Kyle Mitchell

I grew up in a stable and loving home as the middle child in a family that encouraged big personalities and big dreams. My parents had a sincere respect for the Christian faith, though we weren’t deeply connected to a local church during my childhood. Even so, their lives shaped me in profound ways. My mom, who stayed home to raise us, constantly reminded me to believe in myself and pursue the gifts God had given me. My dad modeled something just as powerful—quiet integrity, generosity toward others, and a tireless work ethic. Because of them, my childhood was secure, joyful, and full of opportunity.

Yet even with all those blessings, I could sense that something important was missing. God, in His kindness, used a friendship to begin filling that gap. In middle school I met a friend named Ryan Shrout. We became fast friends, but Ryan had something in his life that I didn’t yet understand—an authentic and growing faith in Jesus. He was relentless, in the best possible way, about inviting me to youth group events, gatherings, and trips. Sometimes I went out of curiosity, sometimes just for the fun of it.

What I discovered surprised me. I had carried many misconceptions about Christianity, imagining it to be restrictive or joyless. Instead, I encountered a community marked by genuine freedom, joy, and creativity. I was especially drawn to the music and the vibrant culture surrounding it. Slowly, God began to dismantle the false ideas I had believed. I realized that following Jesus wasn’t about losing everything that made life vibrant—it was about redeeming it. God wasn’t trying to take away my joy or creativity; He wanted to deepen it and use it for His glory. That realization changed everything.

When I turned sixteen and got my driver’s license, I began driving myself to church on Sunday mornings. My curiosity had grown into a sincere hunger to understand the faith I was beginning to embrace. One Sunday, the gospel was presented with clarity and power, and I knew it was true. That morning I placed my trust fully in Jesus Christ and surrendered my life to Him. From that moment forward, my life began to change quickly. During my junior year of high school I immersed myself in Scripture, church life, and discipleship. By the beginning of my senior year, I sensed something even deeper—a clear and compelling call from God to serve Him in ministry.

After graduation, Ryan and I headed to Bible college together. God used those years to deepen both our friendship and our faith. We studied, served, and pursued the Pastoral calling God had placed on our lives. Along the way, He also used our shared love of music as a ministry platform in ways we could never have anticipated. Since then, the Lord has given me many opportunities and experiences that have shaped me over the past thirteen years of pastoral ministry. Every step has been part of His patient work of preparing and refining me.

Even now, I am continually amazed by the heart of God—His relentless love for people and His desire to rescue and redeem us. I am equally humbled that He chooses to use ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. I often feel like a nobody from nowhere, yet God delights in using unlikely instruments for His glory. For that reason, I remain deeply grateful—to the loving parents that raised me, to the friend who refused to stop inviting me, to the pastors who invested in me, to the family that always supports me, and above all, to Jesus Christ who gave His life for mine.

Jesus purchased my life with His own blood, and by His grace I intend to spend every remaining day honoring Him and serving His church until the day He calls me home.