Called to the Neighborhood
They start with Lead Pastor Sarah K. Taylor recently receiving an “Impact Award” from the Oklahoma AG Network for restoring the denomination’s presence in the downtown area.
Another is, for its first year, the church met at SheBrews, a coffeehouse that is part of a ministry to former female inmates. Here, they receive help securing jobs, finding educational opportunities, and working towards regaining custody of their children.
Additionally, KWC staff members serve on the community council for two elementary schools and help coordinate community events. And finally, by the end of its first year, the church was supporting a dozen missionaries, fulfilling its goal of making a global impact.
But the story that Taylor loves to share is how God called her to the task.
After 11 years in Ireland with AG World Missions and 10 years on staff at Tulsa’s Carbondale Assembly—then pastored by her father, Phil—she had no plans to plant a church.
That changed after an Oklahoma Network conference in the spring of 2024. Citing John 21, a speaker said, “Some of you are fishing out of the wrong side of the boat.”
This was soon after Taylor had left Carbondale; having completed her doctoral studies, she wasn’t sure what came next.
Reflecting on John 21, she asked the Lord what He was saying. If He wanted her to get out of the boat, she needed a disciple like John to affirm: “It’s the Lord.”
“But if this isn’t You, I don’t want to do this,” recalls Taylor, 46. “This sounds like a lot of work.”
When she saw John 21:11’s description of the disciples hauling in 153 fish, Taylor impulsively punched “153” into her iPhone’s GPS for Tulsa to see what would pop up.
The first address was near an existing AG church, while the other showed Kendall Whittier, a historic neighborhood near the downtown area that lacked an AG presence.
Taylor says that was the most desperate thing she had ever done seeking God’s will. Still, she sought counsel from district leaders and the Church Multiplication Network (CMN) about starting a church.
She also met with several area pastors, with Christian Chapel in south Tulsa agreeing to act as their Parent Affiliated Church.
However, a pastoral group warned she needed to raise a six-figure sum to launch the church.
“How am I going to do that?” Taylor thought. Still, she plunged ahead, attending a CMN conference and seeking to raise the money by January of the following year, only months away.
Taylor succeeded, with 90 coming to the launch service.
Last November, the pastor found a more permanent home down the block from SheBrews, in a building rented by the owners of a longtime art-and-frame store.
Its neighborhood involvement is purposeful and something Taylor keeps at the heart of KWC. Involvement includes offering an after-school Character Club on Wednesdays at Sequoyah Elementary, sponsoring Easter egg hunts at Sequoyah and Kendall Whittier Elementary, and providing groceries for families in need through the schools.
Last December, the church distributed Christmas presents to all students at both schools.
“Missions is one of our core values,” the pastor says. “We say Kendall Whittier is a community dedicated to education, justice, and the spread of the gospel, both at home and around the world.”
Associate Pastor Terry W. Randolph, 41, says two of the primary differences with other churches are KWC’s female pastor and diverse staff.
With the Kendall Whittier neighborhood often referred to as a cultural cornerstone in the area, intentionality is at the heart of the staff makeup. Taylor notes that she wanted all attendees to have someone who represented them on staff at the church.
For the community, this has been a huge draw. “This has been a place of healing for many people,” says Randolph, who is African American.
“It’s been encouraging to be a part of so many stories and testimonies of folks who had been away from church, or hurt in church, to come and heal. Folks have a sense of home, community, and safety here.”
Sunday attendance now averages between 60 and 70, with about half either Black or Hispanic.
Member Kely A. Kingsley, 42, who met Taylor while both were at Carbondale, says this is the first church she knows of with a female pastor.
“I love going to church because I feel Sarah is a great preacher and teacher,” Kingsley says. “She’s got an incredible sense of humor. The way she teaches and talks is easy to absorb.”
None of this surprises Oklahoma AG District Superintendent Darryl E. Wootton, who became Taylor’s youth pastor 30 years ago at Carbondale.
“I knew she would do great things,” Wootton says. “She has gone into a challenging area geographically and has not only planted a church, but seen people saved and supported a dozen missionaries. She is a powerful preacher.”
Taylor is excited to see people coming to Jesus who had been standing outside the body of Christ in the past.
“I’m seeing discipleship take place on a new level,” the pastor says, “and watching people move from skeptic to lover of Jesus. It’s beautiful watching real discipleship take place.”
