HAMILTON

For Steve Hamilton, God's calling to ministry was not a dramatic, one-time event. Rather, it began with a very serious commitment to God's will around the age of 19. Ministry to young people and God's Church became his only desire and calling.

Hamilton attended Black Hills Mission College (BHMC) in South Dakota to study evangelism and graduated with an applied ministries degree in 1997. After graduation, Hamilton became the youth pastor in Redding, Calif. Two years later, he accepted the call to serve as youth pastor at the Bakersfield Hillcrest church.

Soon, Hamilton began Shop Night, a time when the youth gathered together to repair and work on their cars and trucks. Shop Night quickly became popular, leading to four-wheeling Sundays and other adventurous activities. Friday nights were Bible study time as the young men and women poured over Scripture and talked late into the night.

Many of these young adults are actively serving the Lord wherever they are. As college spiritual leaders, preachers (one has already preached an evangelistic series in the conference and in Bolivia), youth prayer conference facilitators, task force pastors and active local church members, their enthusiasm and dedication is contagious.

In December 2001, Hamilton married Delinda Snyder, a Bakersfield Bibleworker whom he'd met at BHMC. Their daughter, Katherine Sue Hamilton, was born on April 19, 2004.

During the ordination service, Senior Pastor Yves Monnier led out in a testimony time. For more than 45 minutes, parents, teens, young adults and church members shared personal experiences of how their lives had been impacted by Steve and Delinda's ministry.

"It was a tremendous blessing to see a church affirm their associate pastor, giving very tangible testimonies of how lives have been effective in so many day-to-day practical ways," says Ramiro Cano, conference executive secretary.

Hamilton's goals in ministry are: 1) to be an example of the power of God in a person's life; 2) to be one who loves being a Christian; 3) to have a family that, as Ellen White says, is "a better sermon than all that can be preached from the pulpit;" and, 4) to help prepare a people to stand in the end of time and meet Jesus in heaven.

David Bello

The guest speaker for the June 19 worship service at the Bakersfield Central church was Pastor Rick Kuntz. The occasion was the ordination of Associate Pastor David Bello and Kuntz had been his spiritual mentor since his conversion.

He was born in a Roman Catholic family to Richard and Theresa Bello in 1973 and grew up in Rome, New York. When, at age 20, he began reading the Bible, it was a life-changing experience for this cosmetology business owner.

It came naturally to share what he was learning and experiencing. A handbill in the mail led Bello to his first evangelistic meeting. Following a year of study, he was baptized in 1995. After missionary tours in the Philippines and with the Voice of Prophecy, he began to sense God’s calling to full-time ministry.

Leaving his business, he attended Black Hills Mission College of Evangelism in South Dakota. After graduation, he served as a Bible worker with Doug Batchelor’s team for Net ’97, where he also met Joy Marcussen.

With evangelism in his blood, he then worked with Northern California Conference’s evangelistic team. Later, he sharpened his leadership skills as the outreach director of Weimar College. He and Joy married in December 1998.

The Bellos’ first visited Bakersfield in 1999 when they worked with the summer Literature Evangelism program. Shortly afterward, they received a call and recognized that God was leading them into full-time pastoring.

His love for sharing God’s word is infectious. Giving Bible studies and involving and training church members are among his greatest passions. “By empowering members to grow God’s kingdom, they are also preparing for Christ’s second coming,” he says.

Bello is also is continuing his education through Southwestern Adventist University.

"David is an incredibly gifted worship leader and Bible student,” says Marlan Knittel, senior pastor. "It is such a pleasure to work with someone who manages the day-to-day Bible study interests so well, puts together a seamless worship service and is someone who I would count as a very good friend."

At his ordination service, Bello’s congregation surprised him with a wonderful gift — an executive desk chair — as they affirmed him with words of encouragement and hugs.

With his dedication and commitment to growing God’s kingdom, he won’t be sitting at his desk very often.