Brent, tell us about yourself, your family and your current ministry.
My name is Brent Ingersoll. I have lived my entire life in Atlantic Canada, and for the last 16 years I have had the privilege of serving at Kings Church based in Quispamsis, New Brunswick. My wife, Melanie, our three kids, Ava, Aden and Alexander, and I have been truly blessed to be able to do life and mission with this incredible church in this part of God’s world.
Starting in 2006, I was an assistant pastor, covering a variety of ministry roles. In 2012 I became the senior pastor and have been serving in that role ever since. God has blessed our church throughout its 40-year history, and it has been an incredible and exciting joy to be able to have a front row seat for the past decade as He has expanded our mission to three provinces and five different locations.
Jesus once said, “apart from me, you can do nothing.” Our primary goal when it comes to our church gatherings is to ensure that the presence of the Holy Spirit is welcomed, glorified, obeyed and experienced. When the Spirit is present, all kinds of incredible things begin to happen; without Him, it’s simply human effort that cannot result in anything eternal or transcendent.
At Kings Church, we’ve spent a lot of time talking, thinking, and strategizing about attendance, and although we sincerely hope that many people of all ages and stages attend our gatherings, the number one Person we aim to invite and engage is the Holy Spirit. The tangible, manifest presence of God is the single determining factor as to the vitality of our gatherings. We pray, “come Holy Spirit” every time we gather, and He always comes.
When did you attend what was then Bethany and what was your major?
I attended Bethany from 2002 to 2006 and majored in Pastoral Ministry
How did your Bethany education prepare you for your ministry?
Bethany was critical for me on a number of levels. The biggest component was how God used that time in my life to capture, transform and prepare my heart for the life He had called me to. I never went to Bethany with ministry in mind, but I soon discovered that God had that in mind for me as He opened my heart to Him in ways I’d never experienced and opened doors for me to serve in ministry in ways I never expected.
What are your insights on Christian higher education?
The church is desperate for godly leaders who know how to love God with all their mind, soul, heart, and strength, and who know how to teach others to do the same. As a church leader, the value and need of having leaders trained up who can accomplish the mission of the church cannot be overstated.