If you have been part of Gateway for awhile, you may remember Pastor Josh sharing a dream that someday Gateway would have a Pastoral Residency program. This program would be a hands-on training ground for young pastors and a way for Gateway to play a small role in addressing the current pastor shortage within our denomination. Our second Pastoral Resident, Nick Kyro, came on board in April. As a Resident Nick will gain experience in pastoral care, spiritual leadership, and preaching while completing his MDiv and ordination requirements. We expect Nick and his wife Ashley to be part of our Gateway family for about 3 years. We will love them well while they are here, and then, like the Apostle Paul’s friends in Ephesus at the end of Acts 20, we will send them out, no doubt with both sadness AND joy, to pastor an EPC church somewhere else. You can read more about him, in one of our latest Gateway News Articles. We are thankful for the ways God is answering our prayers to raise up godly men who are committed to serving his Church as pastors.
Get to know a little more about Nick and Ashley.
Tell us about yourself.
- My family currently consists of myself and my wife Ashley. We have been married for 3 years now.
- I have lived in a few different places which all have different impacts on my life. I was born in Michigan and lived there until I was 10, so my sports teams are all Michigan teams (Go Blue!). Also, my accent sounds northern, especially if I get time up north. Then I lived in southern Indiana (right across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky). This is where I became a follower of Jesus and received my calling to be in ministry! Since 2020, I have gradually moved north as I pursue a career in ministry, a couple years in Cincinnati, getting married and living in Columbus, OH, now living up here in Findlay! Everywhere I have lived has had an impact on my life so I am a hodgepodge of both northern and southern cultures.
- I have been working in ministry for 13 years serving as both staff and a volunteer in roles from student ministry, addiction recovery, prison ministry, and other roles in between. My most recent ministry endeavor was being the Juvenile Justice Ministry Director for Columbus, OH with Youth For Christ where I led teams of people working with system involved youth in both juvenile detention centers and residential treatment homes.
What brought you to Gateway Church?
- My wife works for Campus Outreach so with the connection here I found out about the Pastoral Residency Program. Knowing that I wanted to pursue pastoral ministry, this position is a no brainer. I can work and learn at a healthy church that already has a community of people that I know, where I then can be sent, prepared and educated, to lead a church myself.
What are you most excited about for your time as one of our Pastoral Residents?
- Learning from Josh. I think being discipled by someone who is experienced and cares for the next generation of pastors is going to play a vital role in my development as a pastor while I am here. I am excited to learn more about what it takes to be an effective pastor from a pastor who leads a healthy growing church.
After completing this program, where do you see yourself?
- I have been looking at the EPC church map and there are 3 EPC churches in The Bahamas which would be a fun place to go!
- In reality, I just want to go wherever God sends me. I want to live out Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’”
How do you take your coffee?
- Iced, never hot. My personal favorite is iced coffee and almond milk (lactose intolerant……) and maple syrup. I usually just order an iced coffee with almond milk and caramel flavor when I get coffee out.
- I also love C4 frozen bombsicle energy drinks.
