Terry Friesen
Hi, I'm Terry, and I’m the senior pastor of Marsh Creek. I am primarily responsible for the overall leadership of the church and for teaching on Sunday. I have a deep passion to see people come to know Jesus in a personal way, and then to involve Him on a daily basis in their lives.
BASIC STUFF: My wife Carol Anne and I have been married 32 years, meeting in high school, and getting married while still in our teens! We are the proud parents of two children: Tera-Lee our oldest daughter and our son TJ. We are also the proud grandparents of two children: Bethany, our oldest granddaughter, belonging to Tera-Lee, and our grandson, Bauer, belonging to TJ and his wife Ginger.
We moved to Central Chester County in August of 1994 from Western Canada, and started Marsh Creek Church on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1995. In 1999 we moved to Central Florida to start another church, and then in July of 2005 moved back to Central Chester County, being invited to return to Marsh Creek Church as the Senior Pastor. It is great to be back and we really love living in this area.
- EDUCATION: BA in Economics and Business Administration from Brock University in Canada; Master of Divinity with a pastoral major (M.Div.) from Western Evangelical Seminary in Portland, Oregon; and Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership and Church Planting (D.Min.) from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
Interests & Favorites
- PLACES: The Canadian Rockies in winter; the beaches of Florida anytime; Chester County in the fall.
- WHAT'S ON YOUR IPOD: If I owned one, it would be The Cathedral Quartet, Russ Taff, jazz, The Beach Boys, my daughter Tera-Lee
- BOOKS: I am an avid reader - I love books. Books on Leadership and the Missional Church are my current favorites (McManus, Miller, Bennis, Blanchard, Guder, Van Gelder, McLaren). Anything by Ludlum, Cussler, Balducci, Grisham, Silva (may not always be theologically correct, but hey, I like them).
- WHAT DO YOU DVR: CSI (NY), Grey's Anatomy, Schuler, Men in Trees, Gilligan's Island reruns, The Unit, Shark
- SPORT TEAMS: Boston Bruins, Dodgers, Colts (I actually like Dungy - wherever he coaches)
- MOVIES: Back to the Future Trilogy, Star Wars (first three), It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Christmas Carol (1947 version with Alistair Sims), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (I really like Christmas movies), Pink Panther (originals), anything with Steve Martin
- HOBBIES: Spending time with my family, reading, sports (mostly watching them now), spending time in the yard, travel
- DISLIKES: Slow drivers who have no clue what they are doing, people who simply play church
- ODD FACT: My hometown is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- LIFE SCRIPTURE: All of 1 Corinthians 9 - but specifically vs. 22-23: "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
