Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Holder
Hi Kyle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in a rural town in central NC. Simple and inviting, Apex was a dream town to grow up in. Due to a thriving education system in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I was able to attend a magnet program where I learned about art, music, dance, and all of the necessary core subjects in a creative and exciting format at Apex Elementary. I fell in love with reading, writing, and music. Little did I know that that love for music and appreciation for the wonder of the written word would lead me to where I am today. As my love of music grew I found my way to the guitar, which opened doors for me to use that gift in my local church. Ever since, my life has been a beautifully broken road of walking through one open door after another. At the age of 15 I felt a pull in my heart to dedicate my life to full-time ministry, and I knew it was with the gift of music. I pursued this call by attending Visible Music College here in the heart of our beautiful city at 200 Madison where I was trained to be excellent in my craft as well as my depth of surrender to Jesus. Today, I have the privilege of serving the wonderful people of Christ Methodist Church as their Contemporary Worship Pastor, as well as being signed to Infiltrate Records out of Jacksonville, FL. I have a beautiful wife, Leah, who works for Life Choices and St. Francis Hospital, and two beautiful daughters, Selah (3) and Mercy (6 months).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
2025 equals 20 years of involvement in Worship ministry in the Church for me. Those years have been filled with growth, set-backs, good times, and tough lessons. None more challenging the loss of our second child (Jewel Cates) at 37 weeks in March of 2023. Our world was rocked in ways that I can’t explain. To be perfectly honest, if it weren’t for our faith in Jesus I don’t know where we would be today. God held us together through the loving care of the staff at St. Francis Hospital, the support of our family and friends, and the generosity/compassion of countless people around the world that supported us through that time. Today we have the privilege of sharing our story with others who encounter the same tragedy and walk with them as they navigate the road ahead.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Along with being the Worship Pastor of Christ Methodist and being a recording artist, another way I utilize my craft and experience is consulting with other churches on how to incorporate contemporary worship music. Where some people with my expertise would encourage churches to start a band and hire out musicians, what sets me apart is how I encourage the churches I work with to take a massive step back and reframe what is meant by “contemporary worship”. That simply means understanding that the goal is to utilize “the songs of the day” along with the songs that influenced their being written (the hymns of the past) with the instrumentation available to them in their congregation. We don’t assume that what’s needed is to copy and paste Hillsong, Bethel or Elevation. Every church has its own culture, therefore our churches will not all sound the same when given the opportunity to exercise authenticity. The bottom line here is that authenticity married with excellence attracts and impacts the culture, and THAT is what music ministries should be after: the renewal of the culture. When the church is presenting music that is authentically excellent it draws people in: young people begin to have passion ignited by what they are seeing and we begin to see church musicians educating our young people in the arts that then draws the support of their families and draws the household into transformative community. When this happens, music ministries become far more than a band, they become a vibrant tool of culture transformation. I believe the music of the church can be a healing balm and source of reconciliation in our city and others, and I want to see it happen in my lifetime.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
If you wait until you’re “ready” you’ll never start. People die every day with the weight of regret that they had unfinished business, because they never gave “it” a shot. You don’t have to be one of those people. Maybe what God has planted inside of you is uncomfortable to embrace because it feels too arrogant to believe. My friend, if He planted it in you, how can it make you arrogant to believe it? Take a step and hold on tight. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, but it’s worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kyleholdermusic.com
- Instagram: @kyleholdermusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17ox9kMmvp/
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/EdlDfnw5N_c
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4WY0MXLctXeQ3PDjRXGDp4
