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Brenda's is a youth minister.  This is her 34th year.  Her first nine years she served as youth pastor of churches in Minnesota and Virginia. She’s been serving the last twenty-three at New Covenant Fellowship in Manassas, Virginia. Brenda attended North Central Bible College (now North Central University) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavorial Science with a minor in Youth Ministry and was originally ordained by the Assembly of God denomination and is now ordained through New Covenant Fellowship.

Brenda loves teenagers.  She loves them so much that she spends her “off” days substitute teaching at a local middle school.  She’s been doing this since 1992.  Brenda experiences public school life.  She walks the halls and sits in the desks.  She has broken up fist fights and food fights.  She is also sought after to be shown some kind of achievement or to be trusted with some deep hurts.

Brenda's experiences as a substitute teacher give her a unique message to youth. There is an immediate connection as your youth have had substitute teachers and they most likely have tried stuff on “subs.”  They identify right away that Brenda probably really does know what is going on in their lives.  As one youth pastor told her, "You are the first retreat speaker we've ever had who shared not what was done in the past, but what you are doing now."

Through Brenda’s work as a substitute teacher–these are miracle stories--dozens of students have become Christians. Brenda and her husband, John Amodea, have been parenting some of these kids. Only three have/are serving time and one has died and is secure in heaven.  The rest have a hope for their future when before the odds were against them. There are many true stories here but they mostly belong to Brenda’s kids and are not shared publicly.  These kids are now grown and have blessed Brenda and John with grandkids. 

In 1997 Brenda was married to John Amodea, after fifteen years of ministry as a single.  When Brenda announced the news to “her kids” (whom she has known years longer than John), they were not as happy.  One of them said, “We like John and all, but we think he will be like any other stepfather and take you away from us.”  It was at that point that John and Brenda realized what they have here.  So the kids became the ushers, singers, hostesses, and groom’s attendant and the wedding became a huge life lesson as well as a memorable event.  Brenda is a youth pastor, but it is these kids who define her life.

As well as a speaker, Brenda is has authored many articles for youth ministry publications and youth ministry books.

Who is John

John Amodea has more than 35 years of experience in the music industry. His more recent music experience (for the past 7 years) is as the worship leader and song writer at New Covenant Fellowship, a relatively small but very diverse non-denominational church in Manassas, Virginia. John has earned a Bachelor’s degree in music and has studied under the likes of Peter Prisco and Turk Van Lake (arranger/guitar player with the Benny Goodman Orchestra). John recently released a worship CD with the NCF worship band, Led, called “Beyond the Walls.”