesty, faithful reverence, and abounding compassion—and this has been the impetus not only for what I do but, most of all, the kind of person I strive to be.

Morgan Schmidt '07
Associate Pastor of Teens & 20-Somethings
First Presbyterian Church
Bend, OR

I can't imagine a better way to spend my life than being with students and encouraging them towards becoming the young women and men that God created them to be. Together we are becoming more aware of moments where heaven and Earth meet and are seeking to be partners with God in loving and restoring the world. I also completed my Masters of Divinity degree at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in 2012. My time at Gordon was shaded beautifully by my relationships with mentors and peers and provided an essential beginning to my student ministry education.
 

Joel Gill '06
Director of Student Ministries, First Congregational Church
Center Ossipee, NH

Through building relationships with students and parents, God has used me and many gifted leaders to bring balance to the ministry. One of the most rewarding aspects of my position is watching volunteers walk beside our students, encourage them in their faith and challenge them to make a difference for God’s glory. I am passionate about developing leaders who invest in the lives of students. My time at Gordon College encouraged me to be about people. There is a time for programs, but of first importance are the relationships I am building with students, leaders and families.

Allison Bethel ‘06
Program Coordinator, Salvation Army
Railton School for Youth Worker Training
Suffern, NY

In 2009 I joined the staff at the Salvation Army’s Railton School for Youth Worker Training. The Mission of Railton School is to equip youth workers for frontline ministries, who will be committed to reclaiming children and teens for Christ. Here I have the privilege of investing in the lives of young adults, and watching them grow as they develop spiritually and acquire the vocational and practical skills that they will need for youth ministry. Both the faculty and the coursework at Gordon helped me to think critically about the way in which I approach ministry and encouraged me to practically apply theory to real-life ministry.

Rebekah Kale '05
Performing Arts Instructor, Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs
Houston, TX  
                
I teach hip hop, drama, and choir to kids ages 5 to 16 involved in the after-school programs at five Boys and Girls Clubs in the Houston area. I love working with inner-city kids who cannot normally afford dance or music lessons. It's a new opportunity for kids to discover talents they never knew they had. I am honored to be a part of that. It is also a great opportunity to share my faith with kids who may not attend church regularly and show them how to use their talents to worship God. My time at Gordon really influenced how I relate to the kids. I can always find creative ways to start conversations about Christ through music and the arts. My studies also helped me to partner with parents, pastors, directors, and donors in a professional manner.
 

Andrew Beach '03
Pastor of Student Ministries
First Evangelical Church of Memphis
Memphis, TN

I love that my ministry involves investing myself in students for the sake of Christ, which allows me to see God work in people's lives. My position also has tremendous variety—any given day, any given week I am doing something different. Studying youth ministries at Gordon gave me experience in the exact field I knew God wanted me to pursue. My coursework taught me how to follow the life and example of the ministry of Jesus; how to effectively communicate to teenagers; how to interact with and resolve difficult situations; and it gave me a library of books that I still go back to for wisdom and insight. My education at Gordon also showed me how to practically and strategically plan for ministry.