Brian Carlisle, pictured at right with Anne, his fiancée, is the senior pastor of Living Hope Christian Fellowship, the GCI congregation in Vienna, Virginia (in the Washington, DC area).
Brian grew up in San Jose, California. He says that his competitive nature led him to become captain of the water polo team in high school, then a member of the rowing team at the University of California, Davis.
In 2007, Brian became a member of GCI. “It was the promotion of a Trinitarian incarnational gospel vision by GCI leaders that led me to want to join.” His interest in Trinitarian theology led Brian to his pastoral role. “I became a pastor in 2009. A phone call from Pastor Tim Brassell in 2008 asking me to consider being a pastoral candidate for where I am today is what led me to consider God’s call to full-time ministry.”
Brian loves to pastor because he loves people. “I have a desire to know people, to allow people to know me, and to know the God who is made known in Jesus Christ. I enjoy offering support for people to ‘see the Son and believe in him.’”
Brian says that he especially enjoys leading Bible studies and “exegeting the various Old and New Testament books within the context of a learning community.”
When asked what he enjoys about being part of GCI, Brian said, “I enjoy the freedom and openness to inquire and seek the truth in all the important matters of life.”
Brian’s personal vision is to tenaciously stand for truth and stand with others to disarm despair with hope. He also has an interest in the twelve ancient anointing oils mentioned in the Bible and, what he terms, “God’s forgotten biblical gift of healing.”
Asked when he feels closest to God, Brian replied, “When I’m seeking to know him through his written word, either alone or with other brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Great to hear from you Brian and what’s happening in your life…happy for you. Hope to see you in Orlando.
Blessings,
Tom
I am so pleased you have joined us in living and sharing the gospel. We miss you and are so looking forward to seeing you in Orlando. God bless you.
Good reading about you Brian. I also strongly believe in healing as perscribed by James in James 5:14-15. I have anointed those who have faith in the healing power of Jesus, as well as being healed of two major illnesses through anointing. Our God is an awsome God!!!!! Love and Happiness my friend.
God bless u, yr fiancee and the church you pastor as you further the gospel in the DC area. Having pastored in that area for 11 yrs we are heartened by the growth of the congregation. Would it be possible to e-mail a copy of the weekly bulletin to us at cfc.k@sbcglobal.net. Thanks. Richard and Joyce Frankel, Christian Fellowship Church Chicago North and Kenosha.
We should not despair, when we see God continuing to draw men to him through Jesus, appreciating how he uses some men to draw other men to him. May God bless all your individual and group efforts to learn more about the God you serve and he whom you want to serve increasingly.