Our History
A Lifetime of Fruitful Service
I've Never Been Sorry
I Will Build My Church
The Making of a Minister
The Blade, The Ear, The Full Corn
"What Is Your Excuse For Living?"
The Continuing Story
Testimony of Rev. Alfred Capozzi
The Testimony of Rev. Alfred Capozzi
I was born and raised in Belleville, New Jersey in the Silver Lake section. When I was very young my mother became ill and after quite a bit of suffering she died. I was only 8 years old. Although my mother had talked to me before she died to tell me never to get mad at God or question Him, I was mad at God and could not understand how He could let something like that happen to my mother. My grandmother, who lived in the same building with us cared for my brother and me. As the years went by, my father slowly broke down in health. I was drafted into the Army and by the time I came home, my father was so broken down in health that I had to work to support him as well as my brother.
When my Dad died, my heart became bitter and hard towards God, I could not understand what the purpose for my life was. Although I believed God existed, I had so many questions! It was at this very low spot in my life that a girl from the neighborhood who we had known for many years, invited me to a Bible Study. At first I shunned her invitation, but finally, just to appease her, I went, with the condition that if I wanted to leave,m she would get up and walk out with me at any point I specified. She agreed. That was in 1979 and the Bible study was in the home of Rose Renna, held by Pastor Ted & Theresa Alleman. I liked the teaching I heard and wanted to know where I could find a Bible so I could see if what they were teaching was correct. The second Bible Study I went to I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I was led in the sinners prayer and felt no differant than before. That night as I lay on my bed I spoke to God myself. I said, "Lord, I want to change, but I cannot, if you can, please change me." The next morning when I awoke I was a changed man. Usually, the first thing I did before even getting out of bed was to reach for my cigarettes. This morning I had no desire to smok. As the day progressed, I realized I had deifferent desires within me. My brother came and asked me if I was going to go out with him that night. Up to this time we did almost everything together, drink, gamble, etc. But when he asked me on this day, I said "No. You go by yourself, I am not going tonight." He asked me if I was sick. I told him that I was fine. This went on for some time until I realized I had to tell him what happened to me. He told me I should just rest that these people had probably hypnotized me and that in time I would be better.
But I never got better! I had such a desire to read the Word of God and to go to Bible Studies. I started going to every Bible study I could find. Then the Lord showed me that I needed to stop running from one place to another and be faithful in one Bible study and put down some roots. I felt led to St. Anthony's Prayer meeting in Belleville, right near our home. As I started attending there and studying God's Word, the leadership of the prayer meeting, Father Matthew and Lenny, told me that they had been praying for God to send them someone to train up to lead this meeting. I told them I was definitely not that person. I was just learning myself. However, they were insistent and promised to train me in the things of God. I kept reading the Bible and asking question. In time, I did lead that Charismatic prayer meeting. I began to teach CCD classes and organize masses for the Charismatic Renewal movement. It was during this time that I started to hear Christians radio broadcasts and preachers speaking against the Roman Catholic Church. This angered me so much that I told a few of my friends one day, "Come on, let's study the Bible together and prove that theses preachers are wrong! Let's defend the Catholic Church!" At the same time my superiors had me enrolled in classes to prepare me to become a priest. As we studied the Bible and I began to attend theses classes God opened my eyes to see that there were things that the Roman Catholic church taught and believed and held to that were not in the Bible.
It was at this point that I was invited to a Pentecostal Church and began attending there. I enjoyed the Bible teaching and eventually was trained in ministry, attended Logos Bible College, received my degree and worked as an associate pastor there for 15 years.
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Pastor Al is a graduate of Vision International University, formerly Logos Bible College, with a B.A. in Bible Studies. Pastor Al served as Pastor of Evangelism with Nutley Assembly of God in New Jersey for 15 years and taught classes for VIU during that time. In 1991 he served as Area Coordinator with the Billy Graham Crusade. Pastor Al is a man with a passion for the Word of God and a love of souls. He has a pastor's heart, full of love and compassion. Prior to accepting the pastorate at Bloomsburg Bible Church in August 2004, Pastor Al and his wife were directors of Joy Haven in Mount Pocono. There they led many ministries including, a Christian coffeehouse, ministers’ coalition, hosted youth groups on their grounds as well as church retreats.Alfred & Ruth Joy are the pastors of Bloomsburg Bible Church.