Meet Our Leaders

Our pastoral and leadership team is dedicated to guiding our congregation with wisdom, compassion, and a passion for God’s Word.

Each leader is committed to nurturing the spiritual and personal development of our members.

BISHOP GUTZMER’S BIOGRAPHY

Bishop Dr. Selvin Carl Gutzmer is the embodiment of the Christian Dream; a visionary and charismatic leader who facilitates the movement of people toward a common shared goal.

He is a Pioneer with the ability to adapt and develop in the face of change. He is

committed, steadfast, and consistent in community vision; a Spiritual Revolutionist with a proven ability of planning, organizing, coordinating, and delegating. His objective is to establish holistic ministries and help people discover and develop their calling and

potential in Christ. His ultimate goal and ambition as a Christian leader is to bring more people onto the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and into effective, exemplary Christian leadership.

Spiritual Pilgrimage

Selvin Carl Gutzmer was born in Saint Andrew, Jamaica, on January 9, 1957, to the late Harold and Lillian Gutzmer. As a boy, he attended the Cockburn Penn Primary, the Haile Selassie Junior Secondary, and the Ardenne High School in Kingston, Jamaica.

He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord while in high school, and during his senior year, he became president of the intersecondary school Christian fellowship group. He committed his life and the leadership skills he had been given to voluntary service in his local church for a season. Since then, he had sought to prepare himself for greater service through formal and informal studies over the years.

Reverend Gutzmer pastored the Port Maria Evangelistic Center from October 1979 to December 1980 and the Mandeville Evangelistic Center from December 1980 to April 1988. In July 1988, he founded the first branch of Faith Assembly Ministries Incorporated, located in Spice Grove, Manchester. Throughout the years, other Churches were established under his leadership.

On April 1, 1990, Reverend Gutzmer became a Licensed Minister at Faith Assembly Ministries in Mandeville, Jamaica, and was Elevated and Consecrated as Bishop on April 8, 1993. Bishop Dr. Gutzmer received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in April 1997 from the

New Hope Bible College in Baltimore, Maryland, in Pastoral Ministry and Christian Leadership.

Evangelism & Outreach

Bishop Gutzmer has initiated and mobilized churches within the island of Jamaica for soul winning and the spreading of the gospel by means of an island wide motorcade which incorporated over 3000 districts and communities within a year (The Gospel Train Initiative, 1993 to 1994) he organized food distribution to needy families, coordinated back to school relief projects, planned and led discipleship training and leadership training study groups and founded and directed the Ministry’s first preschool (Ballynure Christian Academy, 1990 to present).

With a passion to develop the lives of young people, Bishop Gutzmer has served as resource person for youth activities and Youth Council, assisted in planning and leading youth retreats, summer camps, planned and led parent-teen workshops, initiated and orchestrated the launch of the youth/teen marching band for community youth and teens (Golden Eagle Marching Band, 1992 to present)

On October 15, 2001, he was granted A Meritorial award by MCDC for twenty-one (21) years of unbroken service to the community in the field of Religion.

Community Associations and Affiliations

Bishop Dr. Selvin Carl Gutzmer has been involved in community and social work in the island of Jamaica and overseas. Some of his involvements included being the Religious Affairs Coordinator for the Manchester Cultural Development Commission Committee, Youth Trust Committee Member for the Social Development Commission, Disaster Preparedness Committee Officer for the Manchester Parish Council, and a Columnist for the “Dear Bishop” column in the Real News newspaper.

In 2010, he joined the Independent Churches of Jamaica (ICJ), where he currently serves as one of the Vice Presidents. He also serves as one of the Vice Presidents for the Redemption Faith Ministries International (RFMI) located in Toronto, Canada.

With his commitment to servant leadership, he strives to proclaim the Good News of God’s love to help others encounter Him, and to lead them in a fervent walk as ambassadors for Christ in the Kingdom of God in this end time. Bishop S.C. Gutzmer has committed his life to serving and helping every person, regardless of background, status, or origin, to achieve their fullest potential.

Service is the return one gives for one’s existence. The world cannot stand in the way of a person who knows where he or she is going.

Personal

Bishop Dr. Carl Gutzmer enjoys playing cricket and football as well as studying international and national issues. He is married to Reverend Frauline D. Jones-Gutzmer, and the union produced two wonderful children, Simeon and Sherith.