Pastor Kelly Mahoney
Pastor Kelly Mahoney grew up on a small farm near Kimball, SD. He is the youngest of 6 children. He graduated from Kimball High School in 1990, and graduated from college with his undergrad from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD in 1996. During his time in college, God got a hold of his life, and he trusted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior in 1992. Upon entrusting his life to Him, Kelly’s life dreams of building things as a mechanical engineer turned into a calling to build people instead. He was very involved in Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) including doing an internship on staff with them at the end of college. He then attended Tentmakers Youth Ministry training, and was a youth director in Williston, ND from September 1996 to Summer 1998. He also served at New Life Evangelical Free Church in Watertown, SD as a youth pastor from 1998-2005. At this time, he felt the Lord’s leading to attend seminary, and went to Liberty Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, VA—graduating in 2008 with a Masters of Divinity. Before coming to Hope, Kelly served at Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Fargo, ND working with small groups and discipleship. He came to us at Hope Community Church in March of 2010 as an associate pastor of small groups and discipleship. He has a very strong passion to help people “walk close enough to God to hear his voice, but close enough to people to touch their lives for God’s glory”. He believes that an average Christian can help others to grow in Christ by creating an environment of prayer, loving relationships, and the seeking the Word of God together through leading a small learning community.
Pastor Kelly met his wife, Cheryl, while at college, and they married in 1999, and have 2 young boys.
Galatians 2:20-21
20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
2 Corinthians 5:13-15
13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
