Kelly Kosky is a minister of the Faithful Orthodox Church in America. His bio on the church’s site indicates that he is a “pastor, teacher, author, and motivational speaker”. He is also listed as the “Rabbi emeritus” with an electronic mail address. It appears that this information is correct. However, it is still unclear whether not Kosky holds any credentials to be considered an” Orthodox rabbi” or as a “missionary”.
Kosky’s bio on the church’s site states that he served as “minister of finance and business opportunity” for thirty-one years. Though this would place him in a different office than those listed above, it does indicate that Kosky has a management role within the church. In terms of ministries, Kelly Kosky is listed as a “minister of outreach”. What exactly does this mean? In reality, it just about sums up his entire career.
What exactly is “outreach”? According to the dictionary, it is “the practice of coming into close contact with individuals who have unique needs and circumstances and attempting to meet these needs as best as possible”. For someone to qualify as an “outreach” minister, he must actually meet this requirement. This qualification is most often found amongst rabbis with ties to religious institutions.
There are a number of Kosky’s ministries listed online, however, I was unable to locate any information regarding his work with any specific denomination. As far as religious affiliations, Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed are the most common. Kosky did however mention that he is a “Chabad Jewish minister”, however, there is no additional information available regarding this affiliation. There is only one listing for him as an Orthodox rabbi, and it is unclear whether or not this was an actual designation by the synagogue. The other six are listed with his name alone.
One of Kosky’s more well known ministries is World Vision Ministries. It is not clear where Kosky serves in the church, but it appears that he is a long time resident of Wheaton, Illinois. His main website does not include any pictures of him, but it does show a man wearing a suit and tie alongside a man with a very similar appearance. The website’s description of Kosky’s ministries does not mention his faith however.
It seems that Kosky’s real talent lies in the realm of teaching and converting church members. According to the official site, he is a “pastor, mentor, and teacher”. On other websites he speaks about how the ministry works, and the different ministries that are available to people who want to experience a “new relationship with God”. He believes that through a committed membership in church, people can get “unstuck in a rut”. The book of Acts is often quoted by him, as well as 1st Peter 3:15. All these writings point to a strong emphasis on teaching and converting people.
As far as I can tell, this is what separates Kelly Kosky from most religious ministers. In fact, it is the focus on people and their growth and the encouragement they receive to remain “in ministry” that sets his ministry apart. This emphasis on people and the fruit of their growth is not found in many other churches. If you read the books that have been written by great religious teachers, you will note that many of them stress the importance of nurturing young children, particularly teenagers. They also encourage parents to be involved in the homeschooling of their children.
While I am not a pastor, I do know what it means to have a vision for the future of my church and ministry. I was very encouraged by the message that Kelly Kosky put out, and I would be very happy to work closely with him in the future. You can do the same. Visit our website to find out more.
