Testimonials

what people are saying

Paul Yoder, Church Elder, Harvest Bible Church, Mifflinburg, PA

Derek is a staunch defender of the Scriptures and is passionate that the Scriptures are rightly divided. I have seen him lead his family well, even in the midst of personal and ministry difficulties. Derek's commitment to seeing the gospel proclaimed and longing to make disciples within his home church is inspiring. I am very excited to hear that he is building a 4th Level discipleship model for other churches to use to make much of Jesus.

Chapin Jones, Church Planting Intern, Sunbury City Church, Selinsgrove, PA

Words cannot describe how thankful I am for the training and mentorship of Derek Van Ruler. Before training with Derek, I honestly thought I had a decent grip on discipleship. As I have been pushed and challenged by Derek, I realized that discipleship goes much deeper than asking someone if they have read their Bible or prayed today. Discipleship is a lifestyle. It is not something you turn off one day and turn on the next. If Christians want to be effective, salt in this broken world, then we must learn what true discipleship is and how to apply it to our lives. The beautiful reality of discipleship is not difficult, but it is long and messy, and thanks to Derek, I genuinely see the fruit of long and messy discipleship.

After observing Derek equip other saints, he passed the mantle off to me, challenging me to disciple someone. With hesitation, I began to meet with a new believer. The man I was meeting with had a difficult time in his Bible reading, and only by the Lord’s grace (and me being equipped), I felt that I was truly able to help this brother in his faith. I showed him the beauty of reading the Bible slowly to enjoy the verses right in front of him. I shared that the Bible is not a race to get through, but a race to change the heart. After a few times of meeting with him and showing him how to read his Bible, I got a phone call. He said, “Chapin I see it, I can understand it. I have been reading slower, taking notes, and I see what the Lord is saying!” My heart was utterly overwhelmed with joy. Discipleship does not have to be hard or scary. It can be one of the greatest blessings the Lord gives His saints. Thank you, 4th Level, I am super excited to see what these resources will do for discipleship!

Chris Bingaman, Church Elder, Sunbury City Church, Sunbury, PA

Derek Van Ruler is a gifted teacher! The format and content he constructed with 4th Level is one of the most practical tools for personal growth and discipleship I have ever seen. If you are a pastor or small group leader, you need to investigate 4th Level as a resource for your personal growth and ministry.

Trevor Fincher, former Student Leader & Staff Intern, Cru, Wisconsin

Before I met Derek, I wasn’t confident in my faith and was unsure of my salvation. Derek not only helped me grow in my faith but he also often pointed me to the cross as the source of my confidence. After a few short months of learning from and serving with Derek, I was sharing my faith with others through Bible studies and evangelistic conversations.

AJ Benik, former student leader, Cru, & former stateside missionary, Wisconsin

I met Derek at a time in my life where I knew of Jesus, but I did not have a personal relationship with Him or understand the weight of The Cross. God used Derek in my life in a powerful way through the avenue of discipleship. Over the span of a year Derek invested in me and spoke truth into my life. That timeframe was foundational in my faith. I am so thankful for men like Derek who invest in others, using biblical truths and principles. I would highly recommend checking out 4th Level!

Bekah Moyer, Church Member, Sunbury City Church, Sunbury, PA

Derek Van Ruler has been blessed by God in many ways that have led him to be a faithful shepherd and teacher. He has a love for the Lord and His ways that do not waver. This has helped me to grow in my love for the Lord, God's Word, prayer, and fasting which have helped me grow spiritually. He is intentional with inviting in and reaching out on a very regular basis. This has helped me to open my home with intentionality, develop relationships with people who do not yet know and love Jesus, and increase my boldness to share gospel truth in daily conversations. He is intentional about discipling, meeting regularly, asking questions that get after the heart, and training in discipleship. This has aided with unity within my marriage, has increased my confidence and experience in meeting one on one with believers and unbelievers, and has helped me to be equipped to invest in the lives of neighbors, friends, family, and coworkers. He has been my pastor for the past several years and has been used by God to plant new movements in my community. I'm so excited to see what God will do with 4th Level to equip others to plant gospel movement in more communities.

Andrea Morgan, Church Member, Dallas, TX

Starting our marriage under Derek’s leadership in our home group was foundational for us. We were part of a big church, and our group created important rhythms for our walk with God. He encouraged us specifically because he entered into our lives, had keen understanding of what God’s word said, and how it applied to us. We were able to trust him because he and Alecia live out their faith in every aspect of their lives and hold themselves to the same standards they encouraged us in as well.