Mel Hennegan
Lead Church Planter + Pastor
Hi, I'm Mel. It's short for Melchor, which has at least three correct pronunciations, but let's keep it simple.
I call Guam my home, because I was born and raised here. I did live in the United States for 12+ years though, residing near Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota—both significantly colder than Guam. I'm thrilled to be back home where I don't have to deal with dressing for sub-zero temperatures or driving on black ice.
As a local boy, I was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition. But in my grade years my parents were invited to an evangelical event where they encountered a clear presentation of the gospel and they received Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. As a child, I saw a complete change when Christ was at the center of their marriage and our family. The most compelling evidence for Christianity in my life wasn't arguments or books, but rather the gospel transformation I witnessed in my parents' lives. They weren’t perfect, but I saw Jesus in them.
I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 8 when I understood that my salvation wasn't based on religious sacraments or my own good deeds, but on belief in Christ alone. That is, I believe that my salvation is guaranteed through Christ's sinless life, his substitutionary death, and his triumphant resurrection. I am not perfect. But by God’s grace, I strive to live a life that honors and obeys God. This isn’t to earn my salvation, but as a member of his family, I live every day in love of and joy in him.
I received a Master of Divinities from Bethlehem Seminary. I served at Bayview Church as a Youth Pastor for 5 years. But during the COVID-19 season, God uniquely and powerfully called my wife Rachel and I to plant Gospel Life Church. The fact that you are reading this bio right now is a testament to God’s grace in my life and his passion to make his glory known to the ends of the earth.
I call Guam my home, because I was born and raised here. I did live in the United States for 12+ years though, residing near Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota—both significantly colder than Guam. I'm thrilled to be back home where I don't have to deal with dressing for sub-zero temperatures or driving on black ice.
As a local boy, I was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition. But in my grade years my parents were invited to an evangelical event where they encountered a clear presentation of the gospel and they received Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. As a child, I saw a complete change when Christ was at the center of their marriage and our family. The most compelling evidence for Christianity in my life wasn't arguments or books, but rather the gospel transformation I witnessed in my parents' lives. They weren’t perfect, but I saw Jesus in them.
I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 8 when I understood that my salvation wasn't based on religious sacraments or my own good deeds, but on belief in Christ alone. That is, I believe that my salvation is guaranteed through Christ's sinless life, his substitutionary death, and his triumphant resurrection. I am not perfect. But by God’s grace, I strive to live a life that honors and obeys God. This isn’t to earn my salvation, but as a member of his family, I live every day in love of and joy in him.
I received a Master of Divinities from Bethlehem Seminary. I served at Bayview Church as a Youth Pastor for 5 years. But during the COVID-19 season, God uniquely and powerfully called my wife Rachel and I to plant Gospel Life Church. The fact that you are reading this bio right now is a testament to God’s grace in my life and his passion to make his glory known to the ends of the earth.