 Jeff Falkowski
Senior Minister
Trinity Church Welcomes New Senior Pastor
Most people who knew Jeff Falkowski when he was a junior at the University of Georgia thought he had everything he wanted from life. He belonged to a well-known fraternity, had lots of friends, a great social life and, as an international business major, his opportunities seemed unlimited.
“But something was missing,” Falkowski said. “I felt an emptiness inside.”
All those years ago, he recalls, “I prayed, ‘God if you’re real show yourself to me.’ God did,” he adds with a broad smile, “in a real and powerful way, He came into my life and changed it.”
Today, at 38, he is starting another new God-guided chapter in his life: senior pastor for Trinity Evangelical Church in Marble Hill.
Falkowski now knows exactly what was missing from his life during those college years. And, he hopes to share with others the knowledge and happiness he’s gained along his personal journey from college student to committed Christian.
Choosing a different path
Falkowski was a junior in college when he first made his decision. He finished school but, all the time, knew he wanted to see the Gospel make an impact on people’s lives. After graduation he landed a great job and was on the executive “fast track” but sensed something was missing.
“I was slated for an advanced management position but still felt that I was walking down the wrong path,” he explains.
He left the business world to work at the Church of the Nations in Athens. During his time as youth pastor, the number of active students participating in the program increased fourfold. As missions pastor he led teams to Mexico, Nicaragua, and China, and even set up a weekly basketball Bible study for inner-city kids in Athens. Along the way he attended the Reform Theological Seminary and received his Master of Divinity degree from Bethel Seminary.
His life took another amazing twist when he met and married a lovely young woman named Gwen.
“After just six days, I knew she was the one,” he said with a grin. “I proposed and we considered ourselves engaged –unofficially, that is, until I talked to her father.”
They were married six months later and now have three children: ten-year-old Joshua, eight-year-old Lauren, and Noelle Marie, who will be four in August. And, he adds, Roxie, a Shiba Enu mix adopted from an Atlanta animal shelter.
From Atlanta to Marble Hill
On Sunday May 4, Pastor Falkowski began his service at Trinity, trading his position as Director of Discipleship in Atlanta’s 2,800-member Church of the Apostles to lead the little church on the hill, just outside the gates of Big Canoe. He is looking forward to getting to know the congregation and planting family roots in the rugged mountain terrain of north Georgia.
Building on the firm foundation retiring pastor Dr. George Callahan crafted over the last four years, Falkowski wants to reach out to the community, to tell them he is delighted to have a ministry and life here and to encourage folks to drop in on Sunday mornings.
“I believe,” he says, glancing around the fellowship room at Trinity, “church is a place where people can find peace in a chaotic and confusing world.”
He is well prepared for his new task. During his eight years at the Church of the Apostles, he served as director of missions then director of discipleship. He worked with more than 100 small groups, managed Adult Bible classes, developed a Young Families’ Ministry and began what he describes as a men’s fellowship focused on “winning at work and at home.”
Settling in
Falkowski is enthusiastic about his opportunity as senior pastor at Trinity, a small, young, non-denominational church that has grown from a handful of founders to almost 150 members.
The church building, once a sprawling ranch-style house, has grown too, knocking out walls and adding on to accommodate—barely—new members from Jasper, Bent Tree, and neighborhoods in Pickens and Dawson counties.
Quite a change from the magnificent Church of the Apostles complex along side thundering traffic on Interstate -75 to the two-laned Steve Tate Highway meandering from Highway 53 to the stop sign at route 136.
But, Falkowski would like his new neighbors and congregation to know, “I’m just a real person with a wonderful wife and three great kids we’re trying to raise in an uncertain world.”
Joshua plays basketball and, says Falkowski, “is pretty good at piano. He’s been taking lessons for three years. He’s an avid reader, always has his nose in a book and loves anything to do with biology.”
Lauren plays basketball and softball. ”She also took cheerleading last year,” he adds, “but will probably go for flag football if we can find it this year.”
Noelle is the family’s bundle of joy. “There is not a person she can’t charm,” he says. “She likes to kick soccer balls, so we will probably sign her up for soccer the next chance we get.”
Gwen, his wife, is into nutrition and has been taken classes at Georgia State from time-to-time. “She knows how to make healthy food taste good!” he adds.
Families face similar issues
He asks himself the same questions parents around the world ponder: “How can I raise my kids and be a good husband? How do I guide my kids to be strong in character and make a difference in their communities?”
With all the pressures in life today, he says, “young families now have so much going on. School and activities for the kids, work, family obligations, even car pools –they all compete for precious little time.” He is sensitive to the issues and stress young families face.
“I want people to know that if they worship at Trinity, it won’t be a waste of time.” He promises “to preach biblically-grounded messages that appeal to the heart as well as the mind.”
At home in the mountains
He is familiar with living in the north Georgia mountains. In addition to raising a beautiful daughter, Falkowski is quick to point out, his in-laws once owned a house in Bent Tree where he and his wife and children spent wonderful weekends.
“Our family loves camping and hiking in the mountains. We really enjoy the natural beauty that’s found all over this region.” Many times he took kids from the Youth Ministry camping and hiking to give them a chance to experience the peace and serenity of nature.
The Falkowski family intends to rent a home in the area until their current home in Cobb County is sold. “Then we hope to buy or maybe build,” he adds.
He loves sports and, as our interview winds down, asks directions to the Wildcat sports complex so he can check out the soccer fields for Noelle.
Pictured Above: Jeff and Gwen Falkowski and family
Reprinted with permission of Smoke Signals
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