Get to Know the Horton Family

Ministry Description

Hello, we are Gerry and Kim Horton. We are serving the local churches of South Carolina. I have worked full time as a children and youth pastor in churches for 27 years, with my wife serving right along side of me. First in Ohio, then Pennsylvania, then in Florida. Now we are taking those 27 years of working in the local church using the Word of Life programs, and focusing on assisting the local churches of South Carolina in developing disciple-making youth ministries. We firmly believe that the most important decision any person can make in their life, is for them to repent of the sins they have committed and believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins, and rose again three days later, so that they can have eternal life with Jesus Christ in His kingdom after they pass from this world. We also want to see every student everywhere growing in their walk with Christ. We would like to see as many as possible make this decision, prior to leaving high school. We value the Word of Life program, because it includes evangelism, discipleship, and leadership training. We have seen from our own personal experience how focusing on these three categories can build strong leadership, increase gospel outreach, and spurn students on to growth in their walk with Christ. We were approved by the Word of Life Mission Board to be missionaries with Local Church Ministries in June of 2019. God raised up enough ministry partners that we were able to head to South Carolina in March of 2020. If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact us. We would love to share in more detail about the resources Word of Life has to offer to help local church youth ministries. Also feel free to contact us, if you would like to join our ministry team in prayer or be a financial partner.

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About Gerry

I was not born into a Christian home. My parents put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior when I was 5 years old. Then my dad took me into his office when I was 10 years old, and he went through a little booklet with me called "The 4 Spiritual Laws". At the end of the booklet there was a prayer that I prayed and put my trust and faith in Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. Since that time I was baptized 5 years later. Then when I was 16 years old I was on Word of Life Island and I dedicated my life to full time Christian ministry. Since that time I have been on a number of short term mission trips, that have taught me so much about missions. I went to Word of Life Bible Institute, then went to Cedarville College and graduated with a Bible Comprehension with a Youth and Christian Education Emphasis. Since graduation from Cedarville, I have been a Youth pastor for 27 years in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Now I want to take what I have learned over these 27 years and come alongside local churches and help the pastors and youth leaders in South Carolina in discipling children and teens to grow in their faith and training every student in their ministry to be able to share the gospel with a friend.

About Kim

I grew up in a Christian home and accepted Christ as my savior at age 10. My relationship with the Lord grew during my time at Cedarville College. I met Gerry my senior year, he was a new transfer from Word of Life New York. After he graduated from Cedarville, we married in October of 1992. We have two sons and a daughter who are all out on their own. Youth group was a special part of my growing up years and I truly enjoy working with teens, especially one on one or in small group discipleship. I have also been able to work with children and love to see them get firmly rooted in knowing Biblical truth and how to apply it to their lives. After being in youth ministry for 27 years with my husband, my heartbeat is to reach out to the wives of the youth pastors and the female youth directors. They pour into others, but do not always have someone checking on them and encouraging them in their walk with the Lord. It is my privilege to pray for them and encourage them in any way that I can.

Ministry verse- Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Contact Information

gerryhorton@wol.org
1242 Cypress Valley Dr., Chapin, SC 29036
803-603-0201