Rev. Larry D. Kirby
MINISTRY
EXPERIENCE
Liberty
Baptist
Church
Lachine, Michigan
2005 - Present
Senior Pastor
Affiliation: Regular Baptist
§
Grew Attendance 50% despite aging population and economic recession.
§
Established
outreach and visitor programs.
§
Instituted
monthly fellowship dinners.
§
Added
community-based programs: local Boy Scout troop and Financial Peace
University.
§
Oversaw facility updates: roof weather-stripping, insulation and
heating upgrades & repairs.
Long Rapids First Congregational Church
Lachine, Michigan
2003 - 2007
Senior Pastor
Affiliation: NACCC
§
Increased
giving by 24% in four years; retired debt on parsonage
renovations
§
Added
several families during tenure; maintained membership level in aging
community.
§
Established
and organized community Thanksgiving service; participated in joint
Good Friday community services.
§
New
programs: established Junior Church program and renewed ladies group
under Sharon’s leadership.
§
Introduced
drama, seeker-friendly concepts, and rotating Sunday School model.
River
of
Life Assembly of God
Muskegon, Michigan
2000 – 2002
Senior Pastor
Staff: Associate Pastor, Youth, Secretary
§
Realized an increase in church attendance by 25% during our first
year of ministry.
§
Established discipleship, leadership, and small group development
training programs.
§
Developed and mentored associate pastor and his wife for their first
senior pastorate.
§
Instituted door-to-door urban evangelism using servant-evangelism &
traditional methods.
§
Launched in-home Bible study group meetings and worked to
reestablish neighborhood credibility.
§
Reduced monthly operating expenses and increased monthly rental
income, with no new debt.
§
Created a
web presence.
Carleton Assembly of God
Carleton, Michigan
1994 – 2000
Senior Pastor
Staff: Youth, Music, Secretary
§
New programs: Royal Rangers and Missionettes programs during
mid-week service, Super Saturday, VBS and Ladies Ministry.
Established prayer ministry team with evangelical focus.
§
Recognized a 300% growth in church attendance.
§
Executed four-year internal and external capital improvements with
no remaining debt.
§
Launched staff and lay leadership development training series.
Initiated discipleship training and an evangelistic outreach.
§
Cultivated and mentored multiple staff through group training and
individual interaction.
§
Initiated
community involvement: participation in local parades and local
festival, community booth at local mall.
New
Life
Christian
Center
Somerdale, New Jersey
1992 - 1994
Assistant Pastor
§
Led services in absence of Senior Pastor.
§
Provided pastoral counseling services and served as advisor to the
senior pastor.
§
Launched and conducted in-home Bible study for the
Fairview
area of Camden, New Jersey.
First Assembly of God
Carney’s Point,
New Jersey
1990 - 1992
Interim Assistant Pastor
§
Led services, provided pastoral counseling services and served as
advisor to the senior pastor.
§
Developed and taught discipleship class, taught church membership
classes.
§
Co-ministered with wife to teach adults and children.
Bethel
Christian
Center
Blackwood, New Jersey
1988 - 1990
Associate Pastor
Congregation: 600
§
Preaching,
advanced pastoral counseling, led worship service, organized
visitation at homes and area hospitals, headed new members Sunday
School class.
§
Developed,
recruited and taught lay counseling program.
§
Managed
facility and support personnel.
§
Researched, recommended and launched stewardship program for
$1,000,000 capital campaign.
First Assembly of God,
New Philadelphia, Ohio 1985 – 1988
Bedford Assembly of God, Bedford, Ohio 1985 – 1988
Assistant Pastor (dual role)
§
Led services in absence of Senior Pastor.
§
Pastoral counseling on an as-needed basis.
§
Piloted community lay-counseling outreach.
SPECIALIZED MINISTRY
Hospice of
Michigan
Alpena, Michigan
April 2007 - Present
Spiritual Care Advisor
§
Assesses and ministers to spiritual needs of terminally ill patient
and their family.
§
Communicates with entire Hospice team to provide best possible
end-of-life care.
Ronald McDonald House
Cleveland, Ohio
1986 - 1988
House Manager; Staff: 12 volunteers, 1 housekeeping
§
Managed the daily activity of 24-room housing unit for the families
of critically ill children.
§
On-call for medical emergencies in conjunction with care at
Rainbow’s Baby & Children’s Hospital and The
Cleveland
Clinic.
§
Grief, supportive and religious counseling for parents of critically
ill children.
SPECIAL EVENTS
March for Jesus
Monroe, Michigan
1995-1999
Chairman –
Monroe
March for Jesus
§
Spearheaded March-for-Jesus campaign in
Monroe
in cooperation with several Monroe area churches.
Jack Strack Evangelistic Crusade
Monroe,
Michigan
1995
Committee Member
§
Leadership role in county-wide Jay Strack evangelistic crusade.
§
Approximately 4,000 in attendance resulting in hundreds saved.
South Jersey
Youth Retreat
Blackwood, New Jersey
1988
Interim Youth Pastor
§
Developed and managed annual tri-county winter youth retreat
involving 6-8 area church youth groups.
RECOGNITIONS/APPOINTMENTS/ELECTIONS
Alpena
Area Ministerial Association
Member, former Secretary/Treasurer
2004 -
Present
Western
Michigan Association of Congregational Christian Churches
Executive Committee
2004 - 2007
Bingham
Arts Academy
(a Charter
school)
Board Member & Treasurer
Inception
(2004) - 2007
Southeastern Board of Supervised Churches (A/G)
Board Member
1998 - 2000
Monroe
Evangelical Association
Committee Member
1994 - 2000
Monroe
County March for Jesus
Chairman
1994 - 2000
Outstanding Young Men of America -1987
United States Navy
Sailor of
the Quarter – U.S.S. Hoel DDG-13 - 1977
Sailor of the Quarter – Command Cruiser Destroyer Group
III - 1977
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