ABOUT ANDY
Andy Foreman believes his ministry did not begin when he was ordained as a pastor or chaplain. It began the day Jesus Christ saved him.
From the moment he trusted Christ as his Savior, Andy accepted the Great Commission as his personal calling. Long before receiving any title or formal ordination, he understood that every follower of Jesus is commissioned to make disciples, teach God's Word, and faithfully serve wherever God places them. Years later, ordination simply affirmed what God had already been doing throughout his life.
For nearly forty years, Andy has served Christ in local churches, communities, and around the world. During a distinguished thirty-year career in the United States Army, he came to view every assignment, deployment, and leadership position as a mission field. Whether serving in nine states, six countries, on humanitarian operations, or combat deployments, his purpose never changed. As Andy often says, "God sent me, and the Army paid for it."
Military service became one of God's greatest classrooms. It taught him to lead under pressure, serve people from many cultures, depend upon the Lord during adversity, and proclaim Christ wherever God opened a door. Those experiences shaped not only his leadership but also his passion for equipping others to faithfully serve Christ.
Throughout his ministry Andy has served in many roles, including Pastor of Administration and Leadership, Chaplain, Elder, Deacon, Bible Teacher, Men's Ministry Leader, Young Adult Leader, and Missionary. His ministry has taken him throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, where he has partnered with local churches to preach the Gospel, strengthen congregations, develop leaders, and train believers for faithful ministry.
Today, Andy is the Founder and President of Christ Compass Academy, a ministry dedicated to equipping the church through biblically faithful training. He also serves as Chaplain for Madisonville Fire and Rescue in Tennessee, providing spiritual care and encouragement to first responders, their families, and victims of fire.
Whether teaching pastors, mentoring ministry leaders, preaching in local churches, or encouraging believers one-on-one, Andy's mission remains unchanged: to make disciples who make disciples and to equip faithful men and women who will teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). He believes healthy churches are built by faithful leaders who love Christ, stand firmly on God's Word, and invest their lives in others for the glory of God.
Doctrinal Belief
It is not only important for a follower of Christ to profess belief but to live what is declared. I profess that only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice are we able to have our sins washed away and do the work for Him who calls each of us to accomplish. I know His sacrifice and resurrection covers all sins of those who seek Him and accept Him as the only way back to live with our Heavenly Father. As with Paul, my sins are covered by the atonement of Christ, I found favor in the Lord, and was called by the Lord through the Great Commission, to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
I accepted the call of the Lord, in the Great Commission, the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior and have the blessing to go and teach His message, in word and deed. There is no greater message then the saving Grace of our Heavenly Father and the sacrifice and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord.
I believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. Together they form the Godhead and reign and rule over the universe. It is only through Jesus Christ that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again. He overcame sin and death brought into this world by man (Adam). I believe the Bible is the Word of God and provides all instruction, direction and reproof man needs to understand God’s divine hand ruling over all of us and is infallible. It is God revealed!
Whether speaking in a church, teaching a leadership course, mentoring ministry leaders, or training pastors, Andy's mission remains the same: to fulfill God's call to "equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13, ESV). It is this calling that continues to guide every course, every partnership, and every opportunity to serve the Kingdom of God.
Andy's Testimony
I was raised my entire life hearing about the atonement of Jesus and was taught to believe that I was saved by His grace but only after all I could do (Grace + Works). Obedience drove my relationship with Jesus, not His love and grace. My dad would often say you must obey to gain any faith. Because of this, I was a pretty good kid, young adult, and adult. I tried hard to please God by doing what I believed was right in His eyes. Of course, I fell short, sinned, and repented.
However, a salvation defined as “after all you can do” created a deep problem: when had I done enough for grace to apply? When had I tipped the scales of God’s justice to finally receive His mercy? I continued serving in church, working harder and harder to try to earn what I could never secure. But I was caught in a cycle of sin, shame, repentance, striving, temporary relief, and failure again. I worked hard without ever drawing closer to God. I carried the burden of hopelessness because I did not truly know Jesus or understand the atonement.
It was during this time of “Grace Confusion” that my wife left me and my relationship with my children became strained. Because I viewed difficult circumstances as God’s punishment, I fell into a crisis of faith and withdrew from Him. I began to believe there was no real love in the world. Love itself became “the great lie.” I wondered how I could work so hard to serve God only to lose everything. I questioned the love of my family, my friends, and even God. Although I was not truly alone, I believed I was.
But God, in His boundless mercy, revealed His love to me one night while walking along the beach. I was praying, honestly questioning whether He was real and pleading for Him to take my pain and show me I was loved. As I walked, I saw words written in the sand that said, “God Loves You.” I believe a child had written them. I sat there and wept.
In that moment, God broke through my misunderstanding of grace. For the first time, I rested in the finished work of Christ and experienced assurance of salvation. I understood that salvation is God’s gift of grace received through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not something I earn or maintain through performance. The sins that once dominated me no longer held me captive because I laid them at the feet of Christ, and He carried the burden. The cycle was broken by Jesus and Him alone. My “Grace Confusion” had come to an end. From that point forward, faith began to drive my obedience out of gratitude for a loving and merciful Heavenly Father.
Looking back, I recognize that I was not the spiritual leader I should have been, and I have confessed my failures before the Lord. During the divorce proceedings, I learned that my wife had been repeatedly unfaithful. That discovery brought deep grief, but it did not remove my responsibility to examine my own heart. Through those painful experiences, God stripped away my pride, corrected my understanding of His grace, and drew me into deeper dependence on Christ. His grace taught me that restoration is never earned by our righteousness but is found entirely in His mercy and faithfulness.
Shortly after this season, I was sitting in church reflecting on the atonement and how profoundly my understanding of grace had changed. I wrote these words:
“When my obedience drove my faith and my obedience failed, so did my faith. Now that my faith drives my obedience, when my obedience fails, my faith in the atoning work of Christ grows stronger.”
Soon after this life changing season, God brought Kelly into my life. Our first date lasted nearly six hours as we talked about God, His love, and His purpose for our lives. After three years of dating, we were married. God has blessed me with a Godly wife and faithful ministry partner. With Christ at the center of our marriage, He has continued to draw us closer to Himself than I ever imagined possible.
God did not stop His work at my restoration. He continued to shape my life and calling in ways I could not have planned or earned. He restored me to a Christ centered marriage and gave me a partner in ministry in Kelly. Together we have sought to faithfully serve Christ and encourage others in their walk with Him.
In the years that followed, God gave me opportunities to disciple and encourage men in the United States and while serving overseas in Germany. He also opened doors for ministry in moments of crisis through fire department chaplaincy, where I have sought to bring the presence of Christ to those walking through hardship and loss.
Beyond local ministry, God expanded my burden for the nations, giving me opportunities to serve as Pastor of Administration and Leadership in Germany and to teach and support pastors and church leaders internationally, including ministry work in Kenya. In every season, the same truth has remained: God is faithful to use broken people who rest fully in His grace for His glory.
During my 30 years in the United States Army, as assignments took me around the world, I often said, “God sends me, and the Army pays for it.” Looking back, I see God’s sovereign hand opening doors for ministry wherever I was placed. Though my military career has ended, my calling has not. I remain committed to faithfully serving Christ wherever He leads.
Six years after my life seemed to fall apart, I had the privilege of being baptized in the Jordan River as a public testimony of God’s restoring grace and my renewed commitment to follow Him wholeheartedly. By His grace, Kelly and I continue this journey together, seeking to glorify Christ until He returns or calls us home.