Philip B. Fortenberry

Pastor, Counselor, Teacher, Minister, Public Speaker, Author, Survivalist, Outdoor Adventurer and Former Green Beret, Philip Fortenberry is a man after God’s own heart. Philip has served and volunteered with troubled youth, spoken at men’s conferences, and father & son weekends to include Promise Keepers prison events as well as cattle conferences and business conventions.

In the fall of 2002, Philip heard God call him to full time ministry so he resigned from his position at King Ranch. Not knowing exactly how he was going to begin his ministry, Philip began to wait on the Lord. Seven days after Philip’s call from God, Pastor John Hagee phoned him because God had placed Philip on Pastor’s heart. Philip’s dream to help the fatherless and wounded children of the nation was becoming clearer to him as he and Pastor spoke. Pastor Hagee and his son Matthew had met with Philip only one other time about a year before when Philip gave Pastor and Matthew a tour of the King Ranch. They had not spoken since that tour. The phone call from Pastor Hagee eventually led to Philip moving his family to San Antonio, TX in December of 2002 and coming on board the ministerial staff at Cornerstone Church in January 2003.

After 23 years of dealing with past issues of being a fatherless child God miraculously delivered Philip at a Promise Keepers Convention in Dallas in Oct ’96. Philip learned that the truth really does set you free and ever since he has been helping hurting people deal with the "emotional wounds of the past". This pursuit of helping the fatherless and wounded led Philip to founding "The Ministry of Reconciliation / Setting the Captives Free" Encounters and Conferences at Cornerstone Church. His conferences have been attended by thousands that have been set free from the oppression of their past to live the more abundant life in Christ.

As the child of a single parent Philip knows first hand the struggles of the fatherless. And with his past Green Beret experience God has given Philip a vision, which enables him to put to use the lessons he has learned. Philip developed a high adventure camping trip where young people are lead on a journey of heart and soul as well as a physical journey. The trips include life and leadership skills such as mountain climbing, mountaineering, rappelling, rock climbing, fishing, wilderness survival, orienteering, backpacking and more. Philip leads the youth in a spiritual journey through daily bible reading and small group discussions, referred to as "the fireside chat" where the youth face the truth of their lives as they learn to let go of the old and to walk in the new. The young people are held accountable after the trips by forming cell groups or getting plugged into the Youth Ministry at Cornerstone Church.

Philip has served on and is sought after as a board member by Non profit organizations, cattle organizations and businesses. Philip graduated from Texas A&M University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a Master of Agriculture in Animal Science with an emphasis in Agribusiness and feedlot management.