Elders
The recommendation portal is open now
As we remember our past, celebrate our present, and look to the future, we are excited to announce that we are receiving recommendations to add to our Elder Board here at Kensington Church. Our Elders bring Spiritual guidance to our Faith Community, and we would love to have each campus participate in this process. The recommendation portal is open now, click the links below to either recommend or apply.
ELDER BOARD
Leading with Discernment and Wisdom.
At Kensington, one of the ways we maintain a healthy community that is moving in the right direction is by having an Elder Board consisting of representatives from both the congregation and Teaching Pastors.
The responsibilities of the Elder Board focus on providing spiritual leadership to the church. Elders pray and seek the Lord’s will, scripturally shepherd the church, oversee the teaching of the Word of God, guard the purity of Christ-centered doctrine in the life of the church, hold church members accountable in accordance with the Word of God, counsel those in need and comfort the sick. The Elder Board is charged with the spiritual oversight of the congregation, annually coordinating the review of the Sr. Pastor, advising the Sr. Pastor on the direction of the church, and is responsible for approving the annual budget, and carries authority over all activities and affairs of the church.
These responsibilities require discernment and wisdom – two qualities that allow an Elder to know the heart of God and provide good leadership for the church.
Andrew Kim
Andrew is originally from Vancouver, the most beautiful city in the world! As a Canadian, he has an undying love for hockey. He also loves to travel and experience other cultures as it allows him to eat amazing food but more importantly, to have his worldview and Godview expanded. He is married to Robin and they have three children and a dog named Waffles. He came to Kensington in 2017, drawn by the mission to reach those who do not know Jesus. One of his passions is to see people understand and step more fully into their God-given identity. Andrew can be reached by email.
Basil Denno
Born and raised in Detroit, Basil has been part of the Kensington community for over 20 years. He and his wife, Mervat, have been married for 31 years and are the proud parents of three daughters—Hannah, Grace, and Faith. Basil is passionate about discipleship, seeing the Kingdom of God expand, and helping people discover the truth of Jesus, ones true identity, and live out God’s calling for their lives. He’s especially drawn to integrating faith into everyday life, including the workplace. Basil loves to travel and experience new adventures with his family, embracing different cultures and creating memories together. He thrives on connecting with people from all walks of life—especially through meaningful conversations that open the door to deeper relationships and spiritual growth. Basil can be reached by email.
Ben Shat
Originally from the Washington DC area, Ben, his wife Natalie, and their two children were drawn to Kensington Church and its mission when they moved to this area. Ben is passionate about global and local missions to reach the [one], about leading mission trips to Kenya, and serving as a mentor at Pontiac High School. He spent 25+ years as an executive in the tech industry but felt called to change careers and help missional organizations grow and amplify their impact. Ben loves to help others discover their God-given identity, gifting, and purpose. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and indulging his adventurous spirit through mountain biking and snowboarding. Ben can be reached by email.
Brian Mowrey
Brian is the Sr. Pastor of Kensington Church. He and Becca have four amazing daughters of whom they are very proud; the Mowrey family moved to Michigan from Connecticut in the summer of 2023, and they are thrilled to be part of the Kensington family. Brian has been a pastor and leader for 22 years. He received his Master’s in Transformational Leadership in 2009 and Doctorate in Biblical and Theological Engagement in 2018. He loves to play hockey, golf, and spend time with family and friends. Brian can be reached by email.
Charesa Johnson
Charesa loves God and wants every[one] to know Him. At Birmingham campus, you may hear her before you see her because of her infectious laughter, uninhibited singing, or her affirming “amen” when the Spirit moves. She is the mother of one adult daughter and loves mentoring young people; she has several “bonus” children and grandchildren she claims as her own.
Charesa strives to impact the world by serving her community through various civic organizations and opportunities. Professionally, she transitioned from a full-time public defender to a case manager for people who suffer from closed-head injuries. In her free time, she enjoys horses, swimming, traveling, and gardening.
Charesa can be reached by email.
Debbi Steen
Debbi was born and raised in Traverse City and currently resides in Interlochen with her husband Carl. Together they have five children and eleven amazing grandchildren.
Debbi's passion to love God and people extends to her involvement in women's ministry, guest services, Move Out teams and the prayer team. Debbi was a member at Bay Pointe Community Church when it was adopted by Kensington in 2016. She is excited to see all the ways the Traverse City campus is moving out in the community.
Since her retirement as a senior executive subrogation analyst in the health insurance industry in 2022, Debbi enjoys spending more time with family and friends, as well as gardening, kayaking, and her newest hobby of beekeeping.
Debbi can be reached by phone phone or email.
Jeff Bell
Jeff and his wife Diane started attending Kensington church about 10 years ago, when the Clarkston campus opened. They appreciate Kensington’s emphasis on reaching those who do not know Jesus and are not experiencing His love. Jeff currently serves on the production team at the Clarkston Campus, and on the Community Care team. He is involved with a men’s Bible study and a couples small group, and does some of the teaching. He has found that small groups are one of the best ways to keep growing in Christ and serving Him. Jeff is a retired IT and cybersecurity executive and consultant. He and his wife Diane have been married since 1978 after meeting at Northern Michigan University. They worked together in evangelism and discipleship with Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU) for six years immediately after college. They have two married children and three grandchildren, and enjoy spending time with them. Jeff can be reached by email.
Dr. Sharon Tice
One of Sharon’s lifelong passions is medical missions, which powerfully combine physical healing and the gospel of Jesus. She has led sixteen Kensington medical mission trips to South Africa. Sharon is a pediatrician in private practice in Novi and Southfield. She lives in Waterford, and loves spending time on Lake Huron. Sharon can be reached by phone or email.
Todd Gordon
Todd is the husband of his high school sweetheart Laura, the father of Ava and Madilyn, a public-school music teacher, musician, and a non-profit leader. In 2018, Todd co-founded WAVE Project, and now serves as Executive Director of this grassroots non-profit that provides showers, clothing, and resources for those in need around metro Detroit.
Todd and Laura have attended Kensington for over 25 years and were engaged to be married on a short-term trip to serve the Pokot in Kenya. Over the years they have led small groups and served within the Kids, Arts, and Move Out ministries. The Gordon family seeks to humbly serve the Lord and share the profound love of Christ. Todd can be reached by email.
THE BIBLICAL STANDARD
Consider these passages regarding character and leadership.
Titus 1
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness– 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, 4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless– not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. 10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach– and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
Other Helpful Passages:
Ephesians 4
1 Corinthians 12-13
1 Peter 5
2 Timothy 2:2
1 Timothy 3
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. 8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. 14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
Other Helpful Passages:
Ephesians 4
1 Corinthians 12-13
1 Peter 5
2 Timothy 2:2