river Spring ministries

leadership Residency

River Spring Ministries Servant Leadership Residency Campus

country mansion in autumn

Thirty miles from Buffalo, New York, God has provided a beautiful country estate where a team of young church planters are gathering to carry the light of Christ's eternal gospel to WNY rural communities.

On this beautiful campus, a team of disciples will live, pray, work, play, grow and serve together as bi-vocational missionaries. They will help plant a church in a community where the light of the gospel has grown dim, mobilize rural churches to evangelize while serving as employees of River Spring Lodge.

the harvest

Jesus is calling some of His closest friends into the ripe Harvest fields of WNY. These chosen disciples will spend a year underneath the Shadow of His Wings — in a heavenly tabernacle woven together with worship, prayer, and Scripture while living in the home of a godly mother and wise father in the faith. They will be employed at the ministry's wedding venue and serve on a church planting team. In a heavenly rhythm of devotion, intercession, study, labor, and service, the soul crippling cycles of fleshly indulgence, earthly distractions, worldly entertainment, the pursuit of riches and the pride of entitlement will be laid down to follow in the footsteps of the Servant Savior.

As he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:16-18

This residency is an invitation from the heart of God and an offer of a legacy gift from a highly esteemed ministry couple with fifty years of service in God's Kingdom. Now, as the final chapter of David and Carolyn's earthly ministry is being written, this mother and father in the faith are opening their home, their hearts and their lives to each disciple Jesus sends to them to mentor.

These young leaders will be welcomed, as sons and daughters in the faith. They will live in the Hamer's home and dine with them at the Table of Discipleship. They will sit with David and Carolyn to learn from them and gather to pray with them. The disciples God sends will work with the Hamers as they serve the brides and grooms celebrating Holy Matrimony at the River Spring Mansion. As Timothy walked with the apostle Paul, they will minister with Pastor David and Carolyn laboring together to plant a New Testament church and to assist pastors in existing congregations.

Pastors David and Carolyn Hamer have devoted their lives to one holy calling: to serve Jesus Christ by serving His people. Their ministry took them across the United States and overseas. For decades they spoke in churches to equip leaders and encourage believers with the hope of the gospel. Living by faith, they funded their high calling through seasonal hospitality employment trusting God to open each door and supply every need. Effectual doors opened in Great Britian and Tanzania, where the Hamers trained pastors and church leaders from multiple African nations.

When the Hamers opened River Spring Lodge, they paused traveling to minister but not their ministry. They continued serving locally — hosting church leadership gatherings and raising funds for Haitian children. They hosted benefit concerts supporting Make‑A‑Wish, Hunter’s Hope, David’s Refuge, and The Lighthouse Station. For ten years they have partnered with David’s Refuge to provide respite weekends for caregiver parents with chronically ill children. Each year the Hamers provide hospitality for a Kelly for Kid's charity hunt with Jim. Since opening the lodge the Hamers have served the WNY community joyfully, quietly, and faithfully.

Those Jesus is calling to enroll in this Servant Leadership Residency are not seeking a life of prosperity, prominence or position. They are not looking to build a platform for performance or longing to hear the applause of fans. They are not aspiring to preach for prestige or to hear the accolades of an audience. Rather, they are seeking to live a godly life hidden in Christ with other servants of God who desire above all else to make Jesus famous by sharing His gospel with those who have never met Him. If this is what you want to live for, this is your invitation to call Carolyn @ 585.708.4212 to reserve a time to visit with Pastor David.

Unless you are encumbered with debt, there are no financial barriers to overcome. Our residency includes 32 hours of employment each week to provide for tuition, dormitory housing, three meals daily and a monthly stipend to provide for your basic personal needs. As workers at our wedding venue, residents will mature as servants while developing employable skills in hospitality services, hotel management, culinary arts, property maintenance, building trades, or social media marketing.

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