Get to Know the Hoffman Family

Ministry Description

Brenda and I will be serving on the Local Church Ministries team. Our area of service will be Northern and Central New Jersey, New York City and Long Island, as well as NY state south of Albany. We will be intentional in our relationship building with local pastors, being a support system for them as they serve their church communities. This will include sharing with them the resources Word of Life has available:
- Bible Club curriculum for preschool age (Gopher Buddies), elementary age (Olympians), and middle and high school age (Fifty1). Including the Creative Discipleship program.
- Evangelistic outreach events we can bring to and run at their churches (Fascar, Archery Tag, etc.)
- Making them aware of larger Word of Life Youth Events (Reverb, Snow Camp, Summer Camp, etc.)
- Leading Youth Leader Trainings (Connect Conference, Core Training).
- Sharing information with them about all of Word of Life’s opportunities for all ages! (Student Fusion missions trips, Bible Institute programs, Global Volunteer Program, Pastor’s Retreats, etc.).
Our calling is to help pastors and youth leaders feel prepared and confident as they disciple their congregation to be mature Christ followers.

Learn more about the ministry in the United States.

About

I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home on the mission field in Kenya. I accepted Christ as my personal Savior at the age of 12. God had laid it on my heart to talk to my dad about Christ and life after death. My dad explained to me what happens to believers and unbelievers after death. He then explained to me the plan of Salvation. I accepted Christ as my personal Savior right there in our backyard.

Over the years, Brenda and I have served in nursery, kids evening clubs, Jr. High Sunday School, Children’s church, and most recently have loved serving as youth leaders. We bring all these experiences into this new chapter of ministry work.

About Brenda

I was born into a Christian home where my family attended church every time the doors were open. At a Sunday morning service when I was about 6, our Pastor gave the gospel and something in my soul realized he was talking about me! I chose to do things I knew were wrong sometimes. I sinned. And that sin meant I couldn’t have anything to do with a perfect God. But God wanted to know me. To call me his own. My sin broke that connection. But there was hope! Jesus died for my sin, for everyone’s sin, and in Jesus, I could be made clean and righteous. I could have a relationship with a perfect God. I didn’t want to go to Hell and be separated from God for eternity. So right there in the church service, I prayed as the Pastor lead. I admitted I was a sinner, telling God that I believed that Jesus lived a perfect life and that when He died on the cross, I believe He took MY punishment on Him.

While I would love to say I was fully sanctified in that moment, God has had His work cut out for Him growing me up in His ways. Summer camp was a HUGE part of this! I attended several weeks of summer camp at the Word of Life Ranch and a few on the Island. As soon as I was old enough, I started working summers at the Ranch. Word of Life was like a 2nd home to me and I loved the environment and encouragement in my walk with the Lord. But each time I left, I struggled to keep my walk with the Lord a priority. It wasn’t until God lead me through some really difficult times in my life that I realized that throwing a stick in the fire and rededicating my life to Him is actually a DAILY commitment. And that God’s grace is more than enough to cover those moments that I chose my own way instead of His perfect way.

God has blessed us with 4 children. Two sons; JJ and Jeremiah and two daughters; Lily and Alivia.

Colossians 1:19–23 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation - if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Contact Information

jdhoffman@wol.org
Josh - 201-704-3355
Brenda - 201-704-3356