By Erik Cave, Director of NextGen Ministries, PacNWC
Enjoy this interview with Brad Gates, the new lead pastor of Hillsview Covenant Church
What is your personal and ministry background?
My wife and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary this March. We have a daughter who just turned 18, and she is looking forward to graduation this Summer. I have been in some form of ministry for about 12 years. 8 years ago, I went back to school to get my Bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry with the goal of becoming a Lead Pastor. I’ve been an Associate Pastor, and Outreach Pastor, and in November of 2021, I was hired as the Lead Pastor here at Hillsview. It’s been a wild year just following Jesus’ lead. We’ve seen some great growth with new families coming. It’s exciting to see what God is doing at Hillsview and I’m just excited to be part of it.
What are you passionate about in ministry right now?
One of my biggest passions in ministry has always been outreach. I didn’t come to Jesus until I was 18. Some of my co-workers invited me to church and helped lead me to Jesus, and I want to do that for as many people as I can. There are so many people who are missing out on the joy and peace that Jesus brings, and I want to let them know about a guy that can help them with all that and more!
How can we pray for you?
Prayers for me would be for busyness. I am a bi-vocational pastor, so I work at the church for 3 days and I have a secular job for 3 days and have one day off. When we get into busy seasons like Christmas, sometimes it’s hard to keep up. Pray that I will have the wisdom and courage needed to ask for help and that help will come.
Where is your favorite place to be?
Disneyland! It is both my wife’s and my favorite place. All the smiles and magic are awesome! We try to go every other year. We look forward to planning trips and we have one planned for our 20th anniversary in March.
What’s the best book you have ever read?
The Cure by John Lynch. It asks, “What if you had to choose between trusting God and pleasing God?” It’s a great story. The other one would be Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley. One of the best books I have read about public speaking.
What is your favorite thing to do?
I’m a big football fan. One of my favorite things to do is just sit and watch either of my favorite teams the Oregon Ducks or San Francisco 49ers play. And yes…I do cheer at the TV. LOL
If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I would love to be a sports commentator. To be able to watch a game and give color commentary one time would be awesome. It’s not nearly as meaningful as proclaiming Jesus and leading people to Him, but it would be fun to do for one game.
What would you most like to tell yourself at 13?
The thing I would most like to say would be, “Listen to the whisper.” Before I went back to school, I heard a whisper asking, “Wouldnt it be cool to be a pastor?” I ignored that whisper for two years. I wish I would have listened and gotten a jump on this awesome ministry journey a couple of years earlier.
Email Brad at hillsviewpastorbrad@gmail.com
Visit Brad’s Facebook Profile
Visit the Hillsview Covenant Church Webpage