Senior Pastor Adam Nagle

I hate religion. But I’ve come to know a God I love. Here’s how my journey began……

As a boy, I was saturated by a religious culture. My parents, great people, love the Lord with all their heart. I was sent to a Christian elementary and middle school, expected to attend church regularly, and was raised in one of the more conservative American societies: Lancaster County, PA. Unfortunately, while growing up I could not comprehend a God that was there for my good, but rather to put an end to anything I viewed as fun.

I didn’t understand (as I do now) that God wired me (us) to enjoy life...that the very basis of knowing God is enjoying Him. It’s not bad to want to have fun. But without this understanding, I chose the wrong kind of “fun”.

At one point during High School, I had been criticized by a well meaning youth leader for missing so much youth group because of football. I look back on that short conversation as a defining moment. I was angry and felt misunderstood. If God couldn’t fit with football, then maybe I didn’t fit with God. There was no comprehension that the two could coexist.

So on it went with parties, football, and girls. After High School, I gave up a football scholarship in hopes of soon marrying a certain girl. I willingly gave up something I loved so much in order to have something I wanted more. But then God took the girl. A few nights later, while driving home from work, I planned to end it all in my sports car. I hated my life. I hated who I had become.

At that time my younger sister was at a Christian college in upstate NY. I decided to pay her a visit. I was blown away with what I experienced. “Normal” guys who enjoyed life and God. I did not know the two went together. This intrigued me to the point of wanting to attend the school myself.

I enrolled at Word of Life Bible Institute the winter of 1997. My life has never been the same. I learned that Christianity was not about religion but a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. It was there that I believe I placed my faith in Jesus Christ and learned to experience Him daily through His Word.

I met my wife at Word of Life and together we moved back to PA to finish my education at Lancaster Bible College.

After graduation my wife and small family spent four great years in a little church in rural Pennsylvania (a half hour Southeast of Penn State, “We are… Penn State!”). I witnessed the same ravaging effects of a religion claiming Jesus’ name, but seldom resembling His true heart. All around us so much emphasis was placed on things that God was “not”. This experience dug up memories of my own past and it was hard not to lash out. God continued to work in me. During my time at this church, my first official ministry, God began to clarifying for me what my life’s meaning really was.

From there we stepped out to be part of a church plant in Charlotte NC. This churches unique heart was to be socially involved bridging the gaps of race, culture, and economic class. Again I witnessed the ravaging effects of cultural religion claiming Jesus’ name but missing justice and mercy. Too often emphasis seemed to be placed on tradition or fear. God was still at work refining my life vision.

The stress of church planting in a tough context and lack of funds brought that chapter to a close. For the next two years I found myself out of vocational ministry and not sure if I even wanted to go back. I worked a 2nd and 3rd shift job that was far from religious ☺. Nightly the interaction with abused, hurting, neglected, angry… people burdened my heart. My heart could not resists its call. God was again at work shaping my vision.

That brings me to Bethany where I hope to live out my life’s vision: to lead a church that helps people truly live. My desire is that the church would be a place where people are lead on a dangerous but exciting quest. That people would be able to break free from a religion based on rules and rituals, but risk instead, a radical faith that awakens our deepest affections to a glorious God and His Son Jesus Christ. Such burning passion can only overflow with a love that rescues those without a family (James 1:27) and is reaching out to the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40, 45).

Adam lives in Terre Hill, PA with his wife Tonya, of 11 years, and their four young children, Luke, Zechariah, Eden and Ava. He enjoys Penn State football, biking, reading, weight lifting, landscaping, and the ocean. He is a graduate of Word of Life Bible Institute and Lancaster Bible College. Bethany is Adam’s third full time vocational ministry.

Youth Pastor Chris Smeltz

At the age of 18, I was sitting on a bus on my way to a ski retreat when I had this strange urge to take out my bible and read it. I only read one passage that night. “If you love me you’ll obey me commands.” (John 14:15) For the first time in my life I realized that I didn’t love Jesus. I would have said that I did and I even went to church, but my actions portrayed my heart and it was not bent toward God. That evening my heart was changed, I committed my life to Christ and to bringing Glory to our awesome God in any way I could. It did not take long for me to realize that I wanted to work with teens. I felt like I had wasted precious time in high school on my desires and my wants. I wanted to share the truth of the gospel with young people so that they didn’t make the same mistake I did.

I’ve been working in youth ministry now since the year 2000. The first 5 years I worked as a volunteer and in 2005 I was hired as a part time Jr. High youth ministry intern and after one of the longest interim’s in history J I was hired as the full-time youth pastor at Bethany in 2008.

My heart for students is that they would grasp the truth of who Jesus is and why he came. That by knowing Jesus they would love and serve others well as God has called us to do (1 John 4:7-10).

My wife, Erin, has been a vital part of the youth ministry at Bethany and I would be remiss not to mention her immeasurable contributions. We currently live in East Earl, Pa with our 4 beautiful children Gabriel, Isaiah, Benjamin, and Olivia.