When the Rev. Fred Kison was named senior pastor of Christ Outreach Church, 120 Walker Ave., it was literally a homecoming.

The Natrona Heights native had been an associate pastor at the church starting in 2007.

“I was an associate pastor when I started Bible school when I came back to Christ,” said Kison. “My wife (Lorrie) and I rededicated our lives to Christ.”

Kison spent 20 years as a paramedic with Stat Medevac helicopter services in Pittsburgh before deciding to enter the ministry in 2006.

“When I received the call to ministry, it wasn’t something I planned to do or wanted to do. It was totally God’s idea,” he said.

In 2010, he became senior pastor of the Church of the Nazarene.

From 2013 to 2015, he was a church planter, starting the Living Water Church in Kittanning, growing the church from an initial 25 members in 2013 to nearly 100 in 2015.

He became interim pastor at the nondenominational Christ Outreach in May and said he was in a sense auditioning for the job as senior pastor.

He was named senior pastor in September, replacing the Rev. Gary Koontz.

Christ Outreach has 60 to 70 members and has been in existence since 2000.

Christ Outreach has a 10 a.m. Sunday service, an 8:45 a.m. Sunday school and Bible study at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Don Snyder of Valencia, a member of the search committee, said, “The Lord just led Fred back. He started here. His wife and family were well thought of. We are just so pleased that he could come back.”

For his earlier stint with the church, Snyder said, “We knew that we really liked the guy.”

“He is just a God- and Jesus Christ-loving and fearing man,” Snyder said. “He is a good leader and willing to work and be in the community. And he’s an excellent preacher.”

Kison said he plans to add a worship leader, youth director and children’s director to the church staff in the near future

“I think you have to love God and love people in a way you want to see people engage in the faith system,” said Kison.

“Like Jesus, you have to have a real love for the lost and broken in the world,” he said.

“The most important part of my job is to help people. The biggest part of my role is to be someone who creates an environment of stability around the Gospel of Jesus Christ while creating an atmosphere where people can come to know who Jesus is,” said Kison.

Kison said he especially takes to heart the Bible verse Luke 19:10: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost,” which Kison has interpreted to mean seek out the unchurched and those lost to faith.

“That’s a key verse in my life,” Kison said. “God wants people found. He did not send his son into the world to condemn it but to save it.”

That mission is reflected in Kison’s short-term plans, which call for the church to get into the community, build relationships with everyone and connect with other ministry groups.

“We can grow the kingdom by loving God and loving the people of this city,” Kison said.

“Come and see what God is going to do here. Come and see, your life will be changed,” said Kison.

He and his wife have six sons: Tyler, Evan, Noah, Luke, Joshua and Caleb.

“All of our boys are involved in sports. Four played hockey, one was a wrestler and one was a golfer and soccer player,” said Kison, who has coached hockey and managed Butler High School’s junior varsity hockey team.

The Kisons moved to Renfrew in 2002 and joined Christ Outreach Church in 2003.

Kison has a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry and leadership from Geneva College in Beaver Falls and is working toward his master’s degree in divinity at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Lorrie Kison is a nursing professor at Duquesne University School of Nursing. She earned a master’s degree in nursing education and leadership from Carlow University in Pittsburgh.

“We could have an induction ceremony. If and when that will occur is up to the pastor,” said Snyder.