01
Changed by His Presence
We believe transformation begins with a real encounter with God.
Our Story
From the streets
to the pulpit.
Pastor Baltimore Medina is the founder and Lead Pastor of Forged City Church. His heart is to reach people who feel overlooked, unlikely, unfinished, or unsure they belong in church at all.
Baltimore did not grow up in church. His early life was shaped by instability, gang culture, and the streets. But in 2001, an encounter with Jesus changed the direction of his life. He fell in love with God's Word and discovered that God could use the very parts of his story he once wanted to hide.
That journey has become nearly three decades of ministry, including 18 years in pastoral leadership at a large multi-campus church. He has served in pastoral care, outreach, evangelism, discipleship, leadership development, and creative communications. His ministry has also taken him across the United States and internationally.
Through it all, his heart has remained the same: meet people where they are, tell them the truth, and love them well. That conviction became Forged City Church, founded and launched alongside his wife, Chelsea.
Together, Baltimore and Chelsea are raising four children and building a ministry centered on Jesus, authentic community, discipleship, and reaching people beyond the walls of the church. God does not wait for finished people. He forges willing ones.