Joe Gerhart serves as the pastor of Community Alliance Church in Karthaus, Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Amy, met while attending Mansfield University and have been married since 2008. Together they are raising two daughters, Elizabeth and Bailey.

Growing up in the mountains of Potter County, Joe developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors and the quiet beauty of God's creation. During his junior and senior years of high school, after the tragic loss of two classmates to suicide, he began searching for hope and found new life in Jesus Christ. That encounter with the gospel continues to shape both his ministry and his life.

In 2012, Joe survived a workplace explosion that left him with severe burns over much of his upper body. Through that difficult season, God faithfully reminded him that His grace is sufficient and His presence is constant. Those lessons continue to influence Joe's preaching, pastoral ministry, and desire to help others discover the abundant life found in Christ.  This workplace explosion was also the catalyst for Joe to enter the ministry, and he soon graduated from Crown College with a Masters in Christian Studies and then transitioned out of the family business and into full time ministry at Coudersport Alliance Church as the Assistant Pastor.  In 2017, the Gerhart's were called to pastor the church plant, FlightPath Fellowship in Erie, PA where they served for 6 years.  Now they find themselves back in rural ministry here at KCAC.  

When he's not serving his church or spending time with his family, Joe can often be found exploring the Pennsylvania Wilds with a camera in hand. Through Bearing Witness Photography, he seeks to capture the beauty of God's creation and tell stories that invite others to slow down, look closely, and see the fingerprints of the Creator in the world around them.  If you are interested in learning more about Pastor Joe, visit his personal page.