Freedom Life Church, an Assemblies of God congregation with campuses in Atglen, Bellefonte, and Quarryville, has grown into one of the larger multi-site churches in south-central Pennsylvania. Known for its warm welcome, contemporary worship, and deep investment in the next generation, the church runs a homeschool cooperative, a ministry training school, and a robust children's and youth program alongside its weekly services. Senior Pastors Sam and Michele Masteller lead a vision shaped by three commitments: standing on the truth of God's Word, living in the power of the Holy Spirit, and bringing Jesus into everyday life.
Three Campuses Across South-Central Pennsylvania
Freedom Life Church meets on three campuses spread across south-central Pennsylvania, each with its own setting and personality. The Atglen Campus, located at 789 Gap Newport Pike in Atglen, serves as the home base and houses the church's primary offices, a gymnasium, and a cafe. The Centre County Campus meets at 113 Sunset Acres in Bellefonte, where a growing community of believers gathers in the rolling landscape of central PA. The Lancaster County Campus is a mobile campus that meets at Smith Middle School, 645 Kirkwood Pike, in Quarryville, within the Solanco School District in southern Lancaster County; the church transforms the school environment each Sunday for worship. Across all three locations, Freedom Life describes itself with the same threefold rhythm: standing on the truth of God's Word, living in the power of the Holy Spirit, and bringing Jesus into everyday life.
What Sundays Look Like
Sunday mornings begin at 8:30 AM at both the Atglen and Centre County campuses, with a second service at 10:30 AM. The Lancaster County campus meets once on Sunday at 10:00 AM. Worship services run approximately ninety minutes, and first-time guests are encouraged to arrive about fifteen minutes early, especially if children need to be checked in. The atmosphere is warm and upbeat, with free coffee, contemporary music, and a focus on welcoming newcomers. People dress casually and come as they are. Each service includes a time of worship with parents before elementary-aged children are dismissed to their FL Kids classes. Services are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook for those joining from home, and sermon archives are available through the Freedom Life media page.
The Things Freedom Life Holds To
Freedom Life is affiliated with the Assemblies of God, and its statement of faith reflects both Pentecostal distinctives and broader evangelical commitments. The church teaches that the Bible, in its original writings, is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, and that there is one God eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Salvation is by grace through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not by human effort. Freedom Life practices believer's baptism by full immersion, which the church calls "going liquid," to symbolize death to self and resurrection to new life. The church also teaches the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a distinct empowering experience available to believers, and teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to operate within the church today in harmony with Scripture. The Lord's Supper is observed with bread and grape juice as a time of communion and remembrance. Other doctrines include the physical return of Christ, the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, eternal heaven for believers, and eternal judgment for unbelievers. The statement of faith also teaches that marriage is reserved for one man and one woman, and that human sexuality is to be expressed only within the marriage covenant; sexual behaviors outside this design are described as outside God's intention.
FL Kids: From Infants Through Fifth Grade
Children from birth through fifth grade are welcomed into FL Kids, with programs offered at every campus. Infants, crawlers, and toddlers receive tender care in safe areas designed to give them a first impression of their heavenly Father. Preschoolers participate in fun worship and learning environments that build a solid foundation of faith. Elementary students, after joining their parents for the first portion of the service, are dismissed to age-appropriate classes where they experience biblically based lessons with demonstrations, discussions, and interactive games. The FL Kids team invests in small group relationships with the children, and all volunteers have passed background checks. Special needs of any kind - developmental, allergic, or behavioral - can be flagged at check-in so that teachers can provide appropriate care. Each child receives a unique check-in number at drop-off, and parents are notified on the auditorium screens if a child needs them during the service. The team also produces video lessons and music on a dedicated YouTube playlist for continued learning at home.
Freedom Life Youth on Wednesday Nights
Freedom Life Youth, known as FLY, exists to see a generation anchored in Scripture, empowered by the Spirit, and on mission for Jesus. Middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12 are invited to FLY, which meets every Wednesday night at 7:00 PM at both the Atglen and Centre County campuses. Doors open at 6:30 PM, and the gatherings include high-energy worship, teaching, and small group discussions led by trained adult leaders. Students from several area school districts participate, making FLY a place where they can build friendships and engage with peers who share their faith. Parents can sign up for a texting service to stay informed about events and updates, and follow the ministry on Instagram.
Adults Across Every Season: FLYA, Mighty Men, Flourish
Adults across every stage of life find community at Freedom Life. FLYA, the Freedom Life Young Adults ministry, gathers adults ages 18 to 29 for Pursue Worship Nights and other activities at the Atglen Campus on alternating Tuesday evenings. Mighty Men meets on Monday nights at 7:00 PM at all three locations - doors open at 6:30 PM - for worship, a teaching message, and small group discussions. Flourish is the women's ministry, hosted by Pastor Michele Masteller, and it includes the annual Flourish Conference held each November, a Friday evening and Saturday morning gathering of worship, biblical teaching, and connection. Speakers at past conferences have included Lisa Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, and Noleen Sedra of Echo Church in Sydney, Australia. A community service project is woven into the conference, often supporting local pregnancy resource centers.
Small Groups and the Discipleship Pathway
Small Groups are central to life at Freedom Life. The church runs three semesters each year - winter, spring, and fall - and groups meet in homes, restaurants, online, and at the church. Each group commits to a defined period for biblical study, discussion, prayer, and friendship. Most groups follow a shared teaching, work through discussion questions together, and pray for one another. The Discipleship Pathway is the framework the church uses to walk people from a first decision to follow Jesus toward ongoing maturity. The pathway includes Follow (foundational habits through the First Steps study, small groups, and Spiritual Coaching), Partnership (a three-week course on what it means to belong to the Freedom Life family), Focus (a one-day seminar on discovering and using one's gifts), and Reach (training for sharing one's faith with confidence). First Steps currently meets in the Conference Room during the 8:30 AM service at Atglen, and the church is working to launch similar connection points at its other campuses.
Freedom Academy: A Homeschool Cooperative
Freedom Academy is the church's homeschool cooperative, partnering with parents to offer engaging educational environments for students from Pre-K through twelfth grade. The academy meets at the Atglen Campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays and at the Centre County Campus on Thursdays only. Doors open at 8:45 AM, chapel begins at 9:00 AM, and the school day dismisses at 2:15 PM. Classes are offered a la carte; families register and pay per block and may choose one day a week or two. The academy's stated vision is to cultivate Kingdom greatness through encouragement, education, and discipleship, and its values include God's Word as absolute truth, biblical community, parental partnership, kingdom purpose, intentionality, joy of learning, and critical thinking. The Pre-K program for children ages three and four meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM and costs $890. Registration and facilities fees are $100 per student or $200 per family, with curriculum and instructor fees of $86 per semester per student. Parents are responsible for selecting their child's diploma program, and Freedom Academy courses are not accredited.
Ministry School for Young Leaders
Freedom Life Ministry School is a part-time, two-year discipleship program for students ages 17 to 24, designed to develop grounded, Spirit-filled leaders through hands-on ministry, accredited Bible training, and discipleship. The first year, called "Building Your Foundation," gives students the chance to explore ministry in worship, media and production, events, youth, and children's ministry, while growing in their faith and discovering their purpose. The second year, "Stepping into Ministry and Leadership," is a hands-on leadership track for those who have completed Year One and feel called to influence others. Accredited Bible classes are offered through Destiny Leadership Institute and include Introduction to Bible, Old Testament Survey, Servant Leadership, Christian Foundations, and New Testament Survey. The program runs three days a week during the academic year, with annual tuition of $4,000. Highlights of the program include one-on-one pastoral impartation, internship with ministry leaders, a retreat, the Iron and Embers Conference at Wave Church in Virginia Beach, and a trip to the Museum of the Bible.
Freedom Life Worship and The Freedom Project
Freedom Life Worship, the church's worship ministry, leads worship on Sundays and is known for The Freedom Project, an EP of original songs written and performed by the team and released on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon Music. The team's philosophy is built on three rhythms: engage in worshiping God weekly, enable the genuine pursuit of the Creator, and extend a lifestyle of worship into daily life. The team is led by Worship Pastor Bryar Bullock, with Kyle Hamm leading worship at the Lancaster County campus and Steven Jabco leading at the Centre County campus. Auditions are open to those interested in joining the team.
Missions in Texas, Belize, and Honduras
Freedom Life organizes short-term missions trips to Texas, Belize, and Honduras. In Texas, teams spend a week with Flame of Truth Ministries, which serves missionaries crossing the border into Mexico, completing service projects alongside the ministry. In Belize, Life Ministries hosts the team in Orange Walk for construction projects, including installing a PVC ceiling in a church facility that doubles as a dental clinic, and for hosting a youth conference for local teenagers. In Honduras, the partnership with Legacy of Hope Foundation includes caring for children at the children's home, assisting with staff training, and helping with painting and improvement projects. Pastors and members are invited to sign up for each year's trips through the church's online interest forms.
Courage + Faith and TPUSA Faith
Courage + Faith is a podcast hosted by Senior Pastor Sam Masteller that reinforces a biblical worldview and inspires listeners to rise up and live out their faith. The church also partners with TPUSA Faith, an organization that equips the faith community to be culturally and civically engaged by standing for the biblical values on which the founders of the United States built the nation. The annual Courage Conference brings a slate of high-profile speakers to the Atglen Campus for two days of teaching on worldview, culture, and standing firm in the truth. Featured guests have included Chloe Cole, Tim Barton of WallBuilders, Rob McCoy of GodSpeak Calvary Church, Austin Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel, Brittany Leboeuf, and Pastor Sam himself. Courage Camp, the children's track of the conference, offers intentional, interactive lessons for kids in fifth grade and younger. The church also hosts an annual Night to Honor Israel at the Atglen Campus, a gathering of worship, biblical teaching, and prayer for the peace of Jerusalem, with guests such as Glenn Eshelman of Sight and Sound and Pastor Chris Rue.
House of Refuge: Walking with Mothers
House of Refuge is Freedom Life's pro-life ministry, offering compassion and practical help to women facing unplanned pregnancies. The church holds that every life has purpose and that every child is a blessing, and it partners with pregnancy resource centers in Gap, Lancaster, State College, and Chester County to provide ongoing support and care. The ministry also connects families to foster care and adoption resources, including Bethany Christian Services, Pressley Ridge, COBYS Family Services, Faithful Adoption Consultants, Wait No More, Bethanna, and the PA SWAN program. Post-abortion Bible study is offered for women seeking healing, and families can reach the ministry by email for one-on-one conversation.
The Freedom Life Foundation
The Freedom Life Foundation receives all giving above the tithe to fund the vision of the church. Kingdom Builders are members who give above their tithe to support the work of the Foundation in three areas. The Local Church category supports existing campuses, church plants through the Association of Related Churches, and community care partnerships with neighborhood organizations such as the Parkesburg Point, Solid Rock Youth Ministries, The Light House, Faith Centre, several pregnancy agencies, and food pantries. The Global Church category supports missionaries and organizations in Honduras, Israel, Belize, Greece, Mexico, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Vietnam, and partners with Victor Marx's Pedophile Hunter Fund and Project Rescue in the fight against human trafficking. The Future Church category invests in long-term ministry expansion. Each fall the church hosts the Freedom 5K, a community race held at the Atglen and Centre County campuses to benefit All Things Possible and Project Rescue, paired with a Fall Festival and Trunk-or-Treat at Atglen and a separate Trunk-or-Treat event at a Centre County location.
Food Pantries, Counseling, and Community Care
Freedom Life maintains a directory of food pantries serving neighbors across its region, including the Octorara Area Food Cupboard in Parkesburg, the Chester County Food Bank in Exton, the Coatesville Community Food Co-op, Solanco Neighborhood Ministries in Quarryville, the Faith Centre in Bellefonte, and Oxford Area Neighborhood Services. The church does not offer professional counseling but provides a referral list of Christian counseling services, marriage support, and crisis intervention resources for Lancaster, Chester, and Centre Counties, including Emerge Ministries, The Marriage Hub, Safe Harbor, Compassionate Christian Counseling, and Centre Marriage and Relational Therapy. Freedom Life pastors do, however, provide pre-marital counseling for engaged couples whose weddings they will officiate, pairing each couple with a pastoral couple or leadership couple for a book-study series.
Pastors and Staff
Freedom Life is led by Senior Pastors Sam and Michele Masteller. Sam hosts the Courage + Faith podcast and has authored two mini-books, The Game Plan and Momentum. Campus pastors include Josh and Shevel Simonetti at Centre County, Caleb and Audrey Stevenson at Atglen, and Derek and Lily Weidman at Lancaster County. Chad and Dawn Fisher and Eric and Jessica Gerber serve as associate pastors, and Ezra and Kendall Buckwalter are the youth pastors. Adam LaMey is the Centre County youth pastor. Bryar Bullock leads the worship ministry as Worship Pastor, with Kyle Hamm leading worship at the Lancaster County campus and Steven Jabco at the Centre County campus. Gina Turk directs FL Kids, supported by Val Englerth at Atglen, Ashley Kauffman at Lancaster County, and Alex and Brittany Leboeuf at Centre County. Cynthia Kreider serves as Freedom Academy Director, and Shevel Simonetti directs the Centre County academy.