The Upper Room Staff
Pastors Steve and Carrie Foss - Senior Pastors
Pastor Steve Foss gave his life to the Lord on May 2, 1986 and was instantly delivered from five years of drug addiction. In 1988, he held his first Bible study and after only 17 months, Steve saw over 500 people answer the altar calls. After that, he started five more campus outreaches touching over 120 youth every week. In 1990, God opened the door for Steve to help create Young Warriors, a very successful ministry under Morris Cerullo World Evangelism. By 1993, he began traveling internationally and saw God work tremendously. He has ministered to millions and has seen multitudes saved and even more baptized in the Holy Spirit around the world. More than 160,000 people have now completed his discipleship course. God has used Steve to train over 80,000 pastors and leaders in various schools of ministry from more than 70 nations. As a revivalist, Steve has lead 2 long term revivals, one lasting 25 months in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. Many testify that they have the strongest encounters with God in their lives while attending meetings with Pastor Steve.
Pastor Steve has shared platforms with people like Benny Hinn, Judy Jacobs, and Morris Cerullo, preaching to millions around the world with signs and wonders following. It is with this experience and the burning desire to see revival in Dallas/Fort Worth that Pastor Steve and Carrie Foss planted the Upper Room on Easter of 2009. Since then they have watched God work miracle after miracle as the church continues to grow rapidly in numbers and in manifestations.
Pastors Steve and Carrie have over 22 years of ministry experience to millions of people in over 170 nations around the world. They bring their powerful insight to the Word of God and strong anointing for the miraculous with a strong desire to see revival in DFW once again.
Pastors Matthew Ports - Associate Pastor
Pastor Matthew gave his life to the Lord at the age of 27 and was glorious filled with the Holy Ghost at which time God placed in his heart a vision for a last days church, and the five-fold ministry working together. He is believing for the restoration of signs, wonders and the glory of the Lord to the church once again.
Pastor Matthew Ports has been in ministry for over 32 years, having been a senior and associate pastor at several churches. He truly operates in the office of a Pastor and carries a strong anointing for intercession and pastoral ministry. Both Pastor Matthew and his wife Janeane have come to the Upper Room for the purpose of helping build up the body of Christ through prayer, personal ministry and the preaching of the gospel.
Pastor Robert Ramirez - Worship Leader
Robert Ramirez is an anointed worship leader who desires to bring worshippers into the very Presence of God where they can truly “worship Him in spirit and in truth”. He has been involved in music ministry for over five years and is a graduate of Heartland School of Ministry.
Robert was the youth worship leader and part of the main worship team at his home church, First Assembly of God in Laredo, Texas, for over two years before leaving to attend Heartland School of Ministry in Irving, Texas. While at Heartland Church he was one of the worship leaders for the weekly services and a part of the worship ministry for over two years. During his time of enrollment at Heartland School of Ministry Robert had the opportunity to travel with an evangelist for six months and witnessed countless people being saved, delivered and healed by the power of God. He has lead worship for youth conferences, trained singers, musicians and ministered the Word to youth groups and young adults. After graduating from Heartland School of Ministry he accepted the position of Worship Leader at the Upper Room where he leads the worship for the main services and the Wednesday night Young Warriors youth group.
He has a desire to see true worship be taken to the nations of the earth. His heart is to impart the anointing for worship, to minister to youth through music and the Word and to see this generation raised up and released into their call in the worship ministry.
Pastors Dennis and Debra Fry - Children's Pastors
Dennis and Debra Fry have been involved in children’s ministry since 1983. They have held positions as Children’s Pastor, Christian Education Director, Nursery Director, Christian School Administrator and Associate Pastor in the Body of Christ. They have hosted and participated in conferences, training seminars and crusades. Dennis holds an Associate of Arts in Ministry. Debra holds an Associate of Arts in Theology and a Bachelors degree in Christian Education. Both are graduates of the Gateway School of Prophetic Ministry, Levels I and II, of Richmond, Virginia and are ordained ministers.
The Frys strongly believe that our children are the Joshua generation, for “Moses my servant is dead: and that it is this generation of children that will rise up and possess the land. They are answering the call to go forth Preparing, Equipping and Training our children to be all that God would have them be. It is their hearts’ desire that the children be trained to be effective and power filled for the kingdom; ministering with signs and wonders following.
Under their ministry children have been saved, baptized in the Holy Spirit and activated in the gifts of the Spirit. They have seen the Holy Spirit move through children to minister, not only to other children but also adults, through the gifts of prophecy, healing and the word of knowledge. They not only teach about the Holy Spirit and His power but give children an opportunity to experience Him and to minister for Him.
Pastor James Foss - Youth Director
James Foss spent his teenage years selling and using drugs. James was a very angry selfish young man. He would steal, kill, and destroy to get whatever his wicked heart desired. After being supernaturally released from jail James went on the road with Pastor Steve where he was delivered from his drug addiction and all the other wickedness in his heart.
After this James served Pastor Steve as his armor-bearer traveling with him to the nations and all over the United States. Steve and Carrie Foss became the stable godly parents James never had and in November of 2009, they legally adopted James as their son. As Saul became Paul and Simon became Peter. James Trahan became James Foss. “Steve and Carrie sacrificed so much for me and words cannot describe how God has used them in my life. I never thought I would have such love and kindness shown to me. I wake up everyday grateful for the family God has given me” -James Foss
Now James is following in his fathers footsteps leading the Young Warriors through preaching the Word of God with signs and wonders following; raising an end-time army to reach a lost and dying generation.