Until this month, Scott Carney served as a pastor in Beaver. The congregation he began to amass about a year ago had been meeting each week in a local fire hall.

But since his church, the World Outreach Christian Center, consisted largely of Butler residents, Carney decided to ease their commute - moving the church to Butler.

As of March 6, the nondenominational, full-gospel church will meet at 10 a.m. each Sunday at the Northwest Elementary School.

Carney, who is finishing a master's degree through Oral Roberts University, said sermon topics will generally consist of foundational points of Christ, how they succeed in everyday living and how to succeed with the Bible's teachings.

With an emphasis on family, Carney said his wife, Valorie, will act as co-pastor, taking on administrative duties and leading the children's ministry.

A former outreach leader at Victory Christian Fellowship in Cranberry Township, Carney will also emphasize outreach at the new church.

Two such outreach efforts, Panic to Peace and Conceived by Faith, were formed out of Carney's own experience:

"Panic to Peace deals with anxiety disorders, stress and depression," Carney said. "I actually had anxiety attacks, depression and agoraphobia."

Agoraphobia is a fear of being in open or public places.

"I had agoraphobia for approximately 13 years of my life," Carney said. "I was able by faith to break free from it. That's what I teach."

Carney said Conceived by Faith is designed to help bolster the belief that through God conception is also possible, even when doctors say otherwise.

"I was sterile," he said of how the outreach idea began. "My wife had cancer. She went through chemotherapy. They told her 'There's probably no way you'll get pregnant.' The doctor actually told me there was no chance at all for us. We have four children."

Jason Sexton of Harmony, one of Carney's congregants, said he suffered from severe diabetes when joining World Outreach Christian Center last year.

"I was actually a diabetic and am no longer a diabetic," Sexton said. "My doctor is amazed. I was on insulin injections, actually. And I'm no longer on those injections. I no longer take anything. I had high blood pressure and it's down now, with no medication.

"(Carney) opened my eyes to a stronger faith in God. He is a very teaching pastor."

Sexton said although weight loss after sleep apnea surgery also affected his health, faith and counseling played critical roles.

"He did a lot of counseling with me on my illnesses … my health is a lot better," he said.

Raised as a Presbyterian, Carney said he was drawn to full-gospel worship because of its charisma.

"I started going to a full gospel church, and I liked it," he said. "I enjoyed the contemporary music with the old-time hymns. And also the preaching was completely different.

"It's spirit-filled, with a lot more intense teaching on the word of God."

Carney said although he has been traveling and counseling for about 15 years, his full-time pursuit of ministry began when he was laid off from his job as a supervisor in the USAir baggage department after 21 years.

"It was perfect timing," he said of the life change. "I wanted to do (ministry) since I was 19 years old.

"Everybody else in the company was very distraught, but I was happy. I was just waiting."

Carney said attendance at the Beaver site ranged between 35 and 50 people, but he expects attendance to continue growing.

"Our motto is come as you are," he said. "Our arms are wide open. We love everyone. We're never condemning people

"Our thing is to present the gospel to them and for them to experience the holy spirit in a relationship with God themselves."

Carney lives with his wife in Beaver. They have

an 8-year-old, a 6-year-old and 4-year-old twins.