Mentor/Equipper

The opportunity to work with and be mentored by Dr. Kelly was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life thus far.  As a graduate student, I was blessed with opportunities to make tangible the practical knowledge i gained in the classroom.  The experience of door-to-door ministry, sharing the gospel in parks and at events was life changing.  In fact, my first encounter sharing the gospel door to door was with Dr. Kelly and the church ministry.  As i reflect on my relationship with Jesus Christ and my passion for His word and people, i credit Dr. Kelly’s teachings and mentorship as the catalyst to my spiritual growth and maturity.  Since then, i have continued to strengthen my relationship with the Lord and i’m forever grateful to Dr. Kelly and ministry.

— Desiree Sands, Graduate Student, and former president of G.E.O. (Global Evangelism Outreach) project at Southeastern University.

Equipping Evangelist

“Dr. Kelly is an equipping evangelist passionate about sharing the gospel to the lost and preparing other to do likewise. The biggest challenge for the church today is in its ability to mobilize its members to engage the community for the Gospel. Dr. Kelly’s proven model of personal evangelism transitions the church from the pew to real life witnessing in the community. I would recommend Dr. Kelly to any Pastor or Ministry desiring to impact their local neighborhood for Jesus.”  — Rev. Joseph Ocasio – Vice President of On-campus & Partnerships, Grace Christian University, Holland, Michigan. 

Religious Attitude Questionnaire

“Dr. Brian Kelly’s Religious Attitude Questionnaire is a fantastic, easy to use, evangelistic tool to equip any believer to share the gospel. I have used the questionnaire since 2010 to train teens to adults for outreach. The questions are ideal to strike up a conversation with a stranger, family member, or friend in order to intentionally share the Lord with them. I have used the questionnaire for door to door outreach, fair outreach, and to help guide my conversations, even without the survey right in front of me, because the questions are compelling, simple to remember, and are open ended to provide a way to receive important information about what the person believes. Christians may feel uncomfortable walking up to a stranger to share Christ, but the questions allow any believer to break the ice and keep the conversation focused on the person, the Lord, and then present the gospel. It is so encouraging to see various believers experience fruit from using the questionnaire and therefore build confidence to keep sharing God’s good news with others!”  — Kathryn Denno – Student Missionary with IHOPKC

Dr. Kelly’s Teaching

“During my time as an undergraduate and graduate student, Dr. Kelly’s work helped me connect the work of the academy to the ministry of the local church community. As a result of the research skills I learned under his tutelage, I am in the process of completing a PhD focusing on how social justice–a form of evangelism–is a result of the outpouring of the Spirit.” — Rev. Anthony Roberts, Assistant Provost, Southeastern University. 

Pastor/Mentor

I had the very special privilege of being a student of Dr. Kelly’s at Southeastern University. I had many classes with Dr. Kelly while in school that have become essential to my ministry today. Some of the various subjects I learned from him include strategic planning, preaching, teaching, evangelism, ministry, and hermeneutics. Dr. Kelly was more than a professor at a university for me: he was a mentor. Dr. Kelly spent hours outside of the classroom answering my questions and further ensuring that my educational goals and success were achieved. It takes a special and gifted person to give so much of themselves as a teacher. He is truly a wonderful and gifted man of God.

I went on to complete my practicum at a church that he oversaw in Lakeland called Genesis Church. There I served in an administrative support role as well as with fellow student interns in the areas of children and youth ministries, outreach, and preaching and teaching.

My time at Genesis was also very shaping. Genesis provided me with hands on ministry experience. Genesis, which was a small congregation, depended on the volunteer work of the interns and the congregation for its ministries. We had so many learning opportunities and were able to serve under the leadership and mentorship of Dr. Kelly (Brian). We started up a food pantry that served the surrounding low income community. We began a youth ministry coffee shop to create a safe place for the youth to hang out. We also took part in Dr. Kelly’s Barnabas Evangelism School. We spent the summer in outreach to the surrounding neighborhoods of the church which helped the youth ministry and church grow.

Speaking for myself, I learned so much from that summer of evangelism. I learned to not fear talking to people I don’t know about Jesus. I also learned that people actually want to talk about Him and are curious. Barnabas Missions is an impactful ministry. It was for me and so many of us that summer.

I have been graduated from college 4 years now. I am an Executive Assistant at Mel Trotter Ministries in Grand Rapids Michigan. So much of who I am today came from the time I spent learning and serving with Dr. Kelly. I am grateful for that everyday. — Kayla McKnight, former Genesis Church intern and graduate of Southeastern University. 

Professor/Mentor/Minister

I graduated from Southeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Practical Theology. I am currently the children’s director in my church and a partner of working together with Jesus ministries which is an outreach that feeds and gives hygiene bags to the homeless once a month. I am also a high school math teacher. In this letter I am going to discuss Dr. Brian Kelly in a threefold way. That is, as a professor, as a minister and as a mentor.

Professor Dr. Brian Kelly

I am a former student of Dr. Brian Kelly. He was my professor for two courses, Church planting and Evangelism at Southeastern. As a professor he was very passionate about teaching students about Jesus. He taught in a way that connected with the students. His teaching was very practical and it encouraged students to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Ephesians 4:11 says “ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. This explains who Dr. Kelly was a teacher. He exposed us to the ministry and trained us to be genuine disciples and to bring others along with us in the kingdom of God. He taught us that people are on different journeys in their life, and that all we need to do is bring them one step closer to Christ. He would end all of his classes with him famous line, “Go tell somebody about Jesus.”

Minister Brian Kelly

Dr. Kelly was also the professor over a group called the GEO project. In this club the students and Dr.Kelly went out and evangelized to our local community. Most of the professors that I had  in Bible college taught me to do ministry, Dr. Kelly however, showed me how to do ministry, He was never interested in getting people to come to a particular church, he was interested in getting people into the kingdom of God. This is one of the things, that I admire most about him. He truly cares for souls. He is not seeking to fill his church, he is seeking to fill the kingdom of Jesus.

Mentor Brian Kelly

Dr. Kelly never officially made himself my mentor but that is how I looked at him. He is very personable and real. Although he was my professor, he was also like a friend. I could always come to him and ask for advice and he would give to me. He has come to my local church free of charge several times to train us in the area of evangelism. He is very sacrificial and a true servant leader in the kingdom of heaven. He also very encouraging and has encouraged me as a minister, student, and a wife. Dr. Kelly is the best and highly recommended. — Queshonda Kudaisi, High School Teacher and Graduate of Southeastern University

Pastoral Recommendation

I had the honor of having Dr. Brian Kelly as one of my professors during my graduate studies. A man of integrity, character, and anointing, he was instrumental in inspiring and igniting in me a passion to develop a deeper, Spirit inspired leadership model that could revitalize the local body, refocus the church on its primary mission and reach the world with the power of the gospel. Much of his investment in me is principles being put into practice right now in our ministry context and it’s exciting to see the fruit beginning to be revealed.” — Mark McBride Lead Pastor Encounter City Church, Adjunct Faculty, Southeastern University