Kevin Rutledge

Biblically Rich, Passionate, and Engaging Communicator

Visionary Leader

Relatable Pastor

Committed to the Truth and Power of the Bible

Email Me

Keep Scrolling to Find:

 

Quick-Snip-Clips of Sermons & Video Curricula

A Sampling of Full Sermons

A Big Picture of My Theology, Ministry, and Personality

I grew up in a non-Christian environment. I followed the lies the world told me, and I quickly learned the world would not satisfy. God used a youth ministry in a local church to draw me to Himself as a teenager. The change was, and is, miraculous.

I’ve served God’s church as a minister, missionary, and lead pastor for over twenty years now. I’ve served in different sized churches, different contexts, and different cultures. Still, people are the same wherever you are: We all need our crucified and risen Jesus. God, too, remains the same: He has been faithful through my hardest times and my most blessed moments. In the end, one overwhelming Truth remains: Our God deserves all the glory.

Biblically Rich, Passionate, and Engaging Communicator

Visionary Leader

Relatable Pastor

Committed to the Truth and Power of the Bible

Email Me

Keep Scrolling to Find:

 

Quick-Snip-Clips of Sermons & Video Curricula

A Sampling of Full Sermons

A Big Picture of My Theology, Ministry, and Personality

I grew up in a non-Christian environment. I followed the lies the world told me, and I quickly learned the world would not satisfy. God used a youth ministry in a local church to draw me to Himself as a teenager. The change was, and is, miraculous.

I’ve served God’s church as a minister, missionary, and lead pastor for over twenty years now. I’ve served in different sized churches, different contexts, and different cultures. Still, people are the same wherever you are: We all need our crucified and risen Jesus. God, too, remains the same: He has been faithful through my hardest times and my most blessed moments. In the end, one overwhelming Truth remains: Our God deserves all the glory.

7-ish Minute Quick-Snip-Clips from Sermons or Small Group Curricula

Our “Word Workshop” Small Group Curriculum was designed to equip people to enjoy reading the Bible for themselves, and to do so accurately and powerfully. This clip is one of the quick teaching videos played at the beginning of a small group session.

Full Sermons

THEOLOGY

PREACHING

PERSONALITY & LEADERSHIP

PASSIONS

The Bible is God-Breathed
The 66 books of the Bible are the only sufficient and authoritative source for life and doctrine. I fully subscribe to the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. The Bible is the foundation and check for all my theology – and my complete life and worldview. I passionately love God’s Word to us, and I thrill to communicate it to others!
Theologically and Morally Conservative
I champion the theological statement of the National Association of Evangelicals. I am trinitarian, I believe in the virgin birth, perfect humanity and deity of Christ, Christ’s penal substitutionary atonement on the cross, his bodily resurrection on the third day, and his future bodily return to usher in an eternal state with a very real heaven and hell that will be consciously and eternally experienced by those assigned at the Judgment. Judgment and salvation will be based on faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. For a more detailed statement of faith, I oversaw and contributed to this Statement of Faith that reflects my personal beliefs well.
Deeply Bibilical & Rich With Insight
I absolutely love God’s Word. I love the profound ways it touches every day life as well as global and eternal issues. I love the miraculous way that texts written 1500 years before Christ reveal historic and literary patterns and types, that repeat in brilliant ways and always point us to Christ as the center. I preach out of this joy and worship of the God Who spoke these wonders to us. Though my preaching could be considered, “deep,” often theological, and richly biblical; I believe it it’s also accessible. I seek to illustrate ideas, use imagery, and connect rich concepts to everyday life experience, so these ‘deep ideas’ can simply be seen as the bite-sized true bread of God that our soul needs to chew on for our day-to-day life. At least, that it’s my design and desire. My hope and prayer is always that my love and excitement for the God’s Word will spread to those who hear, because behind God’s Word is the God Who is the True Desire of every human heart and the only One worthy of our ultimate glory, worship, and all-encompassing love.
Preaching Personality
Some preaching looks like a three-piece suit, with a stong sense of formailty and seriousness. Some preaching looks like a Hawaiian shirt with sandals, incredibly casual and generally very personal and welcoming. I think I carry some elements of both, and I seek to do so, though I lean more toward a more casual preaching personality. I don’t take myself too seriously. I can joke about myself, I can confess a sinful pattern that I see the passage may reveal in me. I’m an open book, and I’m generally just comfortable being open (but not awkward, there’s a fine line). I think this makes me relatable and welcoming. I’m also emotional, passionate, and reflect something of my excited abandon to the joy of God through His Word. On the other hand, I do take God’s Word seriously, and at times my emotions reflect the seriousness that the passage and topic at hand brings out.
Always Biblical, Usually Expositional
As far as sermon content is concerned, I generally work my way through books of the Bible. I tend to do this in chunks, while breaking a longer book into multiple series that follow and apply the emphases of that particular section of the book. While probably 80% of my sermons work through books of the Bible, I believe sometimes more ‘topical’ sermons are helpful, if they continue to be soundly biblical. Expositional sermons through books help teach the Bible and a solid grasp of an entire book or passage. They also demonstrate something of how to read and apply the Bible for oneself. Topical sermons can function more like ‘systematic theology’ that takes a particular question and answer it through the whole of the Biblical revelation, whether it’s a hot topic of the day, a particular discipleship area needed in our church (like parenting), or perhaps setting vision and values for the whole church in broad relief. The primary purpose, either way, is to lift up the Truth of God’s Word and apply it to our hearts right where we need it, by the sweetness and power of the Holy Spirit of our God.
Personality
Relational. Welcoming. Approachable. I’m known to put people at ease and draw people into conversation. I ask questions, and am known to walk slowly through the church and her ministries, engaging in encouraging conversation.

My demeanor can be characterized as “Joyfully driven.” I’m driven to press God’s church forward, but with joy as the strength behind that drive, not a hard edge.

 

Leadership
I am a dreamer and strategic thinker by nature. I chase ever-better implementation of ever-greater vision for our God’s Kingdom growth.

I recognize that a leader’s role is to loosen control in order maximize growth. I seek to disicple and empower leaders to develop their God-given passion and gifting for ministry.  I also seek to empopwer then challenge leaders to take ownership, find God’s vision, and press forward to the next level. It is one of my greatest joys to stand back and watch God’s people shine for God’s Kingdom.

 

Discipleship

I have a deep passion for seeing God’s people grow holistically in ever-deeper relationship with God. We are to pursue God in knowledge, passion, service, community, and mission. Whole person discipleship draws every part of us closer in relationship with our Christ. I have a deep passion for God and His Word. I love to see people grapple with, and grow through, God’s Word. I long to see stronger discipleship in our churches. What used to be considered high-level biblical training for leaders, needs to become the new normal for the majority of believers. This must be done by making these rich truths accessible, and by driving this pursuit from the heart, with passion, not mere intellectualism. God’s Word is alive and good discipleship, not only knows the Word, but presses through every part of us to live through our relationships, our service, our mission outside the church, and in our vocations. A strong church discipleship pathway will be concerned with next-level biblical training, yes. It will also be concerned with shepherding every Christian, through strong systems-implementations, into small group environments, service, and mission-opportunities. We are to love our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; for our good and His glory.

Biblical Worldview Formation

I believe one of the great challenges of our time, is to equip God’s people on a whole new level of Biblical literacy, while discipling people to apply the life and worldview of the Bible to every area of our lives. In this way, God’s people can meet the ideological and emotional challenges thrown at us with lightning speed from an ever-changing cultural landscape. I am passionate about equipping all Christians in this way. I’m especially burdened for Christian professors, professionals, and students to be no longer, merely professionals who happens to be a Christian; but to be , for example, thoroughly Christian-teachers, Christian-doctors, Christian-businessmen, Christian-artists, and Christian-students; who think, innovate, and create in a thoroughly biblical way that impacts every aspect of their vocations. I want Christians to be freed to see their area of service through the eyes and heart of God, through the lens of a thoroughly biblical life- and worldview. In this way, work becomes worship. It is a joy to the worker, and a glory to our God. It also has the power to bring salt and transformative light to our culture.

Arts and Culture
Christians have developed a fear for the arts that has lasted too long. Christians in earlier eras led the way in the production and innovation of music, visual arts, and more. Now, we have a whole new world of digital and video-based arts to explore, produce, and innovate to the glory of God. We need to escape from a fear of the world of art and culture, and begin to lead the way in producing. I myself am no real artist, but I greatly appreciate good music, great film, and great art of all varieties. I also love to draw people along to view the arts in a distinctly Christian manner, seeing the glory of God’s order and beauty, the complexity of His Truth and goodness, the richness of His story in creation, fall, and redemption echoing through the music, art, films, and stories of both Christian – and often unwittingly – through secular artistic products as well. Christians often watch movies, but do we do so Christianly? Christians often produce art, but do we do so with a richness of relationship, as doing art as co-creators with our Great Creator. Christians need to lead the way forward through the arts to impact our culture, moving forward. I want to be a part of equipping God’s people for such works of service, through perhaps “Popcorn culture” evenings that can equip the saints to love God’s good and despise the fallen in art-works, while also equipping, hosting, and promotion of disctinctly CHRISTIAN artists and art works that will be salt and light, with compellingly portrayed Truth for a culture that has lost sight of the glory and Beauty of God and His stories.
Evangleism
I find personal evangelism to be an absolute thrill and joy. Whether evangelism looks like bridging a conversation to the things of God with someone I just met at Starbucks, or whether it looks like developing relationships with neighbors and sharing the Gospel slowly and surely through those friendships, I love it all. I also love to see God’s people catch the joy of worshiping God through sharing His story and inviting others to enter in this eternal love story themselves. Churches need to regain the thrill and power of sharing the Gospel of God. We need it, not simply for the sake of others, but for our own progress and joy in the faith. Beyond the personal, I am driven to maximize everything we can do corporately as a church to draw people into our doors to hear and believe. As a missionary who has served the least reached, hardest mission field in the US, I understand what it looks like to be an everyday missionary through church, job, neighborhood, school, and every aspect of life. I also know what it looks like to disciple God’s people in evangelism, by ‘giving them a track to run on,’ through baby steps, beginning with simply saying ‘hi’ to new people at church, and inviting a friend to explore a service this Sunday. I want God’s people to renew our joy as a community of ‘everyday missionaries” wherever we find ourselves during our days and nights, feeling the power of His Spirit spurring us forward on His mission, always in our hearts and by our sides.

THEOLOGY

The Bible is God-Breathed
The 66 books of the Bible are the only sufficient and authoritative source for life and doctrine. I fully subscribe to the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. The Bible is the foundation and check for all my theology – and my complete life and worldview. I passionately love God’s Word to us, and I thrill to communicate it to others!
Theologically and Morally Conservative
I champion the theological statement of the National Association of Evangelicals. I am trinitarian, I believe in the virgin birth, perfect humanity and deity of Christ, Christ’s penal substitutionary atonement on the cross, his bodily resurrection on the third day, and his future bodily return to usher in an eternal state with a very real heaven and hell that will be consciously and eternally experienced by those assigned at the Judgment. Judgment and salvation will be based on faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. For a more detailed statement of faith, I oversaw and contributed to this Statement of Faith that reflects my personal beliefs well.

PREACHING

Deeply Bibilical & Rich With Insight
I absolutely love God’s Word. I love the profound ways it touches every day life as well as global and eternal issues. I love the miraculous way that texts written 1500 years before Christ reveal historic and literary patterns and types, that repeat in brilliant ways and always point us to Christ as the center. I preach out of this joy and worship of the God Who spoke these wonders to us. Though my preaching could be considered, “deep,” often theological, and richly biblical; I believe it it’s also accessible. I seek to illustrate ideas, use imagery, and connect rich concepts to everyday life experience, so these ‘deep ideas’ can simply be seen as the bite-sized true bread of God that our soul needs to chew on for our day-to-day life. At least, that it’s my design and desire. My hope and prayer is always that my love and excitement for the God’s Word will spread to those who hear, because behind God’s Word is the God Who is the True Desire of every human heart and the only One worthy of our ultimate glory, worship, and all-encompassing love.
Preaching Personality
Some preaching looks like a three-piece suit, with a stong sense of formailty and seriousness. Some preaching looks like a Hawaiian shirt with sandals, incredibly casual and generally very personal and welcoming. I think I carry some elements of both, and I seek to do so, though I lean more toward a more casual preaching personality. I don’t take myself too seriously. I can joke about myself, I can confess a sinful pattern that I see the passage may reveal in me. I’m an open book, and I’m generally just comfortable being open (but not awkward, there’s a fine line). I think this makes me relatable and welcoming. I’m also emotional, passionate, and reflect something of my excited abandon to the joy of God through His Word. On the other hand, I do take God’s Word seriously, and at times my emotions reflect the seriousness that the passage and topic at hand brings out.
Always Biblical, Usually Expositional
As far as sermon content is concerned, I generally work my way through books of the Bible. I tend to do this in chunks, while breaking a longer book into multiple series that follow and apply the emphases of that particular section of the book. While probably 80% of my sermons work through books of the Bible, I believe sometimes more ‘topical’ sermons are helpful, if they continue to be soundly biblical. Expositional sermons through books help teach the Bible and a solid grasp of an entire book or passage. They also demonstrate something of how to read and apply the Bible for oneself. Topical sermons can function more like ‘systematic theology’ that takes a particular question and answer it through the whole of the Biblical revelation, whether it’s a hot topic of the day, a particular discipleship area needed in our church (like parenting), or perhaps setting vision and values for the whole church in broad relief. The primary purpose, either way, is to lift up the Truth of God’s Word and apply it to our hearts right where we need it, by the sweetness and power of the Holy Spirit of our God.

PERSONALITY & LEADERSHIP

Personality
Relational. Welcoming. Approachable. I’m known to put people at ease and draw people into conversation. I ask questions, and am known to walk slowly through the church and her ministries, engaging in encouraging conversation.

My demeanor can be characterized as “Joyfully driven.” I’m driven to press God’s church forward, but with joy as the strength behind that drive, not a hard edge.

 

Leadership
I am a dreamer and strategic thinker by nature. I chase ever-better implementation of ever-greater vision for our God’s Kingdom growth.

I recognize that a leader’s role is to loosen control in order maximize growth. I seek to disicple and empower leaders to develop their God-given passion and gifting for ministry.  I also seek to empopwer then challenge leaders to take ownership, find God’s vision, and press forward to the next level. It is one of my greatest joys to stand back and watch God’s people shine for God’s Kingdom.

 

PASSIONS

Discipleship

I have a deep passion for seeing God’s people grow holistically in ever-deeper relationship with God. We are to pursue God in knowledge, passion, service, community, and mission. Whole person discipleship draws every part of us closer in relationship with our Christ. I have a deep passion for God and His Word. I love to see people grapple with, and grow through, God’s Word. I long to see stronger discipleship in our churches. What used to be considered high-level biblical training for leaders, needs to become the new normal for the majority of believers. This must be done by making these rich truths accessible, and by driving this pursuit from the heart, with passion, not mere intellectualism. God’s Word is alive and good discipleship, not only knows the Word, but presses through every part of us to live through our relationships, our service, our mission outside the church, and in our vocations. A strong church discipleship pathway will be concerned with next-level biblical training, yes. It will also be concerned with shepherding every Christian, through strong systems-implementations, into small group environments, service, and mission-opportunities. We are to love our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; for our good and His glory.

Biblical Worldview Formation

I believe one of the great challenges of our time, is to equip God’s people on a whole new level of Biblical literacy, while discipling people to apply the life and worldview of the Bible to every area of our lives. In this way, God’s people can meet the ideological and emotional challenges thrown at us with lightning speed from an ever-changing cultural landscape. I am passionate about equipping all Christians in this way. I’m especially burdened for Christian professors, professionals, and students to be no longer, merely professionals who happens to be a Christian; but to be , for example, thoroughly Christian-teachers, Christian-doctors, Christian-businessmen, Christian-artists, and Christian-students; who think, innovate, and create in a thoroughly biblical way that impacts every aspect of their vocations. I want Christians to be freed to see their area of service through the eyes and heart of God, through the lens of a thoroughly biblical life- and worldview. In this way, work becomes worship. It is a joy to the worker, and a glory to our God. It also has the power to bring salt and transformative light to our culture.

Arts and Culture
Christians have developed a fear for the arts that has lasted too long. Christians in earlier eras led the way in the production and innovation of music, visual arts, and more. Now, we have a whole new world of digital and video-based arts to explore, produce, and innovate to the glory of God. We need to escape from a fear of the world of art and culture, and begin to lead the way in producing. I myself am no real artist, but I greatly appreciate good music, great film, and great art of all varieties. I also love to draw people along to view the arts in a distinctly Christian manner, seeing the glory of God’s order and beauty, the complexity of His Truth and goodness, the richness of His story in creation, fall, and redemption echoing through the music, art, films, and stories of both Christian – and often unwittingly – through secular artistic products as well. Christians often watch movies, but do we do so Christianly? Christians often produce art, but do we do so with a richness of relationship, as doing art as co-creators with our Great Creator. Christians need to lead the way forward through the arts to impact our culture, moving forward. I want to be a part of equipping God’s people for such works of service, through perhaps “Popcorn culture” evenings that can equip the saints to love God’s good and despise the fallen in art-works, while also equipping, hosting, and promotion of disctinctly CHRISTIAN artists and art works that will be salt and light, with compellingly portrayed Truth for a culture that has lost sight of the glory and Beauty of God and His stories.
Evangleism
I find personal evangelism to be an absolute thrill and joy. Whether evangelism looks like bridging a conversation to the things of God with someone I just met at Starbucks, or whether it looks like developing relationships with neighbors and sharing the Gospel slowly and surely through those friendships, I love it all. I also love to see God’s people catch the joy of worshiping God through sharing His story and inviting others to enter in this eternal love story themselves. Churches need to regain the thrill and power of sharing the Gospel of God. We need it, not simply for the sake of others, but for our own progress and joy in the faith. Beyond the personal, I am driven to maximize everything we can do corporately as a church to draw people into our doors to hear and believe. As a missionary who has served the least reached, hardest mission field in the US, I understand what it looks like to be an everyday missionary through church, job, neighborhood, school, and every aspect of life. I also know what it looks like to disciple God’s people in evangelism, by ‘giving them a track to run on,’ through baby steps, beginning with simply saying ‘hi’ to new people at church, and inviting a friend to explore a service this Sunday. I want God’s people to renew our joy as a community of ‘everyday missionaries” wherever we find ourselves during our days and nights, feeling the power of His Spirit spurring us forward on His mission, always in our hearts and by our sides.

Contact Kevin with any Questions, Speaking Dates, Consultation Requests, or Any Other Queries

Email Me