Pastor Travis P. Glatterbackground ∙ statement of belief
Greetings!
Let me introduce myself! My name is Travis and I have been pastor at the First Baptist Church in South Berwick since August of 2003. My wife, Mari, and I have been married almost 15 years. We have three children: Ella, Timothy, Sarah. Here they are from a few years ago helping me to share two parables.
I grew up in Cumberland, Maine. I attended church regularly and enjoyed the experience, but did not become a believer in Jesus Christ until college, when I began attending a freshman Bible study through the ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. As I pursued a B.S., then M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Maine, I also I enjoyed serving in a variety of student leadership positions with InterVarsity. During this period I experienced the joys of ministering to others and grew in my understanding of God, his love, and how he desires all of his followers to know him, serve him, and share him.
Many other things happened while at the University of Maine. I began attending a little church in Levant (now Harvest Chapel), and also met my wife, Mari. Though I was baptized at the age of 14, I knew that I was not a believer in Jesus Christ at the time. When asked by my pastor, I decided to be baptized again to show my commitment to my Lord, Jesus Christ.
Mari and I left for Laurel, Maryland in 1996 so that I could begin my engineering career with the Westvaco Corporation (now Mead-Westvaco). I served as a research engineer at this paper company for three years. We also found great joy from serving at Faith Baptist Church in Laurel. Though I knew that I would always be very involved with church and Christian ministry, I had not seriously considered professional ministry. Ella and Timothy were both born in Maryland.
In early 1999, I shared with Mari that I felt we should consider full-time professional ministry. She informed me that she had been praying about this for the previous six months! In November of 1999 we left to head back to Maine to live for eight months with my parents (thanks mom and dad!) until I began my studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Though we were leaving a good friends, a wonderful job that I loved, and a church that cared for us, we were confident in our career change.
The three years in seminary were wonderful, difficult, and rewarding. We found the environment terrific for raising our (now three) children. We made many friends. Mari and I continued to serve in church (first Wilmington Baptist Fellowship, then the First Baptist Church of Wilmington). By the end of three years we were itching to get out of this excellent but isolated environment, and through a string of God-directed events found ourselves introduced to the people at the First Baptist Church of South Berwick.
During the past two years we have seen a tremendous amount of God-directed growth here in the First Baptist Church of South Berwick. You are welcome to contact me if you have any questions about our church's ministry.
Personal Statement of Belief <<back to top>>
I appreciate Inter-Varsity's statement of belief. I can fully affirm this statement.
We believe in:
The only true God, the almighty Creator of all things,
existing eternally in three persons—
Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit—full of love and glory.
The unique divine inspiration,
entire trustworthiness
and authority of the
Bible.
The value and dignity of all people:
created in God's image to live in love and holiness,
but alienated from God and each other because of our sin and guilt,
and justly subject to
God’s wrath.
Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine,
who lived as a perfect example,
who assumed the judgment due sinners by dying in our place,
and who was bodily
raised from the dead and ascended as Savior and Lord.
Justification by God's grace to all who repent
and put their faith in
Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
The indwelling presence and transforming power of the Holy Spirit,
who gives to all
believers a new life and a new calling to obedient service.
The unity of all believers in Jesus Christ,
manifest in worshiping and witnessing churches
making disciples
throughout the world.
The victorious reign and future personal return of Jesus Christ,
who will judge all people with justice and mercy,
giving over the unrepentant to eternal condemnation
but receiving the
redeemed into eternal life.
To God be glory forever.