Pastor Rian Gittman received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior during the South Florida Revival of the early 1990s at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale under Pastor Bob Coy.
By God's grace, he, his wife, and his family faithfully served there for more than twelve years. During that time, the Lord used the ministry to shape and strengthen their walk with Him. Then, in 2005, God began speaking to their hearts about starting a fellowship where those who might get lost in a large church could find family, fellowship, adventure, and discipleship in Christ.
In 2006, he was sent out by faithful men of God who helped shape and influence his life and ministry, including John Chinelli, Generino Destefano, Chet Lowe, Fidel Gomez, and many others whose names are written in Heaven.
The Gittman family began ministry the old-fashioned Calvary Chapel way, teaching the Bible chapter by chapter, verse by verse, line upon line, and precept upon precept. They started with Wednesday night Bible studies in their home. After a few months, they moved into the Hilton Hotel near I-95 and Hillsboro Boulevard, where they began holding both Sunday and Wednesday services.
Those early years taught them many lessons—some encouraging and some difficult. They learned what to do and, perhaps even more importantly, what not to do as pastors and as a family serving Christ. They were precious days. Many people came to know the Lord, many grew in their faith, and they learned firsthand that the size of the church is not what matters; what matters is the size of the God you serve.
In 2012, God opened the door for the church to move into our current facility. Through His provision, He supplied the finances, softened hearts, and granted favor with city officials, contractors, building owners, and countless others who helped make the transition possible.
One of the most significant moments in the ministry came during a pastors' conference in 2007. There, Pastor Rian met a man named Luis Neely. He asked him what book of the Bible he should teach next. His response was simple: "The old-fashioned Chuck Smith way—Old Testament on Wednesday nights, New Testament on Sundays. Start in Genesis, finish Revelation, and then start over."
He left that conference with a renewed passion for God's Word and a commitment to return to the basics. He desired to become the best pastor-teacher he could be—not through gimmicks, personalities, or programs, but by faithfully teaching the Scriptures. The goal became simple: no excuses, no special dynamics, no striving for perfection, popularity, or performance—just teaching God's Word as He has revealed it through Scripture and through the experiences of life and family.
Like everyone else, the journey has included trials, temptations, victories, and defeats. Yet through every season, God has remained faithful. He and his wife have been blessed to minister alongside family and friends, serving whoever the Lord brings their way through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now, after more than twenty years of ministry, he can honestly say that with the help of countless faithful men and women of God, and should the Lord tarry, we believe we are just getting started.
By God's grace, he, his wife, and his family faithfully served there for more than twelve years. During that time, the Lord used the ministry to shape and strengthen their walk with Him. Then, in 2005, God began speaking to their hearts about starting a fellowship where those who might get lost in a large church could find family, fellowship, adventure, and discipleship in Christ.
In 2006, he was sent out by faithful men of God who helped shape and influence his life and ministry, including John Chinelli, Generino Destefano, Chet Lowe, Fidel Gomez, and many others whose names are written in Heaven.
The Gittman family began ministry the old-fashioned Calvary Chapel way, teaching the Bible chapter by chapter, verse by verse, line upon line, and precept upon precept. They started with Wednesday night Bible studies in their home. After a few months, they moved into the Hilton Hotel near I-95 and Hillsboro Boulevard, where they began holding both Sunday and Wednesday services.
Those early years taught them many lessons—some encouraging and some difficult. They learned what to do and, perhaps even more importantly, what not to do as pastors and as a family serving Christ. They were precious days. Many people came to know the Lord, many grew in their faith, and they learned firsthand that the size of the church is not what matters; what matters is the size of the God you serve.
In 2012, God opened the door for the church to move into our current facility. Through His provision, He supplied the finances, softened hearts, and granted favor with city officials, contractors, building owners, and countless others who helped make the transition possible.
One of the most significant moments in the ministry came during a pastors' conference in 2007. There, Pastor Rian met a man named Luis Neely. He asked him what book of the Bible he should teach next. His response was simple: "The old-fashioned Chuck Smith way—Old Testament on Wednesday nights, New Testament on Sundays. Start in Genesis, finish Revelation, and then start over."
He left that conference with a renewed passion for God's Word and a commitment to return to the basics. He desired to become the best pastor-teacher he could be—not through gimmicks, personalities, or programs, but by faithfully teaching the Scriptures. The goal became simple: no excuses, no special dynamics, no striving for perfection, popularity, or performance—just teaching God's Word as He has revealed it through Scripture and through the experiences of life and family.
Like everyone else, the journey has included trials, temptations, victories, and defeats. Yet through every season, God has remained faithful. He and his wife have been blessed to minister alongside family and friends, serving whoever the Lord brings their way through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now, after more than twenty years of ministry, he can honestly say that with the help of countless faithful men and women of God, and should the Lord tarry, we believe we are just getting started.