WHAT is Personal Freedom Outreach?
Personal Freedom Outreach is a
non-profit, non-denominational group with three goals: to educate
Christians about the dangers and heretical doctrines of religious
cults, to use the Gospel of Jesus Christ to reach members of
those cults and to warn Christians of unbiblical teachings within
the church itself.
WHEN was PFO founded?
PFO was founded by M. Kurt Goedelman in 1975, when it published its first tracts on the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Later, additional tracts, books and audio-visual materials were published on the Watchtower Society, Mormonism, The Way International, The Unification Church and other cultic groups and teachings.
In 1981, PFO began publishing a quarterly newsletter. In 1988, it became known as The Quarterly Journal. This periodical (which is mailed in the U.S. to those who help to financially support the work of PFO with an annual gift of $25 or more) carries articles and editorials on current cult-related topics, errant teachings within Christianity, book reviews, personal testimonies and brief news items on cult matters.
During the 1980s, PFO
established corporate offices in other states, including
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Arizona. In 1985, Goedelman entered the
PFO ministry full time, in order to better meet the demands that
this ministry was placing on him.
WHY was PFO founded?
PFO was founded to provide
Christians with material to help them know why they believe what
they believe. Only then can they fully defend their faith when
confronted by a Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon or other cultist.
WHERE is PFO located?
PFO can be contacted at:
Personal Freedom Outreach
P.O. Box 26062
Saint Louis, MO 63136-0062
(314) 921-9800
For prompt delivery of witnessing tracts,
books or other resource materials, please send your order to the above address,
or phone the above number.
HOW does PFO do it?
It isn’t easy. This
ministry does not draw its sole support from any individual
church, denomination or other religious group. PFO derives its
money strictly from tax-deductible donations from individuals and
through the sale of its resource materials.
WHO works at PFO?
Officers:
James Bjornstad —
PFO’s Ohio director is
professor of philosophy at Cedarville College. He is a recognized
scholar and author in the field of cults, the occult and
apologetics. Jim has spent nearly 40 years in religious research.
He and his wife, Becky, reside in Cedarville, Ohio.
Joan C. Cetnar —
Director of PFO’s Pennsylvania
office, is a former Jehovah’s Witness. Her husband, Bill,
served as a PFO Director until his death in November 1991. Along
with her late husband, Joan has co-authored several works on the
Christian response to Jehovah’s Witnesses. She lives in
Kunkletown, Pennsylvania.
G. Richard Fisher —
The senior researcher/writer for The
Quarterly Journal. Dick is a member of PFO’s Board of Directors. He
served as pastor of Laurelton Park Baptist Church in Bricktown, N.J., for over
40 years, from 1968 until his retirement in June 2009. He also was part of the
teaching staff at Central Jersey Bible Institute for over three decades, where
he had served as Dean of the school. He resides Dillsburg, Pa., with
his wife, Carol.
Gary E. Gilley —
Pastor, for over three decades, of the Southern View Chapel in Springfield,
Illinois, where he lives with his wife Marsha. Gary is also the author of three books, “I
Just Wanted More Land,” Jabez, This Little Church
Went to Market, and This Little Church Stayed Home, and is
a frequent writer for The Quarterly Journal.
M. Kurt Goedelman —
PFO’s founder and executive
director, and his wife, Angela, oversee PFO’s ministry
operations in the St. Louis office. Kurt and Angela began PFO in 1975 and
currently handle much
of the ministry’s office responsibilities and production of its resource materials and
publications.
Robert L. Griffin —
Appointed as a PFO director in 2002, Bob served as
pastor of Parker Road Baptist Church in Florissant, Mo., from 1992 until 2004.
He earned his Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Bob also served as the Executive Director of Bible Memory Association
International from 1977-1989.
Keith A. Morse —
Keith is PFO’s vice-president and
serves on our Board of Directors. Since the inception of our newsletter in 1981,
Keith has been our
editor and is responsible for editing all the material that appears in The
Quarterly Journal. He and his wife, Beth, reside in
Aurora, Colo.
David M. Tyler —
David has been a PFO director since
2002, and has pastored churches in Illinois and South Carolina.
He holds a B.A. in Theology, a M.A. in Pastoral Ministry, and a
Ph.D. in Biblical Counseling, all from Trinity Theological
Seminary in Newburgh, Ind. David is Director of the Gateway
Biblical Counseling and Training Center located in Fairview
Heights, Ill.
Board of Reference:
PFO also has a Board of Reference, people who are sources of ideas and research documentation. They are:
Dr. Jay E. Adams —
World-known lecturer at ministerial
congresses, has authored over 60 publications including The
Christian Counselor’s Manual. Dr. Adams is the
founder and former pastor of the Harrison Bridge Associate
Reformed Presbyterian Church and lives in Enoree, South Carolina.
Dr. Norman L. Geisler —
Co-founder and President of
Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, Norm
is the renown author or co-author of over 45 apologetic and
theological works, including When Cultists Ask,
When Critics Ask, and When
Skeptics Ask.
Dr. Ron Rhodes —
Founder and president of Reasoning from the
Scriptures Ministries, a Frisco, Texas-based apologetic ministry. He is the
author of over forty works, including The Complete Guide to Christian
Denominations and the heralded Reasoning from the Scriptures
with... series. Ron holds a Th.M. and a Th.D. from Dallas
Theological Seminary.
About this Web Site
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