Across The Nation
Taking as Many to Heaven as We Can: An Interview with Jeff Farmer
Jeff Farmer is stepping away from his position as President of the Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA), effective April 30, 2020. Jeff served as a church planter, business executive, and president of Eugene Bible College prior to becoming the president of Open Bible Churches from 1995 to 2012. He served the greater body of Christ through positions on the boards and executive committees of the National Association of Evangelicals, Mission America Coalition, Christian Churches Together, and The Sentinel Group. We interviewed Jeff to catch up.
Message: You have been involved with PCCNA for several years. How long have you served as its president?
Jeff: I began serving as chairperson of PCCNA in 2006 while still the president of OBC. PCCNA was quite small then. There was no need for a president. But faith increased, and with it substantial growth in membership. PCCNA needed a leader who woke up every morning thinking about the vision of the Pentecostal church “demonstrating unity in the power of the Spirit.” In 2014 PCCNA amended its bylaws to include a president as an officer. I was honored at that meeting to be elected the first president in our history.
Message: In what ways does PCCNA serve the body of Christ?
Jeff: We are committed to a message of reconciliation through the cross and unity in the power of the Spirit. To that end PCCNA is passionate about 1) promoting evangelism in North America and the world; 2) praying for revival in the Church and spiritual awakening in our North American nations; and 3) serving as a family for dialogue and fellowship of Pentecostal and Charismatic leaders across all cultural and racial lines based on mutual equality, love, respect, and sound doctrine.
Message: What are some of the biggest strides PCCNA has made during your time as president?
Jeff: Opportunities for collaborative, Spirit-empowered ministry have increased exponentially as denominational and church network leaders have united in common purpose. PCCNA launched a “War on Malaria” in sub-Saharan Africa in partnership with World Vision. As a result, we sent over a million dollars of insecticide-treated bed nets, saving the lives of untold numbers of children. [A follow-up study showed malaria cases decreased by 50 percent where malaria nets were distributed.] PCCNA expanded to include Mexico in its mission of reaching North America. PCCNA published two successful books, Servants of the Spirit and Miracle Invasion. PCCNA membership and the funding has grown by over 500 percent.
Message: Your family has grown! Could you update us?
Jeff: After 52 years of marriage, Ramona and I are still passionately in love and best friends. Our three children, Eileen, Jeff, and Andrew, and their wonderful spouses have given us nine precious grandchildren (ages 2 to 22). All of them love Jesus and want His direction in their lives. When we get together on holidays, there are 17 crowded around the table! Last year 16 of us went on an Alaskan cruise together – the memory of a lifetime!
Message: What’s next on your agenda, or is this a waiting or resting time?
Jeff: One cannot retire from the call of God. We may be able to step aside from a ministry position, but the brooding and wooing of the Spirit remains constant. Those vows we made to Jesus still draw us to faith and obedience. I’ve tried to “retire” three times now, and it hasn’t worked. But to be clear, we still canoe and tent camp; we still bike ride and walk; we still metal detect; we still garden and harvest our berries and fruit; and we still fish – for fish and for men.
Message: Throughout the years you have challenged many of us in Scripture literacy and personal evangelism. What are your current primary passions as you serve the Lord?
Jeff: Ramona and I plan to take as many people to heaven with us as we can. We are called to be intercessors for revival in the Church and spiritual awakening in our nation. We are passionate about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and Spirit-filled living and ministry. I love and believe in the gifts of the Spirit and miracles for today! I still memorize Scripture – lots of it. And I believe in a strong commitment to my local church.
Message: The world is at an interesting point in time. Never have we had such opportunity to share the gospel with so many people around the world via technology. Yet it seems morality in the U.S. has taken a nosedive and the country is divided. What message would you like to give the body of Christ?
Jeff: We are at war! The devil came to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. This is a life and death struggle over the lives of broken, needy people. Those in the midst of war don’t sip tea at a poolside and ignore the obvious. They fight for survival.
Our call to combat is against complacency and mediocrity in the church. Our combines are in the barn instead of the “fields ripe for harvest.” We alone have the truth; we alone have the answer to the ills of society. We will never legislate righteousness. Each of us should be involved in an intimate embrace of Great Commandment love that leads us into Great Commission evangelism and discipleship.
Jesus had no worship team, no sound board, no stage, lights, or smoke and He had no band or building. But He had the Holy Spirit and was clothed in power. May we, by the grace of God, follow in His steps. Amen.
On September 19-21, pastors from around the country gathered for the 2024 Open Bible National Hispanic Conference, held in Antioch, California. Attendees of the conference numbered close to one hundred and represented nineteen different Open Bible churches. Templo Santo Community Church was the hosting church for the conference, and our theme was “CHANGED: Transformed to Transform.” We were blessed with the presence of powerful speakers: President Michael Nortune, Dr. Nicholas Venditti, and Pastors John Mendez, Michael Zakarian, and Caleb Plummer.
The Church as a whole, the Open Bible denomination, and Hispanic Ministries are needed for such a time as this.
The conference started with a welcome dinner where pastors and leaders were able to reconnect with old friends and connect with new friends who were first-time attenders. We had a powerful night of worship during which President Nortune spoke a prophetic word about entering a new season. God has opened a wide door for Open Bible, and new opportunities are on the horizon for our ministries.
Throughout the following days, we heard challenging messages on embracing our vision (Dr. Venditti), navigating culturing changes (Pastor Mendez), loving and embracing the next generation (Pastors Zakarian and Plummer), and depending on the presence of God (President Nortune). In addition to these incredible sessions, we had the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of San Francisco and the surrounding areas.
In our closing session, Pastor Mendez encouraged us that we were chosen for this time in history. The Church as a whole, the Open Bible denomination, and Hispanic Ministries are needed for such a time as this.
As we concluded with a time for more fellowship, here are a few of the things we heard people saying:
“This conference exceeded my expectations.”
“I felt the love and unity within the Hispanic Ministries.”
“The messages were relevant for our time.”
“Best conference ever!”
We look forward to what God has in store for Open Bible’s Hispanic Ministries. We believe that a door has been opened for our dream to come to life – having a Hispanic ministry in every state in this nation.
About the Author
Jorge Navarrete
Jorge Navarrete was appointed as the senior pastor of Templo Santo Community Church in May 2002. Prior to that, he served as youth pastor, Sunday school teacher, member of the Board of Elders, and as church administrator for Templo Santo. In May 2017, Jorge was appointed to serve in his current role as Director of the Hispanic Ministries for the West Sector. Pastor Navarrete also works for the Supreme Court of California as the Clerk/Executive Officer. He has served in this role since 2016.
There are over 10,000 homeless citizens in Lee County, Florida, but thanks to a creative nonprofit idea and a fully sponsored shower trailer, Open Bible Community Church (OBCC) has found a unique way to serve them.
Located in North Fort Myers, OBCC is pastored by Joe and Pat VanEst. When Hurricane Ian hit their county in 2022 and homelessness exploded, pastors Joe and Pat responded by founding “Hope Ambassadors,” a nonprofit designed to empower individuals through disaster relief and ongoing rehabilitative efforts.
Beginning by providing food and hygiene kits to homeless communities, the team soon realized there was a need for showering facilities. Through a string of miracles and one philanthropic donor, a shower trailer was purchased, and Hope Ambassadors now owns the only shower trailer in Southwest Florida. Housing two rooms and ten total shower units, the trailer visits two homeless communities twice a week and has already provided nearly 500 showers to families in need.
“This has totally changed the thinking of our church,” says Pastor Joe VanEst. “We are building relationships with these folks, and it’s only a matter of time until we can share Jesus with them.” Already, the church has seen growth from visitors who have come to church after using the shower trailer.
Hope Ambassadors is quickly building relationships with other local nonprofits that provide services like haircuts, food, and clothing. Future dreams include creating a commercial kitchen that would create nutritious, freeze-dried meals for hungry families. Hope Ambassadors’ mission statement is “To heal communities in the spirit of unity,” and thanks to God’s grace and provision, they are well on their way.
“This has totally changed the thinking of our church”
Rehoboth Open Bible Church has stood strong for forty-five years. Our journey began in the cozy apartment living room of Revs. Easton and Joy Grant in Brooklyn, New York, with seven adults and seven children. As the years passed and our congregation flourished, outgrowing the capacity of two hundred set by the NYC Department of Buildings, the church initiated a second service in 1998 and began an arduous search for a new, larger home, a journey that has tested our determination and resilience.
Finding a suitable space to meet [in Brooklyn] is daunting, with people seeming to occupy every square inch
Brooklyn, one of the most densely populated counties in the United States, presents a unique set of challenges for churches. Finding a suitable space to meet is daunting, with people seeming to occupy every square inch. There are no new spaces for churches in New York. Currently existing churches were originally built in the 1800s, often by Catholics and Presbyterians; modern churches must convert commercial spaces or purchase existing spaces occupied by older churches or temples. Even when property can be found, political and business environs do not want such valuable real estate removed from the tax roll and often restrict access by religious non-profit organizations. Thus, most churches in Brooklyn are classified as storefronts, utilizing small commercial retail spaces or the front rooms of homes.
When we were appointed as pastors of Rehoboth in 2011, the search for a larger facility was already ongoing. Four months into our role, we drove by a former Jewish temple on 888 East 56th Street which had a sign saying, “For Sale or Triple Net Lease.” Despite our uncertainty, we called the listed number and met with the owner.
Most of the property was in a deplorable condition, requiring eyes of faith to visualize its value. Based on the redlining lending practices of the neighborhood and commercial banks’ refusal to lend to churches, the likelihood of acquisition was slim to none. Negotiations were painful, but after numerous meetings and much prayer, two years later we achieved an owner-seller financing purchase. That was the first miracle in the journey to 888, since we would not have been able to qualify for financing on the open market.
The purchase consumed all the church’s savings and more. Despite this, God provided monthly mortgage payments of $16.1k while funding the church’s day-to-day operations, our second miracle.
888 East 56th Street is more than a building. It continues the legacy of bringing Rehoboth’s soul to life.
We launched a three-year capital campaign in 2015 that proved God’s power in Rehoboth’s life at a new level. Like Gideon, God used a small group to catch the vision, amassing funds exceeding the pledged amount by nearly forty percent! God’s faithfulness gave birth to the third miracle – providing the equity needed to match our upcoming construction loan.
In 2019, six years after purchasing the property, we obtained a construction loan and refinanced the seller’s note at a lower interest rate, providing more funds for renovation – miracle number four.
With much excitement after the groundbreaking in December 2019, construction began in March 2020. Three weeks in, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, sending NYC spiraling. The city that never sleeps shut down tight for three months. While COVID-19 kept us all enclosed, our property renovations were in limbo. Unattended projects suffered, material prices quadrupled, and labor costs followed suit.
The challenge of dealing with unscrupulous consultants, renegotiating contracts, finding new subcontractors, confronting disfavored lending practices, and seeking to manage construction timelines was an enormous feat. But God provided miracle after miracle by granting favor, stretching finances, creating new alliances, empowering us with new boldness to advocate, and providing the changes we needed while keeping our integrity intact. As one major devious player on the project stated, “With all that I have done, you should not be here. I know God is with you.” To which we say, “Yes, Amen!” God is with us.
On Palm Sunday, March 24, 2024, we held our final service at our previous address. Afterward, we marched to 888 East 56th Street with a police escort and a drumline, waving palm branches and flags in joyous jubilation. Our seniors who were unable to walk traveled via cars behind the marchers. All reveled in the moment, singing and giving God thanks as we beheld the miracle on East 56th Street and rejoiced in what God had done!
Upon arrival, we introduced ourselves to the community, recited Psalm 24, opened the doors, and let the King of Glory in! We then held our first service at 888, celebrating jubilantly the fulfillment of the biblical promise our church name represents. The founders of our church chose the name “Rehoboth,” taken from Genesis 26:22:
And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So, he called its name Rehoboth because he said, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land’ (NKJV).
888 East 56th Street is more than a building. It continues the legacy of bringing Rehoboth’s soul to life, providing room to become, belong, and believe for those who are here and those who are yet to come. What God said with His mouth, He has fulfilled with His hands this day for His glory. He has made room for us!
About the Author
Leroy and Dalton Spencer
Leroy and Dalton Spencer are the lead pastors at Rehoboth Open Bible Church, in Brooklyn, New York. They have been members of Rehoboth for over 25 years, serving in various capacities before assuming the helm in 2011. They are passionate about advancing the kingdom of God, prayer, and caring for the sheep with a good shepherd’s heart. Leroy and Dalton believe people are our greatest asset and fully embrace the mandate to bring them to maturity by equipping them with the Word and life skills.
