Pastor Bill’s Testimony
Pastor
Bill Marinelli felt the call of God from an early age. He was miraculously healed of typhoid fever
and gave his heart to Jesus at the young age of 12. He began to preach when he was 13. This would be the start of his life-long commitment to preach the
Word. He was raised in the Methodist
Church and began to minister locally, but God had something bigger in store for
his life. After high school graduation,
he attended Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, OK, where he studied under
the anointed teaching of Kenneth E. Hagin.
This would open the door to a whole new life of faith and the Word of
God for him.
He returned to Ohio Valley with this “new” message of faith and held
revivals and several city crusades. God
called him to start and pastor a church that would preach the uncompromised
Word of God. (II Timothy 4:2) God led him to establish Faith Fellowship
Church (Marinelli Ministries, Inc.) in Bellaire, OH, to be the bodybuilding
center of the Ohio Valley. The first
service was held on September 11, 1980.
Since that time Faith Fellowship Church has reached out with the Word of
God in many ways such as Sunday morning and evening services, Thursday Evening
Word Study, Children’s Church, Youth Group, and Faith Fellowship Teaching
Center. There have also been radio, TV,
and music festival outreaches. Faith
Fellowship Teaching Center was started in 1981 as a nine-month, non-accredited
school designed to equip the body of Christ for ministry within the local
church. Pastor Bill authored the book, Placed
in Right Standing in 1989 to help new Christians understand their
salvation.
In 1990, the church began its mission outreach with two trips to the Soviet Union. Since then, trips have been made to Haiti, England, the Appalachian Mountains, Costa Rica, and yearly trips to Mexico to help build a church. Most members of the congregation have made at least one trip on the mission field. A-24 Prayer Line was also established to connect people with the help they need from God at 740-676-1500. The church has moved to several locations in Bellaire over the years from an old dry cleaner’s to an auto-body shop to our present location. God has provided a new building each time to better serve the needs of the church and His kingdom. However, Pastor Bill has never forgotten the small beginnings.
Pastor Bill plays the guitar and does lead vocals for the worship at each with the band Blood-Bought. The band has traveled to other churches, prisons, and Christian music festivals and has recorded several CD’s. Pastor Bill teaches the Word of God with power that continues to build the body of Christ.
Pastor Pam Marinelli joined Faith Fellowship Church in December 1980. She was a graduate of the charter class of Faith Fellowship Teaching Center. She has been instrumental in the development of many of the outreach ministries such as the Ladies Fellowship, the Word Shop Bookstore, and the Coventant Hands Food Pantry Ministry. She has been Assistant Pastor since 1990 and is the director and an instructor at Faith Fellowship Teaching Center. She also works as a counselor and teacher in the church. Pastor Pam is an important part of the ministry at Faith Fellowship Church. She and Pastor Bill were married in 2004.