Transform Minnesota is deeply saddened by the recent passing of our founding Executive Director Rev. Quinten Alfors. Quint’s leadership and faithfulness in prayer, was a driving force in the founding of this evangelical network, formerly called the Greater Minnesota Association of Evangelicals, which still exists 50 years later to connect and equip the Church.

“Quint had the vision of an evangelical association called GMAE that would connect Christian leaders and develop ministries and Biblical solutions to transform communities. Because of Quint’s vision and leadership, today Minnesota has one of the strongest regional evangelical networks in the US,” said Carl Nelson, president of Transform Minnesota (formerly GMAE).

Rev. Quint Alfors was a key leader in starting GMAE (now called Transform Minnesota) in 1965, which started as a group of 20 Twin Cities’ pastors praying with each other. Together, the group collaborated in outreach ministry, radio and TV evangelism and through the creation of chaplaincy services.

“Quint Alfors was a gifted leader in corporate fellowship. There was a common enthusiasm in the early days of GMAE,” said Clinton Bergman, a former GMAE board member.

“Quint Alfors did a good job of organizing events with speakers and teachers at churches,” said Dick Harden, former Executive Director of Damascus Way Reentry Center. “Quint was the catalyst for gathering and hosting pastors to talk about issues facing evangelicals in the Twin Cities.”

Quint Alfors was the former pastor of St. Louis Park Evangelical Free Church, and in 1970 was hired as the Executive Director of GMAE. Under his leadership our church membership grew, New Life Family Services, Damascus Way Reentry Center, and Arrive Ministries (formerly World Relief Minnesota) were created to serve our state’s most vulnerable populations.

“Quint helped to launch several ministries that are still changing and saving lives across Minnesota today, including pregnancy centers, half-way houses and a refugee resettlement ministry,” said Nelson.

Alfors also lead the charge in starting multiple evangelical ministries through GMAE including a single parent fellowship, pre-marital training seminars, a police chaplaincy network, building a chapel at the Stillwater prison and opening a coffeehouse, where dozens of people decided to follow Jesus.

“Quint was the driving force that connected pastors across many denominations, leading to incredible cooperation among evangelicals that has impacted tens of thousands of lives,” said Nelson.

Quint’s wife Rachel worked alongside him for many years, serving GMAE and supporting Quint’s efforts as they grew the evangelical network. Rachel passed away in April 2015.

Quint Alfors retired from GMAE in 1990, but both he and Rachel continued to be involved in fundraising efforts and supporting our evangelical network. We are eternally grateful for the ways God used Rev. Quint Alfors to connect and equip the Church. We hope to continue to honor his name and legacy with the work we do at Transform Minnesota.

To read Rev. Quinten Alfors’ obituary.