Pastor Jason Baumgardner

Jason Baumgardner was born December 4th 1967. His parents are Michael and Joyce Baumgardner and he has two brothers, Darron and Jeremy.  Jason attended Lake Gibson Senior High School in Lakeland Florida.  He carried a 3.8 GPA until his junior year where he then fell into the wrong crowd and developed a drug addiction. In an attempt to get back on track, He enrolled in an adult ed program being offered and graduated from high school during his junior year. He made numerous attempts at employment, but continued to be plagued by addictive behaviors and the lifestyle that accompanied it. His parents were both ordained ministers at this time and served as elders at one of the largest churches in the country, Carpenter's Home Church.

Finally in 1987 Jason decided he had to get away from the crowd that he was so easily entangled by, and in an attempt to become a responsible adult he enlisted in the United States Navy. He excelled in his basic training and was awarded a promotion to E-2 and was able to switch his training to a more skilled job, and subsequently went to "A" school in Dam Neck VA. While in "A" school he again excelled and graduated with honors second in his entire class, and again was offered a promotion to E-3. In just 5 short months he had been moved 3 pay grades. He was offered extensive training while in the Navy. He held certificates for Operations Specialist, Communications, Navel Tactical Data Systems, Shipping Lane Control, Air Radar, Surface Radar, Navigation, Joint Operational Task Force control, ASAC control, Air Traffic control, Harpoon missile launch, and Fire Fighting school. He participated in Teamwork 88, a North Atlantic NATO exercise. He also participated in a Mediterranean tour, an Indian Ocean tour, and was part of operations in the Persian Gulf just prior to the gulf war.

In April of 1988, He married his first wife Tonya who also had a daughter from a previous marriage. After returning from the duty in The Persian Gulf, Jason again became disillusioned and began to drank quite heavily. His very short marriage had ended in a separation before the end of 1988. In January of 1989 the ship he was assigned to ran aground causing extensive damage to the hull and screws. The ship was sent to dry dock in Pascagoula MS. During this period of Jason's life he developed a severe addiction to alcohol and consequently sought counseling through the United States Navy. With his life in shambles and his marriage destroyed he opted out of the US Navy on a hardship. He received an Honorable discharge from The United States Navy and returned to his home town of Lakeland FL. From July of 1989 until December of 1990 Jason's life spiraled out of control, from late night clubbing, illicit sex, alcoholism, drug abuse, illegal activity, a dis-regard for authority and a deep self loathing and hatred towards himself.

On December 30th 1990 at a friend's birthday party, Jason became extremely intoxicated and at approximately 2:30 am decided he was going to go to the liquor store to buy more alcohol. However he did not have any transportation and there was no one at the party foolish enough to give him the keys to any vehicle. Being drunk and enraged by the fact he could not get a vehicle, he decided he would walk to the liquor store. On the way he passed by an impound yard for the city of Lakeland Police department. He later said that he knew all of the cars in there had the keys in the ignitions. He proceeded to jump the fence, get in the first available car and crash through the gate. He then drove back to the party to collect some cash for the liquor store run and left. When he came around the corner, the entire street was road blocked by Polk County Sheriff's deputies. Jason accelerated trying to drive through the road block and crashed into a police cruiser injuring a deputy a totaling the car he was driving. He was arrested that night and taken to the hospital, then released and booked into Polk county jail. He was charged with 6 felonies and 3 misdemeanors. The charges included Grand Theft Auto, Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Battery on a Law Enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, Assault on a Law Enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, Resisting Arrest with violence,  and then the misdemeanors.

Upon being booked into Polk County jail, Jason began to take a hard look at his life. He had grown up in the church and had always believed there was a God. He just didn't think God cared about his life. after a few days of soul searching he reached out for help. A gentleman who was a friend of his parents and also had connections with a program called Teen Challenge went to visit Jason. Later that evening Jason asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into his heart. He prayed for an answer concerning his court case. His public defender advised him that he would be going to prison and there was not much she could do about it. Jason knew that this was the reality of his situation and it was very well deserving. He knew that he had to be responsible for the pain and hurt that he had caused others.  Jason was determined to leave it with God.  As he was praying one night in jail, he felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to trust God that he would not go to prison for his crimes. Jason just began to thank God that he was working on his behalf, within 3 days he was released from jail on his on recognizance pending a trail. The judge had previously ordered that he could not be released, and his bail was very extensive. His court case lasted eleven months while the district attorney and his public defender negotiated for a plea bargain. December 13th 1991 Jason was sentenced, he received two years of house arrest, eight years of probation, community service, 6 months at a treatment center, and to repay thousands of dollars of restitution.

From the time he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ to the time he was sentenced, eleven months had passed. During this time Jason became very involved in his own recovery and began to attend services at Carpeneter's Home Church, where he started volunteering in the youth ministry under the direction of Pastor Rusty Nelson.  Jason, never used drugs or became intoxicated again after being released from jail. When he was sentenced on December of 1991, he moved to West Palm Beach to attend the Regeneration Center, a christian drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. Again Jason excelled in his application to learning. He also had been sober and clean for twelve months upon his arrival to the Regeneration Center, but because of his sentencing guidelines he would need to graduate. Within one month he had already mastered the six month curriculum at the program and began taking classes to obtain his Certified Addictions Professional license, (CAP). After his second month, a position opened up at the treatment facility for an educational director, although he had no experience in counseling the director recognized an incredible aptitude for teaching. In February 1992, Jason became a full time employee of the Regeneration center of West palm Beach.  One month later he would meet his future wife Kimberly Seaver.  After serving at the regeneration center through the end July 1992,  Jason moved back to Lakeland to serve with his father who had just planted a church in Highland City, Florida. There he completed his studies to become a licensed ministered.

On March 27th 1993 Jason and Kim were married in his father's church. He and Kim moved to Hobe Sound, Fl in December of 1993 to take care of her ailing Grandfather. In 1994 Kim's Biological Cousin Michael who was five years old, moved into the home with Jason and Kim. Jason completed his house arrest one year early for good behavior, paid all his restitution by 1995 and was released from probation that same year for good behavior. In 1996 he and Kimberly adopted her cousin Michael. Also in December of 1995 they purchased a home in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.  Jason partnered with his former director from the Regeneration Center and started a drug rehab in Stuart, Florida. He resigned from there and became the volunteer youth pastor for Church of the Redeemer in Feb 1996. He served almost two years there, under Pastor Jacob Eige. A close friend of Jason's from West Palm Beach was given the opportunity to pastor a church in Port Saint Lucie, Jason was asked to come be a home cell pastor at the church. Jason's income however came from his job as an insurance adjuster for Crawford and Company, which lasted for a year. In 1997 Jason went to Tallahassee Florida and had all of his civil rights restored by then Governor Lawton Chiles. In late 1998 Jason started his own landscaping company "A Total Landscape Concept" The company grew and had numerous employees.
In 1999 the pastor of Church of the Redeemer resigned and the board of directors offered the job to Jason's father. Jason's Father accepted the position, and at that point Jason and Kim returned to Church of the Redeemer, where Jason became youth pastor and worship Leader for the church. He and his wife also conducted children's church. These were all volunteer positions. Jason became an ordained minister in August of 2002.

Jason's business was growing, however he and Kim felt like they had been called to full time ministry. A job opening became available at Christ Family Fellowship for youth pastor in Port Saint Lucie. In June of 2003 Jason and Kim made the move to full time employment in ministry and moved to Christ Family Fellowship to serve under Pastor Gerry Khourie. They served there for two and a half years. In November of 2005 Jason's father asked him to come back to his church of which the name had been changed from Church of the Redeemer to Christian fellowship Alive. Jason was offered a paid position and the opportunity to become the executive pastor. Kimberly and Jason were released and blessed out from Christ Family Fellowship and received back to his father's church in November of 2005. In 2005 Jason closed his landscape business. He and Kim decided they would try there hand at the housing market and began to buy homes with the intention of flipping them for extra income.

Jason and Kimberly both assumed operational control of Christain Fellowship Alive and the newly formed Golden Rule Academy. Kimberly was hired to be the principal. Jason became the project manger for the construction of a four thousand square foot youth facility on the property and saw it to completion. The school expanded and flourished under Kimberly. In the summer of 2008 during the housing crisis the church came under extraordinary financial pressure. In an attempt to save the school, the school was transferred to the newly formed Ignite Your World Inc. Founded By Jason Baumgardner. The school moved it's location to Palm Vista Church of God for the 08/09 school year. During that time, the housing investments Jason and Kimberly made were lost and they both subsequently filed for bankruptcy. However, the school was doing very well. During the time Jason and Kim moved the school, Jason started a Saturday evening worship service that he pastored at Palm Vista Church of God. In Feburary Jason's Father contacted Jason about his retirement as senior pastor of Christain Fellowship Alive, and offered the pastorship to Jason. Kimberly and Jason both believed they had heard from God and returned once again to the church but this time as the senior pastor.
In March of 2009 both fellowships joined together to form the newly reorganized church now known as Truth Church. His father still serves in the church and speaks from time to time, his mother teaches 3 grade in the school that she founded in 2004 which was relocated to the church property for the 09/10 school years.

Jason has been serving as senior pastor of Truth Church since it's inception, He is the president of Ignite Your World Inc and also serves as the President of Christian Fellowship Alive Ministries Inc. He serves as a director on a Family Counseling board, and as an advisor to Women's Aglow. Jason is an extrordinary speaker and very gifted in communicating the heart of Father. Jason has numerous accomplishments and has been instrumental in the lives of thousands of teenagers and adults across the United States.  He has been used by God in the gift of healing and has seen many supernatural manifestations of healing miracles. He has been a voice for abstinence education, and through his testimony he has helped hundreds with addiction issues. He and his wife have been speakers at CFO camps, youth camps, and his own camp which he ran from 2004 through 2007 called oasis south. Jason and Kim also run the 10 week summer camp called G-Force summer camp in Fort Pierce. He is currently working on his Bachelors in Theology. Jason and Kim both serve as foster Parents in Saint Lucie County and have just adopted their new born daughter Jessie who was born in October 2010. He generally speaks every Sunday and Wednesday evening at Truth Church unless he is traveling and speaking around the country.