Joe and his wife, Amy, at Word of Life Bible Institute in the spring of 2000.
Baptizing a Riverbend member who had recently become a follower of Jesus.
Leading a gathering of churches dedicated to multiplying disciples, ministries, and churches.
old Joe presented his plans and hopes to the man sitting across from him at the dinner table. After Joe finished, Max simply said, “I believe in you. I invest in winners. You’re articulate, and I know you haven’t had an easy life. I want to pay for your schooling.” Max went on to pay for Joe’s tuition, his travel, and the clothing he needed for his year at the Bible Institute.
and do that in someone else’s life,” Joe explains.
married four years later. Amy was from Allentown, Pennsylvania. God would later use her to give Joe a heart for the Lehigh Valley area, where they live and serve today. Lastly, the people who impacted Joe’s life were part of a ripple effect that continues to transform lives to this day. After Joe had served as an intern at a church in Georgia and as a youth leader in Pennsylvania, God laid it on Joe’s heart to start a church plant in the Lehigh Valley region. “I didn’t really know how church planting worked,” Joe said with a laugh. “Over time, however, God allowed us to birth Riverbend Community Church by His grace and through a great team of people.” God has provided a wealth of opportunities for Joe’s church family to be part of reaching their community with the hope of Jesus, including partnering with a nearby college ministry, planning outreach events with a local baseball team, and hosting a prom night for people with special needs. Looking to the future, Joe is excited to launch initiatives that will equip young professionals for gospel-driven ministry. “We’ve been thinking a lot about creating spaces for the next generation of Christian leaders – whether that’s through internships, apprenticeships, or residency programs. Our hope is
Second, God used the practical investment of people like Max Carey to open doors for spiritual growth. In reflecting on his time at the Bible Institute, Joe shares how God used this year to challenge him personally before he launched into ministry.
The people who invested in Joe’s life over the years could not have known Joe would go on to plant and pastor Riverbend Church, encourage other churches in growth and outreach, and found a network...
The people who invested in Joe’s life over the years could not have known Joe would go on to plant and pastor Riverbend Church, encourage other churches in growth and outreach, and found a
network called “Vision for the Valley” (a resource to support Christian leaders and business owners in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania). And yet, they chose to faithfully pour into a young life out of their love and commitment to God. Reflecting on his journey, Joe recounts several ways Max, Bryan, and others were used by God to make an eternal impact. First, the Christ-followers in Joe’s school and church filled a void of godly role models and inspired young Joe to serve Jesus with His life. “I was so impacted by my teachers, youth leaders, and pastors that I knew I would consider it a joy and an honor to take what I had received from them
“Specifically, God used my time of preparation for the Bible Institute to confront me with a question: Would I give God access to every area of my life – specifically my dating relationships?” Dating had been a difficult area in Joe’s life, and he knew he needed to trust the Lord with it. Stepping out in faith, Joe prayed, “The next time I date, I have to see a future that is centered around you, Jesus.” Just a few months later, Joe met Amy Peters '99 & '00 at the New York Bible Institute campus. “I had a sense very early on that she was going to be my wife,” Joe shared. “I used to go to the building formerly known as Council Hall and pray for God’s will to be done in that relationship.” Joe and Amy were
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