Editor
Introduction
The Quotes of Scott Fetterolf
My close friend, mentor and pastor, Scott Fetterolf, died unexpectedly December 12, 2017. He went to bed in Berwick, PA and woke up in heaven. He left behind stunned family, friends and tens of thousands of people connected with LCBC Church where he pastored. Scott got his wish. He led a wonderful life, impacting others, but did not linger in a world he knew was not his home.
Scott and I shared a special bond in the nearly identical way we approached life. We thought alike. We emoted alike. We faced similar struggles and reached for similar goals. When we talked we understood each other. We both knew we could share our struggles together and always receive support, never condemnation. That kind of friendship is a rare thing to find, at least for me. I am blessed to have been able to call Scott a friend. As a friend I want to memorialize him with this book.
But it is more than just a nice gesture to a friend. Scott was one of the most insightful men I have ever known. He had a gift of communicating complex spiritual principles in a way that was understandable and applicable. He was direct and challenging. He resisted religious pretense and verbiage. He spoke in way that we could hear because he really wanted us to experience the outrageous love of God that can truly change lives.
He most impacted me with his constant encouragement to take my eyes off of the temporal and keep my focus on the eternal. “This life is just a dot on a line that represents your existence and stretches to eternity,” he would remind me. That is what made Scott so impacting. He was able to condense huge principles down to small, memorable statements. Those are the statements I wish to engrave on these pages as a fitting memorial to a life lived to honor God.
Since Scott influenced so many people, it is only natural that we have many people involved in this project. Multiple authors wrote inspirational readings about how his messages influenced them. I also asked people who were familiar with Scott’s teaching to participate in an advisory team and I tasked them with keeping the message of the book a clear representation of Scott’s style and purpose.
Each entry begins with a quote from Scott taken from one of his messages, videos, blogs, social media posts, or personal communications with the author. Some of Scott’s quotes included great ideas that he adapted from someone else’s messages. We made every effort to acknowledge those statements that originated with others. Please accept our sincerest apologies if we failed to identify these previous works and falsely attributed them to Scott.
All of these life-changing ideas originate from the Giver of Truth and are found in His original messages in the Bible. So, we included a scripture reference for each quote. Our own explanations of the concepts and how to apply them are also included.
Our goal is not to give you something pleasant to read and discard. We want to give you clear, straight-talking insights, just like Scott would have. Then, challenge you to identify and eliminate harmful ways of thinking – what Scott and others have called Stinkin’ Thinkin’ – and produce healthier, more productive actions. Since Scott loved the word awesome, we’re going to call those Awesome Actions.
We hope that you are inspired and grow stronger in your faith and experience more of God’s outrageous love in your life just as you would have if these quotes were communicated to you by Scott Fetterolf, himself.
Dr. Clark Gerhart, Editor
Brenda Fetterolf, Advisory Team
Seth Fetterolf, Advisory Team
Brooke Gerhart, Advisory Team
Endorsements
“It is my hope that as we take in the words and pages that follow, some of Scott’s passion for Jesus will rub off on us.”
– Dr. David Ashcraft, Sr. Pastor LCBC Church
“The words in this tome are a rare gift to those of us still here on earth, just as his friendship remains a rare gift to those of us who knew him well.”
– Dr. Peter W. Teague, President, Lancaster Bible College
“This is an outrageous tribute to a tremendous friend. I am grateful for how you captured his messages in your words.”
– Tim Barley, Sr., Liaison to Scott J. Fetterolf Scholarship
Foreword
My Father's Message
God gifted my dad to be a communicator. Whether sitting with one or two people on our back porch or speaking to thousands on a Sunday morning, he had an uncanny ability to connect with his audience. And no matter the setting, his message was consistent. First, that God loves you like crazy and that there’s nothing you can do to change that. Second, that life is way too short and eternity way too long to get caught up in earthly things. An understanding of those two truths makes every follower of Christ a powerful ambassador for the Kingdom of God.
This collection of devotions was written by a group of folks who have been impacted by that message. My prayer for you as you read this book is that those truths would sink deep into your heart and bear great fruit. That the finality of your relationship to God would bring you peace and free you to run hard after Him with joy in your heart.
Seth Fetterolf
Mechanical Engineer
Minot, ND
Preface
Remembering Scott Fetterolf
It is often difficult to put into words the feelings that surround the loss of a friend or loved one. But when that friend or loved one also happens to be a husband, a father, a son, a brother, as well as a pastor, a teacher and a church leader who seems (at least to us) to have been taken “before his time” and while “still in his prime” – all words seem to fall far short of adequate.
Fortunately, when that loved one also happens to be a son of God and a follower of Jesus Christ it is possible for our mourning to turn to joy. Such is the case with Scott Fetterolf.
From my vantage point as a friend and co-worker with Scott, Scott was a man whose life goal was to make as much of an impact as possible in this life on earth – and then enjoy the party for eternity once he was in heaven.
Scott lived his life with an eternal perspective. He was very much aware that this earth was not his home. Which is why he was often heard saying, “When I die, don’t cry for me – instead, throw me a party – because I will be partying in heaven.”
Scott could say this because he had no doubts in his mind about where he would spend eternity. Scott whole-heartedly believed that for a son or daughter of God there is nothing better than death because death marks our entry into heaven and eternity with God our heavenly Father.
Scott truly believed that as a follower of Jesus Christ, death is the ultimate good news. So strong was this belief that after the death of his mentor Dr. Gil Peterson, Scott wrote an article about his relationship with Gil. And Scott titled his article, My Friend Died Last Weekend: That’s Great News!
Those closest to Scott knew that Scott’s love for Jesus was real – it was not just a show. The father of three boys, Scott’s sons said, “Dad had a very strict set of priorities. God first. Then mom. Then us kids. And if something didn’t involve one of those three things – God, Mom, or us kids – then Dad didn’t do it.”
Then for good measure the boys added this nugget about their dad: “Dad ran his life like a sprint. He didn’t do things half-heartedly – he only knew one speed – and that was all out!”
But when it comes to describing Scott’s passions in life, perhaps Scott’s mom said it best in a comment she posted in her private journal. She wrote, “If Scott had known the number of his days it seems unlikely he could have lived his life more effectively, or left a better image in our minds and hearts of what the love of God looks like. He was so focused on the greater joy to come.” – Roda Fetterolf
I remember the first few times that Scott spoke at LCBC Church (Lives Changed By Christ) – he was not well received. “Too raw,” “Too direct,” “Too passionate” were just a few of the comments made. But as time went on, he grew on our church – he became a favorite. And rarely does a month go by without someone telling me how much they still miss Scott.
It is my hope that as we take in the words and pages that follow, some of Scott’s passion for Jesus will rub off on us. It would be a great benefit to each of us if we captured even just a thimble full of Scott’s hope and excitement for an eternity in heaven with our heavenly Father!
Dr. David Ashcraft
Senior Pastor, LCBC Church
Manheim, PA
Praise for Outrageous Love
“I have often heard our lives referred to as our dash, that small piece of punctuation between our birth date and death date on a memorial stone or plaque or program. For some individuals we have known, that dash should be in bold. For a more select few, that small dash is woefully inadequate to summarize the impact of a life well-lived for the cause of Christ. Such is the case for my friend and colleague, Scott Fetterolf. His dash remains so pronounced it continues to speak from beyond his triumphant entry into heaven, because it was never about his own voice. It was about His voice that emanates from, as Scott would say, ‘an outrageous love of another kind.’ The words in this tome are a rare gift to those of us still here on earth, just as his friendship remains a rare gift to those of us who knew him well.”
Dr. Peter W. Teague
President, Lancaster Bible College, Capital Seminary and Graduate School, Lancaster, PA
“I had the opportunity and privilege to get to know Scott through the process of Emmanuel Bible Chapel joining LCBC Church. The impact and influence Scott had on my life runs too deep to be forgotten. However, Outrageous Love honors Scott in such a way that it helps to keep my memories vivid and alive – I can still hear him speak, feel his ‘man hug’ and sense him with me still as we conquer the next hill in ministry together. The way Scott adored his wife, Bren, and how he lovingly interacted with his friends, family, partners in ministry and others continues to inspire me. I miss Scott a ton, but this book helps bring a smile to my face as I ponder all the moments we shared. This is an outrageous tribute to a tremendous friend. Thank you to the family members and friends who contributed to this book – I am grateful for how you captured his messages in your words, and for sharing how Scott influenced your lives – To God be the glory!!”
Tim Barley, Sr.
Director of Expansion and Liaison to the Scott J. Fetterolf Memorial Scholarship at Lancaster Bible College, LCBC Church, Manheim, PA
Scholarship Fund
Proceeds from this book will be donated to the Scott J. Fetterolf Memorial Scholarship at
Lancaster Bible College Capital Seminary and Graduate School
For information or to donate visit:
Contact Us
Clark Gerhart
clarkgerhart@gmail.com