Earlier this year, Medford Adventist Church members came together to crowdfund a pastor’s salary.
While being led by Dan McCollough, volunteer interim pastor, the need for an additional pastor to lead Medford Church's large, active youth program couldn’t be ignored. Through donor matching and pledges, the church has committed to a two-year associate pastor’s contract.
Kenton Gonzalez, who graduated from Andrews University Theological Seminary in 2020 with a Master of Divinity degree, accepted the contract and was dedicated during the church service on Aug. 10, 2024. Recently, Allie Morse, 12-year-old Medford Church correspondent, sat down with Gonzalez to get to know him better.
Q: God calls everyone to minister in some way. When and how do you feel God called you to be a pastor?
Gonzalez: This is a tricky question for me because, honestly, I've always wanted to be a pastor! When my friends and other kids my age were dreaming of being firefighters, astronauts or zoologists, I knew I wanted to be a pastor. My dad actually tells a story of finding me at age 3. I had lined up all of my mom's stuffed animals in a row and was "preaching" my Sabbath School lesson to them. It has always been something that I've known God wanted for my life, and so that's what I did.
Q: As you are going to be working with the youth, what do you envision for them? How can we as a church support that?
Gonzalez: I think the biggest thing about working with youth is getting them involved — and not just in easy background tasks; I mean putting them in charge of things! This church is already doing such a great job at that, so I want to continue that and see where I can empower the youth to start to take charge and make this their church.
Q: You are a young pastor with a young family. How can young families find connections and ways to serve when life with kids is so busy?
Gonzalez: I once got a piece of sage advice when I started pastoring. I was told, "Remember, your family are your first church members." Sometimes we feel the need to give, give, give to those outside our family, because that's what you're supposed to do, right? Help out at church, go to the programs, lead and participate. These are all good things.
Church is there to not only be a blessing to ourselves but for us to be a blessing to others. That being said, though, I think the most important thing families can do to serve the church is to make sure they're staying connected to God as a family. Family worship, reading, learning and serving together — it all comes back to the family unit.
Q: What do you see as being some of Medford Church's strengths, and how can we grow in other areas?
Gonzalez: Since coming to the Medford Valley, I've noticed that Medford Church in particular is very giving — financially, of course, but also of their time and person. I also love how the church is so friendly; there really is an atmosphere of love and acceptance when you walk through the doors of the church.
Medford Church is so grateful for Gonzalez's and his wife, Kayla’s, ministry, and for God’s goodness in providing them with a pastor.
Medford Church welcomes Kenton Gonzalez after an energetic crowdfunding campaign.
The Gonzalez family is excited to be working with the young people of the Medford area.
