Faith Community Church Pastor Philip

Pastor of Christian Education: Philip Bovenkamp

Although I was raised by godly, Christian parents and given every spiritual advantage, I made poor decisions as a young adult and strayed from the Lord throughout most of my twenties and early thirties. But in His great mercy, and in response to the prayers of my parents and others, Christ rescued me in early 2003 and returned me to fellowship and obedience. It was then that Pastor Tim began to disciple me.

Later that year, I was stuck by a thought: "Wouldn't it be great to work with Tim at church? Wouldn't it be great to be an intern at FCC?" But, although this idea kept returning, I dismissed it as fanciful thinking. I reasoned that I wasn't far enough removed from the world. I told myself that I would have to earn it. And I didn't say a word about it to anyone.

Then one day over coffee at Woods in Lynden, Tim said to me, "I know this is going to sound crazy, but I want you to pray about it before you say anything. I want you to consider becoming an intern at FCC." I didn't wait to pray about it. I didn't wait for anything. That he had used the same words - an intern at FCC - that had been impressed on my mind was all the confirmation I needed. I began to understand this as the Holy Spirits leading, and Tim and I started working on an internship program.

Through the generosity of my grandfather, who allowed me to live in his basement throughout 2004, I was able to study and minister nearly full-time as an intern and support myself working away from FCC just two days each week. The greatest challenges were also the most rewarding as I began to teach Sunday School and Bible Studies and eventually was asked to preach. Then in early 2005, I came on staff at FCC as Pastor of Administration (I was functioning well outside my area of giftedness, but God used this time to refine me in many ways). I was also married in 2005 to my wonderful and supportive wife, Debbie. Finally, early in 2006, I transitioned into my current position, Pastor of Christian Education, where I oversee the various educational ministries at FCC and otherwise focus on teaching/preaching and discipleship