CH U RCH L IFE
WELCOME KEVIN LONG TO IPC
W
e joyfully announce IPC's new Pastor and Head of Staff. The congregation unanimously voted to extend a call to Kevin Long. See our recent Q&A with him to learn more as we prepare to welcome the Long family to Birmingham. AT WHAT MOMENT DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE CALLED TO THE MINISTRY? I was living in New York City at the time when I first sensed God’s call into ministry, but it actually took place in Pittsburgh, where I was back visiting friends and family over a weekend. I went to worship at a church where a dear friend of my dad’s, a man named Ken Bailey, was guest preaching. During one of the hymns we sang in that service, “I, the Lord of Sea and Sky” (Here I Am, Lord), I had what I can only call a lightning-bolt moment in which I had a clear sense that God was calling me to go to seminary—the one thing I had spent my life insisting I would never do. It still took quite a bit of arguing with God before I finally surrendered to that call.
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WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE THEOLOGIAN? Lesslie Newbigin is probably my favorite theologian, but N.T. Wright would certainly be near the top of my list. I was also shaped heavily by Craig Barnes, Ken Bailey, T.F. Torrance, Andrew Purves, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Will Willimon, and Eugene Peterson, to name a few. WHAT WILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MISS MOST ABOUT PITTSBURGH? What we will miss most about Pittsburgh are the dear friends we have made here, especially in the church. Living in the manse on church property, the congregation has really become an extended family for all of us, as our kids have grown up running around the campus. We will also miss some of our favorite restaurants. And, of course, James and I will miss going to see the Steelers play.
THE REV. KEVIN LONG IS SHOWN WITH HIS WIFE, REBECCA, AND FAMILY: JAMES (17), JESSICA (14), KATELYN (13), AND THEIR DOG, BISCUIT.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WANT TO DO TOGETHER ONCE YOU ARE SETTLED IN BIRMINGHAM? Perhaps the most important thing we need to do is find the best pizza shops in town. The Longs love pizza. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST IN YOUR NEW ROLE AT IPC? I am most looking forward to getting to know everyone on staff and in the congregation. I realize that will take a long time. But every church has its own personality, and it is always interesting to discover what that is. I am also excited to learn about the different gifts and passions in the congregation, which God can use to build his kingdom in Birmingham. Perhaps most of all, I am excited to discover what it is that our risen Savior has in store for all of us in the years to come. WHAT CAN WE AS MEMBERS OF IPC DO TO SUPPORT YOU AS PASTOR OF IPC? Several things would be very helpful. First, tell me your name every time we see each other. There are so many of you, and it will take a long time, and much repetition, to learn who everyone is. Of course, the only way that can happen is if you are there. So
THE REV. KEVIN J. LONG WILL BEGIN SERVING AS THE NEW PASTOR OF IPC LATER THIS SUMMER.
come to church and get involved! WHAT IS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ, AND WAS IT AN AUDIOBOOK OR REGULAR BOOK? Actually, the last book I have read, and I only read with an actual book in my hands, is the 14th and final book in The Wheel of Time fantasy novel series. Ever since I read The Chronicles of Narnia in elementary school and The Lord of the Rings in middle school, I have loved that genre of literature.
