Hayden Gregory : My Leadership Pathway

Everyone loves a good story and this is one of the best in our efforts to find, support and develop the next generation through a church leadership residency.

My journey toward church leadership began in high school, but it took a brief detour in my 20’s and was reignited when I began teaching high school in my late 20’s. During that time, too, I was actually serving at my church on the Welcome  Team and had previously served in Middle School Ministry, as well.

I have always felt a pull toward ministry. When I graduated high school, I spent 2 years at Cincinnati Christian University, only to ignore God’s call on my life thereafter, yet God brought me back to this again at age 30. Prior to ministry, I had struggled with a wandering heart, addiction issues, and mental health struggles. After coming out of my addiction over 7 years ago, I still felt called toward ministry but didn’t think that God could use me anymore because of my past, yet after years of battling these thoughts, it was clear that God’s purpose for me to help teens find and follow Jesus had not changed. My struggles through life have shown me that there is nothing more valuable than intentional personal relationships, which have the power to change lives.

I decided to quit my teaching job in December of 2021 and pursue ministry, but I wasn’t sure where to even start. I had a mentor at the time, who is a pastor of a church here in central KY. He pointed me in the direction of a church locally that was looking for a Student Pastor/Resident on their team working with Leadership Pathway. Although I had a background in teaching, I lacked actual ministry experience. CenterPointe Christian Church in Lexington, KY is where I now serve as their Student Pastor, but within the residency context and training of Leadership Pathway. As a husband to my wonderful wife, Breanna and dad to 3 boys, ages 9, 5, and 2, going back to school again in my 30’s wasn't really an option for me both with time and finances, so Residency, although still a stretch on the budget, has been possible. My wife works, and I have another part-time job for now to help cover expenses, and the Church has been more than gracious to support our needs to make this transition possible.

I’m having more fun than I ever thought possible. I have never felt so centered in my life in regard to my job. This has been a 12-year journey that has led me to where I am today. I feel blessed to say that I am in ministry right now. Some days are difficult, training my mind to have a job that does not end. Having worked outside the church, I did experience having tasks of what needed to get done, doing those and going onto the next thing. Ministry is not as neatly packaged as that. Sure, there are tasks to be accomplished daily, but there is also the component of no end, ministry is all day every day until Christ’s return. So, that switch and focus in work life has been an adjustment for me but good, just the same. 

Another area that has surfaced for me to work on is time management. Plain and simple, I’m not good at it. It is something I actually pride myself on being at it; however, the never-ending ministry cycle has been a learning curve for me to practice when to turn it off. I have now created a habit of keeping my laptop on my desk at work when I go home at night. Ensuring I am making time for myself, as well as my family is so important. I’d say life balance is the most difficult thing I have encountered. 

I’m living out my calling by making myself available to all people in my ministry—students, student leaders, and parents. Parents are a huge part of student ministry. Learning day by day and being open to molding and to coaching is all part of this process for me.

To senior pastors, executive pastors, and other executive team leaders, I’d say, there has been nothing provided to me in my life that has been this worthwhile as this church residency. I am getting on-the-job training and experience. I am learning more about leadership and ministry than would be possible in a classroom setting. After spending 2 years in college classes at and 3 1/2 years doing online courses for my education degree, this experience has been more valuable than all of those years combined! When you pursue Education, you’re told that you will learn everything you need to know when you are doing your year of Student Teaching. That is so true! Hands-on experience surpasses the classroom experience. I learned more in 6 months of student teaching than I had learned in 3 years of online classes. Residency is student teaching for ministers!

For any of those years beyond college age, I was 30 when I finally adhered to the call God had put in my heart. It has been the best decision I have ever made! Financially, it hasn’t been the easiest, but that can be worked around and has. Plus, spiritually and emotionally, it’s more fulfilling. I would say, “Don’t think twice and jump in!” You will not regret it. Come open-minded, ready to be coached and taught a lot. You may think you know a lot about ministry, or you see your minister and think, “I can do that.” There is a lot more that goes into it than just what you see, yet it is all so worth it. 

I’m Hayden Gregory and this is my leadership pathway.