Northpointe Church

Kenny S. Mulligan – Lead Pastor

One of six children growing up in the suburbs of Trenton NJ, Kenny continues to keep close ties with his family. Although growing up in a religious home, it was not until his early 20′s that he gave his life to Christ. He began attending a Bible believing church with his brother, who also became a believer at that time. He quickly got involved in Awana, working with small children and a college/Career ministry, and also began a 3 year one to one discipleship with his Associate Pastor who began challenging him toward full-time ministry.

During that time he connected with a wonderful young Christian woman, Julie, who became a partner with him in ministry. They were married in 1988, and in 1991 their first son, Jason was born. It was at this time that God led them to a relatively newly planted church in Yardley, PA where they continued serving together in ministry. It was a small, but quickly growing church. During the next few years he continued to expand his horizons in ministry, leading small groups and teaching discipleship classes while working in the printing industry to support his family. God continued to add to their family, and their second son Kevin was born in 1993.

It was during these next few years that Kenny began feeling more the tug toward full-time ministry. He began attending Bethel Seminary of the East in September 1995 following the birth of their first daughter, Nicole. In 1997 their third son, Victor, was born. During the five years in seminary, Kenny served on staff at the church where he was actively involved in teaching and working with Ministry Development, as well as children’s ministry. Following graduation in 2000, God blessed them with one more child, a second daughter named Leann, born in 2001. It was shortly after this that God led them to Central NY where Kenny took a Senior Pastor position. During this ministry he became connected with Walk Thru the Bible Ministries and was trained as an associate instructor in which he leads one day seminars through the Old Testament and New Testament.

In the fall of 2006, God began stirring Kenny’s heart in a challenging new direction; church planting. As Kenny began praying, studying, and exploring this, God connected him to Donna and Joel Kazalski through a shared ministry experience. By January of 2008, God confirmed in Kenny’s life the need to pursue planting a church, and it was now time to begin praying more seriously about an area to start this new work. In February, the Kazalski’s approached Kenny about the possibility of launching a new church to reach the unchurched, in the northern suburbs of Binghamton. With these two families, God brought together 2 critical parts for this new church; a lead pastor and a director of worship arts. By March of 2008, the concept of a new church called NorthPointe began to take root. By April another family, the Schultz’s, joined this launch team, and God continues to lead others to join this team to launch NorthPointe on February 8th 2009.

Contact Kenny @ kenny@northpointeny.org

Donna Kazalski – Director of Worship Arts

Donna grew up in Sidney, New York. She graduated from Sidney High School in 1983. Donna became a believer as a young teenager, and began doing music ministry with some friends at local churches and coffeehouses. She learned to play the guitar and began writing songs.

Donna attended Roberts Wesleyan College, and was married in 1985. She graduated from Roberts in 1987, with a BA degree in Elementary Education and Sociology. She and Joel moved to Greene, NY, and Donna graduated from State University College at Oneonta with a Masters degree in Elementary Education in 1992. Their daughter, Leah, was born that same year.

As a college student, Donna experienced a period of time when she was disillusioned with the church and angry at God. This has added to the passion that she has today for people who have turned away from God or given up on the church. Eventually, God reeled her back in. Donna knew there was a call on her life to be in music ministry, and God was drawing her back into the church. After college, Joel and Donna moved to Greene and began attending Berean Bible Church, where they became involved in the music ministry. They formed a band with some other musicians there, and started a contemporary Friday night worship service. After a while, the Sunday morning worship services switched to a contemporary style as well. This was Donna’s training ground as a worship leader, which eventually led to her becoming the worship coordinator for the team at Berean, as well. Donna’s heart and passion is leading worship and coordinating worship services for life transformation.

When Donna met Kenny Mulligan, she was praying for a visionary pastor who would take the church to the next level, one who valued authentic worship and had a passion to reach people in relevant, exciting ways. As Donna and Joel began to interact with Kenny and his wife, Julie, they realized that God was calling them out of Berean. God was answering their prayers, and calling them to launch a new church with Kenny as the pastor.

Contact Donna @ donna@northpointeny.org

Ted Bryant – Director of Outreach

Growing up in Elverson, Pennsylvania, a rural town 50 miles west of Philadelphia, Ted grew up in a family that believed in God, but rarely attended church.  As a young adult, Ted’s dad became upset with the church and any organized religion.  Ted’s grandfather was serving in a maintenance position at the church where they faithfully attended for many years, but he was removed from his job over an honest mistake and misunderstanding.  As a result, Ted’s dad viewed “church” people as hypocrites because they could not extend forgiveness to Ted’s grandfather.  As a child, Ted attended church very infrequently, but began to seek God through the encouragement of some very good high school friends.  Attending the University of Pittsburgh in Bradford, Pennsylvania, he met his future wife, Betsy, and regularly attended church services at a traditional United Methodist church.  It was during this time that Ted really felt like God’s church was meant to do something more than the status quo.  After graduating from college in 1995, Ted began pursuing his doctor of optometry degree in Philadelphia.  Betsy and Ted were married on July 5, 1997, during the Independence Day break from school.  Ted still laughs about being married on Saturday, and studying for his Monday morning exam while Betsy drove the six hours back to Philadelphia on Sunday.

Ted graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1999 and joined an optometric practice in Shillington, Pennsylvania.  That same year, he and Betsy were blessed with their only daughter, Lexi.  Immediately after graduating and starting his career, Ted really felt like he didn’t need to be part of a church.  He had a lot going on with a new career and a new baby.  For him, being involved in church was just something you were “supposed” to do, but he didn’t see it as time well spent.  After all, he could be a Christian and not attend church, right?

After moving to Bradford, Pennsylvania in 2001 to join an ophthalmology practice, Ted became more convinced that the church needed to do something different.  They were regulars at the traditional United Methodist church that he and Betsy attended while in college, and he noticed that nothing had changed since they left college..  He noticed how many “traditional” churches were not attracting young families, and wondered where they were all going on Sunday morning.  Finally realizing that many young families were not attending church at all, he became passionate about reaching out to the local community, and was place on the Evangelism Committee.  The first project for the Evangelism Team, as they began to be called, was to start a Christian coffee house at the church with live music, relevant teaching, fellowship, and of course, coffee.  Since Bradford was a college town, they figured that students would love to attend something “fresh” and “new” and they even arranged for a shuttle from campus to pick them up and take them back.  The coffee house was a flop, and it was only a year ago that Ted realized why and realized why God had led him through that experience.  At the Pitt campus, there were many students involved in campus ministries, and many had a heart for God and His people, but they did not want anything to do with meeting at a traditional church.  They preferred to meet in a restaurant, café, or classroom.

In 2003, the Bryants moved to Binghamton and began attending a very large, modern, outreach oriented church.  The size of it all was quite a shock, but Ted really appreciated how much they focused on reaching people who were far from God.  Through a web site, they found a similar but smaller church closer to their home, and became engaged and excited in ministry for the first time.  Playing percussion since junior high school, Ted was very encouraged that they were looking for a drummer for their worship team.  It was an amazing and humbling experience that God was finally using Ted’s gifts to engage people in worship.   However, the pastor who so inspired Ted moved to Ohio, and the church became more traditional and less focused on reaching the community.  Shortly after taking part in the “It’s All About Jesus” 12-week revival services, Ted heard from a friend that a new church in Binghamton was looking for a drummer for their Easter Sunday service.  Somewhat reluctant and discouraged, Ted agreed to fill in for JUST ONE SUNDAY, even though his friend said he “may just find a new church in the process.”  Immediately after that service, Ted became engaged in conversation with Kenny and Donna and was very moved and inspired that they felt called to start NorthPointe Church for all of the reasons that he was so discouraged with church as usual.  Ted became the regular drummer from the worship team shortly thereafter, and about 18 months later was placed on staff as the Director of Outreach.  Still amazed at what God is doing through NorthPointe, Ted considers it such a blessing and honor to be called by God to serve His church.

Ted’s Favorites:

Place to vacation:  1000 Islands, Canada
Food:  lasagna and buffalo wings
Scripture:  Matthew 5
Authors:  Craig Groeschel, Andy Stanley, Bill Hybels
Movie:  Back to the Future
What’s on my iPod:  Hillsong United, Sugarland, U2, Fireflight, Jason Aldean (Yeah, a little bit of everything.  My daughter laughs that I even have Lady GaGa)
Sports Team:  Binghamton Senators
Leisure Activity:  Motorcycles, camping, boating
Contact Ted @ ted@northpointeny.org