Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Freyder.
Hi Drew, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In 2018, my wife and I felt the Lord’s urge to step out of our current career. It was a step of obedience without any further instructions beyond it. As a single-income home, you can imagine the magnitude of the decision. Nonetheless, we both knew it was God’s next step for us and we stepped out in trust. We took about three months to seek what God would instruct next before agreeing God was calling us to launch a church in Salisbury. Since there are many great churches, we sought an audience with their leadership only to be encouraged and affirmed in this endeavor.
So in August of 2018, we announced our vision to launch a church beginning January 27, 2019. For the next six months, we cast vision daily to different size audiences — from 1 on 1 to interest meetings of 35, then 35, then 105. Then, on Jan 27, 2019, we launched our first Sunday experience with the help of the launch team exceeding 120 members. Together, we transformed a theater into a church arriving each Sunday at 6am and tearing it all back down before the noon showing. That first Sunday saw 555 people attend our portable church with another 25 people making decisions to give their life to Jesus in the Salisbury Regal Cinema’s largest theater. Since that time, the church has consistently grown, strengthened, and served our city. In July of 2023, we took our next milestone step moving into our current permanent space occupying 25,000 sq ft of the old Gander Mountain building across the street from the Regal Cinema. Today the church has a membership of over 900, serves the city outside the walls of the church monthly, has an accredited Theological College, and a youth ministry reaching 140 middle and high school students weekly.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As with anything moving in the right direction, ebbs and flows are inevitable. One of the larger ones was the Covid epidemic occurring only 13 months after our first Sunday experience. We had great momentum before the world shut down. But as a portable church, we quickly pivoted to online, quality streaming services on Sundays, frequent “city serves” throughout the pandemic, and resuming gatherings outdoor the front of Regal while simultaneously streaming an excellent-quality online option all from a cellular, wireless modem. The Dream Team — a term we use to describe our weekly volunteers — truly was a dream using their talents and time to present the greatest Lift in life, Jesus Christ to as many as possible.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our vision at LiFT Church is to reach until all of Delmarva know they are LiFTed by Jesus, to be LiFTers of Jesus, to LiFT others for Jesus. We affectionately shorten that with the phrase, “He LiFTs, I LiFT, We LiFT.” It focuses our mission and spiritual progression. Another fun fact is our lower case “i” is a reminder of John 3:30, “He must increase and I must decrease.” In other words, if we will remain humble, God will lift everything in and around our lives.
I’m most proud of our Dream Team. We believe God has put gifts and abilities in everyone’s lives and we experience the greatest fulfillment in life when we use them to build something that’ll last — something eternal. Our Dream Team use these gifts weekly to build the Kingdom of God. Over 110 Dream Teamers serve each Sunday and rotate out weekly with others so no one carries too heavy a load alone. This team serves in local missions outreaches, prayer, worship, media, children’s ministry, hospitality, parking ministry, first impressions, small group leadership, and facility cleaning to name a few. They are real lifters in the Kingdom!
What were you like growing up?
I grew up outside of New Orleans, Louisiana going to a private Catholic school throughout elementary grades. I moved outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana attending public school from then on. About the time I could drive, I decided I wasn’t going to church anymore since I was bored and struggling to gain anything from it nor could I pay attention. I remember praying to God, “I believe you’re real, but I’m not sure what type of church to go to. So for now I quit, but I believe in You.”
I was gifted musically and found a group of people I felt at home with playing music in barrooms since I was 14 years old. By the time I went to college at LSU, I was a bassist and manager of a band touring colleges and clubs from Texas to Georgia. I found it gave me identity as well as fulfillment, but a type that didn’t last much longer than a momentary high before needing something more to satisfy again. I later learned I wouldn’t find a fulfillment in anything other than Jesus Christ who loves me as his child irregardless of performance.
During those college years, I had a friend invite me to church where I heard the gospel of Jesus presented in a way that I could understand and I wanted. I bowed my knee on that August 21st in 2002 and have served God every since as the Lord of my life. I finished my undergrad bachelors degree in business management from LSU and later earned a masters degree in Ministry of leadership from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. As of today, I’ve been in full-time ministry for 24 years.
The second greatest gift in my life short of redemption in Jesus is meeting my wife in 2003. She has a passion for the Lord, a calling to ministry, and a love for people that makes it a joy to do ministry with since our marriage in 2005. Together serving in ministry, we moved to Maryland in 2008. We have three beautiful girls. I’m convinced I wouldn’t have any of these amazing gifts without the grace of God.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LiFTchurch.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liftchurchsby
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiFTChurchSBY
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/liftchurch
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lift-church-salisbury?osq=lift+church
