?’For your thoughts are not my thoughts, nor your ways my ways,? declares the Lord.? ? Isaiah 55:7
For Jesse Holt, the new executive pastor at Christ the King (CTK) Church in Oxford Township, this passage of Scripture couldn’t be truer.
After spending more than 20 years living in New York, the eldest son of CTK’s lead pastor, Bob Holt, felt the call to pack up his family, move back to Wildcat country and serve at his father’s church. It was a call that he didn’t wish to respond to.
‘I said, ‘Yeah God, the simple answer is ‘no,?? Jesse said with laugh. ‘But of course here I am, so it didn’t matter if I said no.?
At the time he felt the call to return, he and his wife were both serving as pastors at his father and mother in-law’s church, Mount Moriah Ministries in Glenmont New York and Jesse was certain his wife wouldn’t want to leave the church she grew up in.
But to his surpise, his wife thought it was time to go.
For the 1993 Oxford High School graduate, Oxford wasn’t a place full of warm fuzzy feelings. He spent the majority of his childhood in Rochester Hills and didn’t move to Oxford until just before his freshman year of high school.
‘I was a fish out of water,? Jesse explained. ‘I didn’t know anybody.?
Being the new guy, he was bullied and only increased his disdain for Oxford.
?(High school) choir and youth group were my saving graces, but as soon as I graduated, I couldn’t wait to get the heck out of Dodge,? he said
After graduation, Jesse headed to Elim Bible Institute where he studied to be a pastor. But he really wanted to teach, so after graduating from Elim, he transferred Roberts Wesleyan College. Just prior to graduating from Elim, he met his wife Andrea. They started dating and got married. She, too, transferred to Roberts Wesleyan, where she studied to be a teacher as well.
After graduation, they moved to her hometown in Albany, New York, where they began teaching at Mount Moriah Christian Academy. Eventually, Jesse went from being a junior high literature teacher and high school history teacher to being the high school principal as well.
‘They saw leadership qualities in me that I didn’t see,? he said.
During his time as the school, Jesse said his dad was talking about possibly retiring and asked him if he was interested in returning home to lead CTK.
‘I told him, ‘Absolutely not, but thank you anyway,?? he said. ‘Growing up in a pastoral home, why would I want to do that to my kids??
‘I said, ‘No Dad, I’m good where I am. I’m fine.? But I really wasn’t good where I was. I was struggling with (my) character and who I was and did I want to (remain in education for the rest of my life,? he continued. ‘I loved teaching, but it was just a difficult spot for me to be in.?
Meanwhile, the school was struggling to stay afloat and it wasn’t growing to a degree that would make it financially stable to support his family. That was when Jesse finally decided it might be time to leave.
Time for change
Upon hearing the succession plan his father had set forth for his retirement fell apart and several changes in church leadership were happening at CTK, Jesse decided to obey the Lord and moved his family to Oxford where he could serve as executive pastor, which means he oversees paid staff and the business administration end of things.
‘I was the treasurer at my other church. I am now over the treasurer. I was extremely impressed in how they run their finances here,? he added. ‘I believe the Lord has really prospered this church because of how we handle the church’s money. It’s not our money, it’s the church’s money and they handle it so well. We have zero debt. Every building we’ve built (has) been paid off (upon completion).?
In the year he’s been on the job, Jesse has worked to make things more diverse at the church by bringing in some younger leaders to work with the older ones.
‘When I got here I was the youngest person on staff in terms of leadership, except for the youth worship director,? he noted. ‘We have to have the next generation (ready to step into those roles).?
He would also like to see more racial diversity at CTK, something he grew accustomed to at his church in Albany.
‘Our church was only about 200 people, but if you (pick) a race, they were going to our church,? he said. ‘Pilipino, Indian, Pakistanian, African American, Latino, (we had it all),? he said. ‘I had Mexicans sitting next to Puerto Ricans and Indians sitting next to Pakistanians. It was just incredible.?
Because of Jesse’s return, CTK now has its first-ever female pastor, his wife Andrea, who’s the creative arts director.
Because both Jesse and his wife were ordained as pastors in her parents? church, Jesse didn’t see how CTK could only recognize his ordination, but not his wife’s.
After ‘eight months of . . . talking and working through it,? Andrea became CTK’s first female pastor.
‘That’s changing a culture. That’s not just changing an idea or a bylaw. This church is almost 35 years old and never had a female pastor (until now),? he said. ‘My wife is very gracious about it. We recognize her more than she (talks) about it.?
The future
While Bob is still keeping his current role as lead pastor, many might be wondering if Jesse is going to be taking over and filling his dad’s shoes anytime soon.
‘I think in his mind he wants to make sure that things are locked in and set up, before he starts (his retirement process). I do not want him to quit right away,? Jesse said. ‘He and I have talked about what he would like to see, it’s very similar (to my thoughts, but) I won’t go on record for what he’s saying.?
Jesse would like to see, within the next three years, his dad become more of a ‘community liaison? and not have to ‘shoulder the pastoral burdens.?
‘He would still be allowed to speak (in church) because the man can still draw a crowd no matter what,? Jesse explained. ?(But) I would like to say, ‘You’re now released from the pastoral side of it. . . . Go out into the community now and do your golf leagues, do Rotary and be our community pastor, focus on Oxford and Lake Orion. Focus all your time on that, instead of having to focus on what you’re speaking about on Sundays.?
As for the lead pastor role, Jesse said he is ‘prepared to do it and also not prepared to do it.?
‘Some people say, ‘Well, what does the church want?? I’m more interested in what the man who runs the church wants. If he says, ‘I want you to step into that role,? then I’m going to do it and we’ve talked about that, but I would rather that be his decision and not just solely the church’s,?? he said. He noted a decision has not yet been made.
‘If I am the obvious choice and the one willing (to take on the role) and we’re going to go that way, I think the process needs to be started now, not three years from now,? Jesse said. ‘In three years, he’ll have been in the ministry for 45 years. That’s a good chunk (of time) and this church will be 35 years old. So, we’ll see what happens.?