Getting New Stuff Done at Forty-ONE!
The big 4-0 snuck up on me unexpectedly last year. Just like that... another year has flown by and this upcoming Sunday, March 23rd, I turn 41! Every milestone offers a moment of reflection.
- How did God work in my life?
- What went well? What didn't?
- Do I need to make any shifts?
- What new goal(s) does God want me to pursue?
I don't take hours in the mountains to ponder these questions. I generally just sit on my patio for 5-10 minutes before taking the kids to school while sipping my coffee. Generally, an answer comes. Most years, it's a solid "Keep up the good work Kyle!" type of message. Occasionally, God leans in with a challenge. This year I felt the Lord do that.
Before I get to it, let me give you some context of everything I'm already doing. In addition to being a disciple, a husband, a dad, and a pastor, God allows me to serve in several other ways.
- God has allowed me to serve our community by being on the board of the Anaheim Muzeo. You might be familiar with it. It's the museum for our city in the heart of Downtown.
- God has allowed me to serve my kids' school as a board member at Vibrant Minds Charter School in Anaheim. It's a privilege to be able to help guide the decisions to better serve kids in our city.
- God has allowed me to serve the broader Christian Church as the Vice President of the board of the Aspire Network (City Church's network of churches). Aspire oversees around 300 churches and six camps nationwide! This platform gives me a space to see and speak into how God's Kingdom is working beyond our context.
In the midst of all of this... City Church is growing right now! The wind of the Spirit is blowing in a way I have never seen in 15+ years of ministry. Needless to say, I wasn't in need of more to do. Yet this past January, I felt nudged to sharpen my axe as a studier and communicator of God's Word. This led me to two new things.
- I started taking a stand-up comedy class. It's a short-term thing but it's fun and I'm enjoying it.
- THE BIG ONE: I started a Doctorate of Ministry program through Liberty University Online. It all came about somewhat quickly but I have actually been considering it for a couple years. The focus of my program is preaching and teaching. I anticipate this program taking me 3-4 years.
Why am I sharing all of this?
- Our family will need your prayer as we embark upon this new season. This is not something I'll be able to accomplish in my own strength. I need the Lord. Getting across the finish line will be a solid "team lift" where my wife also takes on more to support me. Pray specifically that God can multiply my time. Pray that I can still be the same, available and "there" dad I have always been. Pray for me as I'm carrying a heavier load than ever.
- I will need your personal understanding in relationship to my availability. Simply put, every spare moment of life right now needs to go to God, to my family, to my work for Sundays, to our staff here at church, and to my studies. I have always prided myself in being very available to the church. For a season, that will likely look different. I am going to have to be more focused than ever in order to get through it. The good news is that we have amazing staff who are well equipped to serve you. I will be leaning into them heavily right now. In our board meeting, our board told me this is my "Moses and Jethro" moment. I pray for your understanding as we transition through this together.
Why am I doing this? Because I want to be a better me. And everyone gets better when the leader gets better. As City Church grows, I'm realizing how much I need to learn and grow. I need to take some tangible steps through which God can transform me into the Pastor I'm meant to be so I can guide His Church into what He wants it to be.
Love you all.
Pastor Kyle