learn about our history

About Us

Christ-Centered

Who We Are

God has been working through CrossLife since our establishment in Vero Beach, Florida in 1993 to teach and encourage people to function by the dynamic of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

01

Scripturally-Grounded

CrossLife Ministries is a nonprofit Christ-centered ministry offering personal counseling, leadership training, and worldwide mission opportunities. Our teaching is based on Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

02

Identity-Focused

The meaning of CrossLife? It’s about identity! Who we are! The purpose of the ministry of CrossLife is to help a Christian understand their identity in Christ. The center point or point of reference of the gospel is Jesus Christ and what it means to be Christian. Christianity begins and ends with the “Cross-Life” of Jesus Christ!

03

Life-Changing

As a Christian understands who they are in Christ, they can begin to choose to live consistent with what Christ as their life is doing in them, allow His character to be manifest through them which is the behavioral expression that every Christian desires to experience. The counseling, leadership training, mission opportunities, and interactive gatherings of Christian fellowship at CrossLife is based on the living reality of Christ as your life, or as we call it the “CrossLife.”

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me."

Galatians 2:20

Meet Your Counselor

Don Burzynski

Don was born June 29, 1953 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The oldest of seven children.

After graduation he relocated to Wisconsin to work in a family business but this proved to be a time of great turmoil in his life as he struggled in sin, not knowing who he was or what he wanted to do with his life. On October 24, 1973 he began to encounter God in a personal way. In 1974 he moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to attend Nazarene Bible College to study for ministry. A year later he transferred to Hobe Sound Bible College in Florida.

While at Hobe Sound Bible College he met and dated Joy Baines and on June 18, 1976 they were married. In 1978 he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Education and was the President of the Ministerial Association during his senior year. He pastored churches for seven years taking his first church in Pittsburg, PA where he served as the associate pastor and assistant principle of the school. He also served as pastor for three years in Petersburg, VA. Don has a pastor’s heart, so when invited by his alma mater in Hobe Sound to move to Florida to plant a church in the rapidly growing community of Port St. Lucie, Florida, he happily did so.

Don has been involved in counseling for many years at many local churches. God has done an amazing spiritual transformation in his life, taking him from religious legalism to the freedom of Christ as his Life. After striving to serve God for years, he began to realize his total inability to do so. As he begin to understand his inadequacy in his own strength, he discovered the adequacy of Christ as his Life. This discovery began to take place in 2000 through attending the training opportunities of the Christ Life Seminar, workshops, and Advanced Discipleship Training at CrossLife Ministries.

In 2001, upon completion of the CrossLife Residency Program, Don joined the staff as a counselor. In July 2003, he became Executive Director of CrossLife Ministries. Serving in this capacity, he gives oversight and direction to the ministry. He also continues to counsel and teach in all levels of training. His passion is to disciple Christians in a way that they might come to know Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and LIFE! Galatians 2:20 is a favorite verse, as well as Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ…”.

Don has a passion for missions and has traveled wherever invited to preach and teach the message of grace. He has ministered to thousands of people in many different cultures and countries such as Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mongolia, China, the Philippines, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Greece and Turkey.

In September, 2018 Don began a second ministry called Life As God Intended (LGI). LGI has now become an extension of CrossLife Ministries but has its own YouTube channel @LifeAsGodIntended where video teachings are posted to encourage Christians.

He and his wife Joy have eight children and eight grandchildren.

MISSIONS

The heart of CrossLife missions abroad is training believers to minister the good news of Jesus Christ and equipping them to impact their world understanding that Christ is their Life!

CrossLife is a cross-denominational ministry that serves individual and churches, and travels internationally training pastors and Christian leaders who in turn train disciples in their own churches and communities. CrossLife goes to the nations by answering the call of God and responds to the needs of people around the globe. This effort is multiplied through partnering with various mission agencies to reach the “fields white unto harvest.”

Support Team Behind the Ministry

BOARD MEMBERS

Sam Hjalmeby

Vice President

Sam Hjalmeby is the President and Founder of Samuel Jan Homes, a Vero Beach based custom home builder. He lives in Vero with his wife and seven children. Sam was first introduced to CrossLife in 2005 when it profoundly changed his life and his understanding of God’s grace. Over the years, the truths taught by CrossLife has helped him navigate through both his personal and professional life. Upon being asked to join the Board of Directors in 2016, he jumped at the opportunity in hopes to help spread the CrossLife message.

Pat Metz

Treasurer

Patti G. Metz, CPA, MSA is managing member of her own company, PGM Accounting & Consulting, LLC. She provides accounting and tax services to individuals and businesses throughout Indian River and Union counties. She has held positions with the State of Florida Office of the Auditor General and Orange County, FL Comptroller. Pat has been an accounting manager in two not-for- profit education organizations, Central Florida Bible College (now Johnson University-Florida) and Gifford Youth Achievement Center, and a community property management company. She has worked extensively in public accounting in Asheville, NC,Winter Park, FL and Vero Beach, FL where she performed sales tax audits, supervised year-end CIRA reviews and audits, prepared tax returns for individuals, corporations, trusts and estates,and payroll, and prepared/reviewed monthly financial statements.

Pat received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Florida Technological University (now University of Central Florida) and was awarded a master of science in accounting from the University of Central Florida. In 1995 she acquired her State of Florida CPA license.

Raised in Orlando, FL, Pat now resides in Lake Butler, FL.

Bil Martinelli

Director

Bil Martinelli lives in Vero Beach with his wife, where they raised their three adult children and now enjoy their granddaughter and grandson. He held diverse jobs until finding his niche with helping grow Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company and worked as the Chief Engineer for years making the best juice in the world. Around 10 years ago he moved to Sales and is now the Territory Manager of the Midwest. Bil was first introduced to CrossLife in 2014 where he heard about God’s Grace in a new way that brought freedom and grace. Based on his transformation, Bil has wanted to share Crosslife and the freedom that the Grace message brings with anyone who will listen knowing the peace and joy it can bring when we leave a life of striving and rest in the grace of God understanding the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Upon being asked to join the Board of Directors in 2019, he was excited to help promote the CrossLife message.

Debby Foster

Director

A Vero Beach native, Debby grew up knowing about God and trying hard to please him with “her” life. There were multiple seasons where she came up short, and thus became more aware of her inability to do so. She was first led to CrossLife in 2011, and the message of Christ’s indwelling presence was revolutionary to her journey. She’s continually learning and accepting that Christ alone is her life.
Debby and her husband Graham love spending time with their five adult children and their expanding family, as well as their extended family and friends. Debby home schooled their children and enjoyed involvement in multiple educational co-ops and ministries to moms and families. Now, a certified nursing assistant, she is a private duty caregiver and companion to seniors. She’s excited to be a part of sharing this life-changing great news.

RESOURCES

You can learn more and see additional resources we have available by clicking the link below. You are not alone, we are here to walk alongside you every step of the way.