Rev. Andrew Conway- Lead Pastor
My Story: I grew up in Southwest Florida. As a kid, I had attended several larger churches; churches that had all the things that a teenager would typically look for (a band, a big modern facility and a big youth group). Unfortunately, I never really felt connected at those churches, because as an introvert, I had a hard time introducing myself to new people, and nobody went out of their way to get to know me. Later on, we visited Largo Alliance Church, and it didn’t have many of the things a teen would look for. Although it was mostly older people and they played a lot of hymns, what really drew me there was the fact that the people wanted to get to know me, and the people were glad to see me there!
As a high school student, I wanted to go into Ophthalmology and become an Eye Doctor. This was because I had been legally blind since birth due to a genetic disorder called Ectopia Lentis. I had grown up being told that I’d never be able to drive a car. My life was dramatically changed when I was one of the first teenagers in the world to receive a lens implant surgery. I remember being excited at church because I could actually see the Pastor’s face! However, God redirected my life while I was on a missions trip in Venezuela in 2000. On that trip, I felt God calling to me to full time ministry. I clearly remember God impressing the words of 1 John 2:17 on my heart- “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
At that point, I changed gears and went to Trinity College of Florida, where I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. From that point, I went to Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York, where I completed my Masters of Arts degree in Intercultural Studies. After leaving ATS, I served as an Assistant Pastor at Naples Alliance Church in Naples, FL, where I was ordained with the Christian & Missionary Alliance. It was during that time that my relationship with Anisah developed, and we were engaged. We were married in 2009, and then we moved to Cape Coral, Florida, where I served as the Associate Pastor at Cape Alliance Church. During our time there, we welcomed our first son, Noah.
After serving for three years in the Cape, God led us to Dearborn, where I served as the Associate Pastor for seven years. God grew our family with the addition of Nate, Nehemiah and Nyles. When the Lord led our Senior Pastor and his wife to return to the mission field in West Africa, Fairlane Alliance called me to serve as the Senior Pastor. This was at the onset of the Pandemic, which God brought our church through by His grace.
God has been so faithful to us and to the church family here, and Anisah and I are excited to continue to serve our church and our city together!
My prayer for our church is that God would do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” and that He would be glorified in His church! (Ephesians 3).
A Little More about Me:
Favorite Authors: CS Lewis, HG Wells (science fiction)
Favorite Movies: Star Wars (excluding the prequels of course)
Favorite Things to Do: Playing Guitar, Wrestling with my Boys, Enjoying the Outdoors, Kayaking, Long boarding, Bike riding
Favorite Bands: Sonicflood, Pillar, Kutless, Crowder, Maverick City Music