When eight-year-old Emma was sent to her room after an argument with her sister, she sat and felt the weight of her sin. Then she understood what she had always heard in church and AWANA. While we were sinners, Christ died for us. She trusted in Jesus as her Savior and her family rejoiced! As a teen she started working in the summers at Victory Valley Camp which really helped her grow and live as a Christian. She also met her husband, Josiah, at Victory Valley Camp.
Josiah grew up in church. His family had been a part of a Sovereign Grace church plant in Shillington, PA for a time. He trusted Jesus as His Savior at a young age and also grew in the Lord while working at Victory Valley Camp where he served for seven summers. Over his summers there he served as a junior staff member, counselor, ropes course coordinator, leadership team, and the first ever media coordinator.
While he was a teenager, his family started attending Trinity BFC in Blandon, PA. Josiah and Emma met at Victory Valley Camp, fell in love, and got married in October 2025.
PREPARING TO SERVE
During the 2024-2025 school year, Josiah was in his senior year at Kutztown University. He appreciated the education he received there, but even more so he appreciated the time he spent with Disciplemakers learning to lead Bible studies and worship. The leadership opportunities led him to pray about how he would serve the Lord after graduation. At the same time, after graduating from Faith Christian Academy in Quakertown, PA, Emma served in the Victory Valley Camp Internship Gap Year Program hosting retreat and rental groups and continuing to learn how to depend on God as she served Him.
PRAYING FOR GUIDANCE
One night Josiah was spending dedicated time in prayer asking the Lord where He wanted him and Emma to attend church and serve him once they were married. The next morning he woke to a text from friend Steve Meitzler who told Josiah about the Kutztown Bible Fellowship Church which was in the process of closing and the plans that Redeemer BFC in Topton had to plant a new church in Kutztown. Josiah felt very clearly that this was the answer to his prayer. Emma agreed that this was the Lord’s guidance.
CORE GROUP RESOURCE TEAM
Josiah and Emma started attending the Core Group Resource Team meetings with Church Planter Shawn Rohrbach. The Core Group Resource Team consists of people who are interested in praying for and planning for the church plant. They may or may not go on to be on the Core Group Launch Team which consists of those who commit to launch, attend, and serve the Mission Church as it gets started. Emma and Josiah decided to be part of the Core Group Launch Team. They are the youngest adult members of the Core Group Launch Team. Emma said, “it’s a new thing to take initiative and share ideas during the team meetings, but it’s a joy to get to know the group of people and to prayerfully make plans for the Mission Church.”
HOW THEY ARE SERVING
When Heritage Bible Fellowship Church of Kutztown launches in March, Emma will be the Children’s Ministry Leader and Josiah will be assisting with musical worship by playing guitar and singing and will be helping with youth and other ministries as they develop. “I’m really looking forward to seeing the Mission Church project go from square one to blooming. I like looking back to see how God makes things grow and seeing how He works,” said Josiah.
“I’m looking forward to pouring into the children from the community that will come to the Heritage BFC Mission Church. I’m looking forward to working with others to see the children become little lights and little Christians!” said Emma.
JOINING A MISSION CHURCH?
I asked Emma and Josiah what they would say to anyone who is considering being a part of a church plant.
Right away, Emma said, “DO IT!” She said, “At first, I was hesitant because I was new to the area. I grew up at Faith BFC in Harleysville, PA where my dad, Mike Walker, is a pastor. Josiah and everyone else on the team already lived in Berks County and the Kutztown area, but I was new. It felt like a lot all at once because I’m an introvert so it was overwhelming to get to know new people and a new area. But I stuck with it even though it was hard. Now I’m looking forward to seeing a Bible-rooted church in Kutztown that reaches the community for Christ.” The year-round community is the priority for outreach for Heritage BFC Mission Church. Once the Mission Church is more established then the group will be in a position to intentionally reach the students at Kutztown University.
CALLED TO MAKE DISCIPLES
Josiah encourages those considering joining a church plant to pray about it. “We have a mission to make disciples. We aren’t called to be comfortable; we are called to share the gospel and make disciples. That goes for wherever you are. Serve wherever you are. Be active.”
LAUNCHING HERITAGE BFC
As Heritage BFC launches on March 29, Emma and Josiah, Shawn Rohrbach and the Core Group Launch Team join with Church Extension Ministries to see how God will work to bring people to himself through the Mission Church.
If you are in Berks or Lehigh County, it’s not too late to join the Launch Team! If you cannot join in person, you can join in faithful prayer for the Mission Church and the community of Kutztown who needs to know Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Both Emma and Josiah served at Victory Valley Camp on Summer Staff and grew in their faith there. Emma also participated in the Gap Year Internship Program. Find out more about serving on Summer Staff at VictoryValleyCamp.org. Summer missionary staff members must be at least 15 years old.