Rooted, Led, Transformed on Gilliam Road
Freedom Fellowship Church gathers on Gilliam Road in Orlando, where a community of believers comes together around worship, teaching, and ministry. The church's vision is short and worth repeating: rooted in Christ, led by the Spirit, to see lives transformed. That three-part rhythm shapes everything from Sunday morning services to midweek small groups, from a bustling kids ministry to a youth room called Ignite.
The people of Freedom describe themselves as excited believers who love engaging with God, other believers, and people all around them in need of true answers found only in Jesus. Four values show up everywhere on the property: compelling teaching, uplifting worship, children's and youth ministry, and deep relationships. Each one has a real program behind it.
Sunday Morning at 10
Sunday service begins at 10am at 5631 Gilliam Road. The hour opens with worship, moves into the teaching of God's Word, and includes a time of ministry. The dress code is simple: come as you are. There is no expectation to dress up.
First-time guests can look for the Connection Point window in the foyer, where a friendly team is ready to answer questions, share what is happening during the week, and offer a small gift to anyone who fills out a guest card. Before the service begins, the Fellowship Hall fills up for Sunday Prayer at 9am, a focused half hour of prayer that helps set the tone for the morning.
Kids Matter at Every Age
Freedom takes the next generation seriously. "Kids matter to God, and they matter to us," and the programming reflects that from newborn through fifth grade.
The Nest is the nursery for newborns through age five. Parents can check children in any time before or during the service. Inside, a nursing room sits just past the check-in kiosk for moms who want a quiet space, and a separate baby room is staffed by trained volunteers who hold, rock, and care for little ones as if they were their own. Parents can leave detailed instructions and step away.
Toddlers have their own classroom with a short lesson, plenty of playtime, and a snack. Pre-K children move through a structured rotation of lesson time, music, playtime, outside time, an art activity, and snack, enough variety to keep small hands busy. Kindergarten through fifth graders join their families for worship at the start of the service, then head to Kids Church in the Fellowship Hall after the offering. There, leaders teach Bible principles and stories in age-appropriate ways, and the room often lights up during prayer time, especially when a child asks Jesus to be their Lord.
Carmen Akers serves as Kids Director for the elementary side, with Kristin Martin coordinating the nursery.
Ignite Youth on Wednesday Nights
Teens in sixth through twelfth grade have their own ministry called Ignite Youth, led by Adam and Angela Shaw. Doors open at 6:30pm and the service begins at 7pm, wrapping up at 8:30pm (with permission to hang out until 9pm).
The format is high-energy and relational. A student-led worship team kicks things off, and almost the entire team are students themselves. From there, the room moves into teaching and small groups, with games, laughter, and surprise activities mixed in. The goal of the ministry is to impart a greater love of Christ to teens through understanding, maturity, respect, and service, while also reaching visitors, discipling new believers, and stepping out into outreach.
Small Groups Across Orlando
Freedom's leaders are quick to say that church life does not just happen on Sunday mornings. It happens in living rooms and kitchens across the city during the week. The church runs an active small-group ministry that meets in homes in Apopka, Altamonte, and nearby areas, with new groups typically kicking off in the fall.
Current groups include a community group with Ray and Christie Self meeting on Mondays in Apopka, a group with Darin and Lesli Slack meeting on Mondays in Altamonte, an outreach-focused group with Noah Butschek meeting on Sundays in Apopka, and a Young Adults group with John and Faith Lambert meeting on Thursdays in Altamonte. There is also a "How to Share Your Faith" group led by Noah Butschek for people who want to grow more confident in evangelism. Sign-ups for all groups run through the Church Center app.
What Freedom Believes
Freedom Fellowship holds to a thorough evangelical statement of faith, with distinctive emphases on the person and gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the church's own words:
- The Bible - Both Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God, the unique and final authority on all matters of faith and practice.
- Humanity - People were created by God in His image, but sin entered through a personal act of disobedience, bringing spiritual and physical death and separation from God.
- Eternity - Every person will exist forever, either separated from God in hell or united with God in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.
- God - One God exists eternally in three co-equal persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - infinite in love and unchanging in righteousness.
- Jesus Christ - Jesus of Nazareth is the incarnate Son of God, fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, who lived a sinless life, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again bodily on the third day. He ascended to the Father's right hand and will return in glory.
- The Holy Spirit - The Spirit is fully God. He convicts the world, indwells every believer from salvation, and empowers Christians for holy living. Freedom teaches that there is a "baptism of the Holy Spirit" as a secondary experience after conversion, and that the New Testament gifts of the Spirit remain active today.
- Salvation - Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No amount of self-improvement or good works can earn it; only repentance and trust in Jesus' finished work on the cross brings remission of sins.
- Spirit-Filled Living - The same grace that saves also sanctifies, progressively conforming believers to the image of Christ and producing the fruit of the Spirit.
- The Church - The church is the body of Christ, of which Jesus is the head. God has given the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the saints for ministry, and every believer is called to active involvement in a local congregation.
Serve Teams and Outreach
Freedom believes the best relationships are found in serving. The church runs a Serve Teams program that invites people to put their gifts to work inside the life of the church. Teams include First Impressions and Security, Worship, Kids, Youth, and Missions.
Outreach extends well beyond the four walls of the building. The church supports missionaries abroad and runs local outreach, including a Food Pantry that volunteers can serve with during the week. George Kern oversees the Missions and Deacon work. There is also a partnership with Ukraine relief through NRP Ukraine. Men's ministry is part of the rhythm as well, with the church participating in the Band of Brothers men's conference held annually.
Giving and Staying Connected
Freedom Fellowship makes it easy to support the church financially. Giving is available online through the Church Center platform, by setting up auto bank pay through a personal checking account, or by mailing a check to 5631 Gilliam Road, Orlando, FL 32818. Single gifts and recurring donations are both supported, and contributions can be made from a checking account or debit card.
The Church Center app is the hub for staying in touch. From the app, members and guests can see upcoming events, register for activities, sign up to serve, give, and follow along with sermon updates for anyone who missed a Sunday or wants to revisit a teaching.
Leadership at Freedom
Matt and Stacy Butschek serve as Lead Pastors. They are joined by elders Stan Rodriguez, Rick and Carrie Schuessler, and Adam and Angela Shaw (who also serve as Youth Pastors). Pat McGuffin serves as Pastor Emeritus with a focus on Discipleship. Sheila McGuffin leads worship, Carmen Akers directs elementary kids ministry, Kristin Martin coordinates the nursery, and George Kern oversees missions and deacons. Pastor Joe Warner, the church's founding pastor, still partners with Freedom for special workshops.
Freedom Fellowship is a non-denominational church, governed by its own elder team under Christ rather than affiliated with a denomination or network. Visitors can reach the church office at office@freedom-fellowship.com or 407-299-6311.