Pictured left to right: Kelly Armstrong, Brandi Armstrong , Derek Murphy
The Intermountain Church Planters Association is excited to welcome Kelly Armstrong to our Staff Team as the Regional Catalyst for Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington, beginning August 1.
Many of you already know Kelly. He has been coaching one of our church planters, Adam McElderry, as Adam prepares to launch Real Life LC Valley. Kelly has also been serving alongside us in conversations surrounding a regional School of Ministry, and it quickly became evident that he shares our heart for disciple making, developing leaders and planting healthy churches.
Kelly brings a unique blend of experience to this role. He has planted two churches, started businesses, and has extensive experience assessing and coaching church planters through the Open Bible Church. He understands both the challenges of planting and the importance of discerning and developing healthy leaders before launch.
Most recently, Kelly launched Riverside Real Life, which began as a campus of Valley Real Life and celebrated its public launch this Easter. The church has experienced encouraging growth and now welcomes between 300 and 400 people each weekend. Before Riverside, Kelly and his wife, Brandi, planted and faithfully pastored Center Church (Now Formation Church) in Spokane for more than a decade before successfully raising up and passing leadership to the next generation. Throughout every season of ministry, Brandi has faithfully served alongside Kelly, and together they have modeled the kind of healthy, enduring ministry we long to see multiplied across our region.
As impressive as Kelly’s résumé is, that’s not what excites me most.
What stands out to me is who he is. Kelly is a listener before he’s a speaker. He’s a learner who remains curious, even after decades of ministry and with great capability. And he’s a leader who genuinely loves people and invests in them. His experience is significant, but his humility is even greater. Those are the kinds of leaders we want helping identify, coach, and encourage future church planters across our region.
Kelly will continue serving in his current pastoral assignment while giving focused leadership to the ICPA in this regional role. His investment with us reflects our commitment to partnering with experienced practitioners who are actively engaged in ministry while helping strengthen the next generation of church planters.
Please join me in welcoming Kelly and Brandi to this new season of partnership with the ICPA. I believe God has uniquely prepared Kelly for this role, and I’m excited to see how his wisdom, humility, and love for people will strengthen church planters throughout Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington. We’re grateful that God has brought our paths together, and we’re looking forward to all He has in store.
Welcome, Kelly!
- Derek Murphy