Alumni Link
EIGHT ATS Alumni Honored Among the Top 25 Fastest Growing Large UM Churches 2019
Published Date: May 31, 2019
God’s faithfulness can be clearly seen regardless of the size of the church you are serving. And, our Office of Alumni staff have a very special place in our hearts for the faithful shepherds over the smaller churches, which often go unnoticed.
However, we celebrate churches of all sizes where our alumni are serving, and when they are publicly recognized, we love to hear about it and pass those congratulations on. We acknowledge that growth small and large happens where faithfulness in ministry exists, and are proud to announce that 8 of the 25 fastest growing large United Methodist Churches this year are led by our own alumni!
Two of our current Board of Trustees members are on this list, one of whom took the number one position!
We know you work very hard, and applaud your faithfulness through every season. We also acknowledge that this is not simply about the people who are serving, but also is an indicator of the faithfulness of God to keep you in ministry and to provide this growth, as we know such things are evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work. Here’s to ministering out of a Spirit-Filled Life!
Click here to read the full article and see the list!
Here’s the list of our Asbury Theological Seminary graduates who are leading those growing churches, their graduating year, and their placements in the top 25:
Dale Locke, c/o 1988
Community of Hope
Loxahatchee Groves, FL
1st place!
*Dale also currently sits on Asbury Seminary’s Board of Trustees!
Jeff Kersey, c/o 1981
Mt. Horeb
Lexington, SC
4th place
Rurel Ausley, c/o 1980
Crosspoint Church
Niceville, FL
8th place
*Rurel also currently sits on Asbury Seminary’s Board of Trustees!
Jeff Harper, c/o 2011
Evangelical UM
Greenville, OH
10th place
Jay Hanson, c/o 2003
The Chapel
Brunswick, GA
12th place
Brad Kalajainen, c/o 1981
Cornerstone
Caledonia, MI
20th place
Doug Kokx, c/o 1985
First UMC Clermont
Clermont, FL
23rd place
Talbot Davis, c/o 1990
Good Shepherd
Charlotte, NC
25th place
That is great! There are other ways to decide success in God’s kingdom. Why do you only lift up those who only are blessed to be in the churches where they are? These announcements celebrating God’s gifting undermines the many of us who still serve the Kingdom and make a real difference in the areas God’s gifting has placed us. It is a worldly view of success. It does not always track with the Jesus model. Just saying! Blessings, Rian P Kegerreis 1988 (Incapacity leave 2003)
We do lift up small churches and those who are faithful in the places which remain unseen. We make a practice of lifting up our alumni wherever they serve, and don’t neglect to congratulate those who are working hard. These alumni are also making a real difference in the areas God’s gifting has placed them. It is sin to discount those who are in service to God’s people whether their congregations are small OR large. Blessings!
Praising God for all His Blessings, for Asbury Seminary, and for giving me three wonderful Sons, one of which is Dale.
Congrats to all!
Yay FUMC Clermont! And their two associate pastors, Dawn Carter (2012) and Chris Tabone (2018), are also Asbury graduates!