ASSOCIATE PASTOR CANDIDATE

Meet Kevin Arevalo

Kevin, Beverly, Adriana (9), Diego (7), and Matias (4).

We are overjoyed to present Kevin Arevalo as our candidate for Associate Pastor. Kevin and his family have spent the past 10+ years ministering to people in Virginia, Orlando, NYC, Houston, and London. They’re excited to be called to Center Grace and minister to those on the North Shore.

Join us in welcoming Kevin, Beverly, Adriana, Diego, and Matias as they visit Center Grace June 23–28. Kevin will preach during the visit and their time here will provide opportunities for the Center Grace community to meet the Arevalos.

About Kevin & the Arevalo Family

Introduction

Hello Center Grace! My name is Kevin Arevalo and it is a pleasure, honor, and joy to be considered as the next associate minister. I would love to introduce myself and tell you a bit about the Arevalos! I am married to my lovely wife, Beverly (not to be confused with the city of Beverly). We have 3 children, Adriana (9), Diego (7), and Matias (4). The 5 of us are also stewards of a rambunctious furry creature named Lewis. He is an 8-month-old Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel/Poodle) who hails from the English countryside…so yes, he barks with a British accent!

Beverly and I have been married for 13 years. We are both the proud children of Salvadorian immigrants. Our parents fled a civil war in El Salvador in the 80s. They came to the US as undocumented immigrants seeking safety and a better life. I was born and raised on Long Island, New York, and Beverly was born in California and then raised in El Salvador.

A Bit About Kevin’s Testimony

I had the privilege of being raised in the church. I was raised in a Spanish-speaking Pentecostal church on Long Island that was made up largely of Central American families. It was a Bible-believing, gospel-preaching church, and so from birth I heard the gospel both at home and in my church. However, it wasn't until my senior year of high school that I came to understand the gospel. Up until that point in my life, my greatest concern (my idol!) was finding an identity apart from the Lord Jesus. Aside from the typical teenage identity struggles, I wrestled with my cultural identity — am I American? Salvadorian? Salvadorian-American? In God's gracious providence, He allowed me to understand my sin and to see the loveliness of the Lord Jesus. The gospel message, and in particular what I later came to understand as the doctrine of "union with Christ," became a great comfort to my soul. At some point during that season, I repented of my sins and placed my faith in Jesus.

University Years, Meeting Beverly, and Call to Ministry

I am a graduate of Liberty University (Beverly is as well), where I studied psychology (Beverly studied nursing). I have always loved helping people, listening to their stories, and engaging with diverse personalities. For a time I thought I would go on into counseling/therapy, but the Lord drew my heart to consider pastoral ministry. The Lord used my upbringing in my Spanish-speaking church to place ministry on my heart. I had a burden not only to teach the Bible to the Hispanic community in the US, but also to help bridge some of the cultural and generational realities that often occur in ethnic churches. My university years and the different leadership opportunities confirmed a call into ministry. During university I attended a PCA church but then got involved with a Spanish-speaking Baptist church, which is where I met Beverly. We met each other through mutual friends and got married in 2013.

Seminary Years

I worked at Liberty for a year, and after getting married we moved to Orlando, where I attended Reformed Theological Seminary. RTS was a wonderful time of gaining both theological and pastoral tools. I was able to find different pastors to pour into my life. My time during seminary began to shape my outlook on pastoral ministry. Pastoral ministry is first and foremost about people. We minister Christ, in the power of the Spirit, to people, for God's glory. As a minister, I have the calling of walking with individuals and families in their "high-highs" and "low-lows" and offering Christ, the benefits of the gospel, and our living hope in Him.

Ministry Career

After graduating RTS, we moved to Queens, NYC, where I worked as an on-staff pastoral resident at a PCA church. I helped start a youth ministry, started exercising my preaching gifts, and started studying for ordination exams! It was that year that grew a desire to minister in urban areas. I love the noise, energy, and diversity of urban areas. I also love the Northeast! However, due to the financial situation of the position (support raising) and the church (which unfortunately ended up having to close its doors), we ended up moving to the last place I ever thought I would live: Houston, TX.

Houston was a strange (and extremely hot!) land for a Northerner, but we spent 6 wonderful years with an amazing church. I served as an associate minister at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Sugar Land. These 6 years really shaped me in terms of "being a pastor." I spent 6

years doing general pastoral ministry: preaching, discipleship, youth ministry, community groups, volunteer management, administration, and the daily pastoral duties.

A few years after the pandemic, Beverly and I started talking about potentially living overseas. As a family we value cultural diversity, and we wanted to expose our children to other cultures. We never thought it would happen…and then the Lord led us to London.

For the past 2 years we've been living in London. I was serving as the associate minister of London City Presbyterian Church. It is part of the "Free Church of Scotland," which is the theologically conservative Presbyterian denomination in Scotland. LCPC was the only Free Church outside of Scotland. We met in the center of the city, right next to St. Paul's Cathedral, so commuting to church was always fun! :)

London (and the UK) truly became a magical place for us. We loved living in such a historic, beautiful, and global city. You cannot walk around London without seeing the evidence of the gospel. The PCA's very own confessional standards (the Westminster Confession) came out of London! Our church met at the site where, it is believed, John Wesley was converted. I frequently cycled past John Newton's church, Thomas Watson's church, John Bunyan's grave, Martyn Lloyd-Jones' church, and Charles Spurgeon's church. As you walk (or cycle) around London, you quickly realize, "London, and the UK, have given the Church so many gospel resources." Unfortunately, that legacy has largely faded. We felt called to join the UK church and minister in a city and country that once gave us so much gospel witness, but today is very gospel-needy. The UK and Europe as a whole are very "post-Christian" and in need of faithful Christians and churches of all denominations that are committed to Christ and His word. We have clearly seen God's hand at work these past 2 years, but we've also experienced challenges. Living in a different culture is a very vulnerable and humbling experience.

As a minister, and as a family, living in England has given us a great experience and ministry preparation for our next call. We're excited about life and ministry in New England! Apart from the beauty of the area and the history of Boston and the North Shore, we recognize the present spiritual need in New England. God is clearly at work through Center Grace. Your vision to make, mobilize, and multiply disciples on the North Shore and beyond is the kind of church we want to be part of! One of the biggest lessons "Old England" taught us is the importance of hospitality and welcoming people, not just into your home, but into your life. The ministry of Francis and Edith Schaeffer has always been an inspiration, and we had the opportunity to do something similar in London. We saw how conversation, friendship, and lots of grace were used by God in so many ways. We are excited to join CG in making the Lord Jesus known on the North Shore.

Theological Influences

I have been shaped by a variety of theologians. Puritan writers like John Owen, Thomas Watson, and Richard Baxter have helped me understand the "experiential" side of the Reformed faith. The letters of John Newton and Samuel Rutherford have taught me the importance of personal counseling ministry. Herman Bavinck, Francis and Edith Schaeffer, and Tim Keller have shown me the importance of being orthodox, Reformed, and hospitable in modern, post-Christian contexts. C.S. Lewis has taught me the importance of not just articulating ideas, but communicating them in beautiful and persuasive ways. The families in the church I grew up in have shown me what simple, real, authentic trust in the Lord looks like.

Our Family

We have 3 children and a puppy, so life is always quiet in the Arevalo household :) Our home in London was constantly filled with visitors and friends, and we enjoy doing ministry with our children. We are a homeschooling family, so we do spend a good amount of time around each other. It's often easier to describe the kind of family you're striving to be, so let me tell you about the "kind of family we strive to be." We strive first and foremost to be a family that worships the triune God in all areas of life. We strive to be good neighbors to all around us. We strive to show our children that healthy relationships are possible and church community is worth it. We strive to be lovers of God's creation and to spend more time outside than inside. We strive to be a family that creates more than it consumes. Beverly is an amazing cook and makes really good sourdough. Our children love to draw, sing, and dance. Aside from yelling and barking, the Arevalo household is filled with singing and music of all kinds. I enjoy roasting coffee and being creative with my camera. We strive to be a family that is shaped by truth, beauty, and goodness. We look forward to meeting all of you!

A Note from the
Search Committee

We first made contact with Kevin in September of 2025, while he was still ministering in the UK, and we were immediately struck by his skill as a preacher. Kevin preaches with an impressive combination of clarity, sincerity, conviction, and biblical depth, always keeping the Gospel message at the forefront. We had heard many preachers by this point, and Kevin stood head and shoulders above the rest. As we interviewed him and walked alongside him through a time of discernment, it became clear that he was far more than a gifted preacher. He demonstrated real skill in counseling and a heart for one-on-one discipleship. It was also evident that he would connect well with our youth. Unfortunately, at the end of his discernment, Kevin decided to remain in his current call in the UK. Our excitement was tempered, but our high regard for him remained.

Then in March of 2026, following further discernment with his session, Kevin chose not to renew his visa and began making plans to return to the U.S. We re-engaged with him, and it soon became clear that he was not only well suited for the role but also a great fit for our specific church context. His philosophy of ministry, his familiarity with the culture of the Northeast, and his proven ability to minister across a wide range of ages and backgrounds confirmed this. We spoke with more than ten of his references, including pastors, mentors, and congregants, and we were absolutely floored by how positively they spoke of him. One lifelong Christian in his UK congregation shared that she had grown more under Kevin's ministry in two years than in the previous thirty, a powerful witness to how quickly and deeply he cultivates relationships that lead to genuine, Gospel transformation.

At the end of May, Kevin came to visit, and we finally met him in person. He carries himself with a clear, deep humility that was evident throughout his visit. He is remarkably easy to talk to, and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him and his wife, Beverly. The elders examined Kevin and shared a meal with him, and they were unanimously excited at the prospect of his serving as our associate pastor. From the outset, we had prayed that we would be unified as a committee, and by God's grace we were unanimous in our vote to recommend Kevin to the congregation. Not one member was even slightly reluctant. We are overjoyed to present Kevin for the position.

- Pamela, Marlin, Sarah, Vicki, Matt, Megan and Tyler