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PASTORAL SKILLSET
· Spirit-Led Shepherd & Disciple-Builder: A visionary leader with a pastor’s heart, focused on recruiting, counseling, and discipling others to “go out” for Christ while moving forward in their faith journey toward Christlikeness.
· Christian Leadership Coach: Creative mentor for developing leaders, equipping them to serve Christ and others with excellence.
· Worship Arts Pastor & Multi-Instrumentalist: Skilled in building worship teams, leading worship with various instruments, teaching others to be “true” worshippers, and fostering a Christ-centered atmosphere.
· Evangelistic & Missional Living: Spirit-filled, high-energy, dynamic—a passionate Gospel-centered preacher, biblical teacher, and compassionate counselor with the gifts of evangelism, counseling, and worship arts.
· Relational & Compassionate: Intentional, engaging, approachable, and compassionate leader, known for being a listener, encourager, and respecter of all people.
· Youth & Young Adult Ministry: Experienced in leading and mentoring youth and young adults, nurturing their spiritual growth.
· Authentic Pastoral Presence: Grounded in biblical truths, transparent, trustworthy, intentional, and committed, demonstrating long-suffering and resilience—one who strives for ministry excellence in Christ.
· Pastoral Counseling & Discipleship: Proactively providing Christ-centered pastoral counseling while fostering spiritual formation through discipleship and church participation.
· Strong Communication & Networking: Skilled in intrapersonal and interpersonal communication, excelling in relational networking.
· Adaptable & Strategic Leader: Teachable, highly versatile, and a team player who can mobilize and inspire others toward mission-driven and church ministry goals.
EDUCATION
Certified Biblical Counselor
· Association of Certified Biblical Counselors in progress
Doctor of Ministry: Pastoral Counseling
· John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA 2024
Master of Divinity: Biblical Studies
· Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA 2016
B.S. Real Estate Studies
· Marylhurst University, Marylhurst, OR 2009
A.A. Music Performance: Percussionist/Drums/Vocals
· Eastern Montana College, Billings, MT 1993
MINISTRY EXPERIENCE
Missionary and Senior Pastor
Grace Ministries for Christ (Church Plant) 2023 - present
First Baptist Church of Harmony, ME 2022 - 2023
· Servant-Leader and Shepherd: Faithfully served as the spiritual overseer, caring for the spiritual well-being of the congregation, guiding them in worship and their relationship with Christ.
· Dynamic Gospel-Centered Preacher: Delivered biblically sound, Christ-centered sermons weekly, both expository and topical, focused on addressing the congregation’s needs while teaching others how to apply Scripture to everyday life.
· Bible Study and Training Facilitator: Designed and led relevant Bible studies and discipleship training courses, creating and leading multiple small groups, and ensuring theological depth and spiritual growth premised on biblical truths through Christ-centered life applications.
· Leadership Development and Equipping: Creatively identified, equipped, and encouraged volunteer leaders, emphasizing the importance of leadership development within the church and nurturing a culture of servant leadership.
· Pastoral Care and Counseling: Provided pastoral counseling to the congregation and the surrounding community, offering spiritual guidance, support, and professional referrals as needed.
· Evangelistic Ministry and Church Growth: Spearheaded evangelistic efforts that increased church membership while advancing church ministry to the next level of outreach and community impact.
· Church Planting and Outreach Ministry Founder: Founded and established Grace Ministries for Christ, a Christian outreach initiative focused on evangelism (“going out” for Christ), biblical counseling, and discipleship through small groups, extending the church’s reach into the community.
Christian Evangelist—Missional Living
Distant Light Ministries, Denver, CO/Salt Lake City, U 2015 - 2022
· Advancing the Gospel through Pastoral Care: Spread the message of Christ by mentoring, counseling, conducting in-home visitations, providing phone support, and offering personalized spiritual care to individuals and families when presented.
· Floating Pastor and Pastoral Counselor: Provided pastoral support and counseling to various pastors and congregations, stepping in as a floating pastor to meet the needs of multiple ministries and shepherding the flock wherever called.
· Worship Ministry Leadership: Assisted in building, managing, and leading worship teams across multiple congregations and worship gatherings, fostering a spirit of worship that glorifies Christ and engages the congregation in meaningful praise.
· Establishing Weekly Discipleship Groups: Motivated and encouraged spiritual growth by organizing and leading weekly discipleship groups in people’s homes, focusing on gospel-centered truths, and cultivating a deeper relationship with Christ among participants.
· Creative Evangelism through Uber Ministry: Engaged in public evangelism using the Uber model, sharing the gospel with passengers in the back seat and presenting Christ’s message to individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Senior Pastor
FLETC Bible Church, Charleston, SC 2012 - 2015
· Worship Service Planning: Established weekly liturgy for Sunday services, selecting songs for worship and leading music with acoustic guitar, piano, and vocals.
· Preaching and Teaching: Delivered weekly sermons—both expository and topical; research-based and biblically grounded.
· Bible Study and Small Group Leadership: Designed and facilitated relevant Bible studies for multiple small groups, fostering discipleship and spiritual growth through scriptural understanding.
· Pastoral Care and Counseling: Provided spiritual and biblical counseling and care to those in need, offering guidance and empathetic support rooted in Scripture.
Associate Pastor/Youth/Worship Pastor
East Cooper Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant, SC 2007 - 2012
· Youth Worship Leadership: Recruited and developed worship teams for youth group gatherings and trips, leading worship with guitar and vocals to inspire a Christ-centered environment.
· Student Advocacy and Counseling: Provided counseling and support for parents, youth, and young adults, addressing conflict and promoting spiritual growth.
· Mentorship and Leadership Development: Mentored and inspired the youth and young adults annually, equipping them to become leaders among their peers and community.
· Biblical Teaching: Delivered weekly biblical presentations for Sunday evening youth gatherings and mid-week discipleship groups (D-groups), fostering deeper scriptural understanding.
· Ministry Planning and Coordination: Collaborated with church leadership to plan, budget, and execute youth ministry programs and mission trips, ensuring alignment with church vision.
Author
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· Doctoral Thesis—JF Library (Scholars Crossing, Liberty University, May 2024): https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5692/
· Proactive Pastoral Counseling: An Intrapersonal Approach for Cultivating Christian Formation—Wipf and Stock Publishers (March 2025)
· Proactive Pastoral Counseling: An Intrapersonal Approach for Cultivating Christian Formation (Workbook)—Barnes and Noble Press (9/2024)
· Kohen, Yaron I. Foreword to Pauline Epistles: Knox’s Commentaries on the Bible (Vol. 11), by John S. Knox, 6-9. Nampa: Knox and Sons, 2024.
About Rev. Dr. Yaron I. Kohen
With nearly twenty-five years in ministry, I have faithfully served in many diverse roles: Senior Pastor, worship leader, discipleship trainer, biblical counselor, church planter, and administrator. God has equipped me to teach, preach, counsel, and evangelize with compassion across various cultures and congregations of all sizes. My passion is to help individuals and communities grow spiritually, extending God’s love to all who will listen, emphasizing the Gospel of Christ.
Over the last two years, my focus has been on missionary and evangelistic efforts in rural Central Maine, an area where I've observed the profound impact of God's work in one of America's most religiously devout regions. Despite severe resistance to Christianity and the Holy Spirit's actions (referenced in Acts 7:51), we've seen church membership double, numerous baptisms, individuals embracing salvation, spiritual healing, and the establishment of Grace Ministries for Christ GMC). GMC has thrived as a Christian community and outreach initiative, transcending the rigidness of religious norms with the liberating power of grace found in a relationship with Christ. It has been through the Holy Spirit's movement within me that I've been able to illuminate the Light of Christ in this community.
I am committed to serving others, to disciple them, to build them up in Christ, for Christ, conveying His person and works (Christianity) to the lost and broken-hearted, and to all those in church pastoral leadership who are encountering spiritual challenges intrapersonally. If you are a church, ministry, small group, or any Christian organization that seeks someone with my unique pastoral abilities, please feel free to connect me via the contact form. I would be privileged to offer support and explore ways I can assist in addressing any present needs you may have on your journey to achieve your church's spiritual goals and mission.
Thank you for all you do for the kingdom of God. I look forward to helping you, your church and ministry reach your individual and corporate Christian goals. Press on, Christian soldiers!
For Christ!
Yaron I. Kohen, D. Min, MDiv