Out-of prophetic voices, callings and you will community: Brand new college or university church pastor Taimi recounts journey

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — It was an extraordinary time for Iki Taimi and his family members. The expression emerged with the February twenty-five as he with his wife had been riding home away from a break fast aside-“I experienced a call in the president of Southeastern Ca Fulfilling, Jonathan Playground, and then he mentioned that the research panel had made a decision to ask us to end up being the lead pastor into La Sierra College or university Church. We were impressed.”

Iki Taimi, Elder Youth & Younger Mature Ministries director towards Southern Ca Conference commonly technically begin their the fresh character in may once the lead pastor of your own La Sierra College or university Church. (Pictures courtesy of South California Fulfilling)

Pastor Iki Taimi, heart, that have pastors and you may group of your own Los angeles Sierra College or university Church. (Photographs through Los angeles Sierra College or linked here university Church)

Iki Taimi inside the 2018 that have Jodi Cahill to possess an enthusiastic alumni sunday identification experience during which the guy gotten a growing Star prize regarding the fresh new HMS Richards Divinity College. (Photo: Natan Vigna)

Taimi, the Senior Teens & More youthful Adult Ministries manager into the Southern California Appointment, otherwise SCC, usually technically initiate their the brand new role in may that have a fixture service may 21. A southern California-elevated Tongan, he’s going to serve as the first person out of colour to lead the college or university chapel that has been in earlier times guided having thirteen ages by Chris Oberg who broke crushed due to the fact church’s first feminine direct pastor.

His invited of your appointment position meant one step right back off chapel frontrunners

Pastor Iki Taimi towards the March 5 allows the fresh appointment to help you serve due to the fact head pastor of your La Sierra School Chapel. (Pictures as a consequence of La Sierra School Church)

Left in order to proper clockwise, Raewyn Orlich, Ben Amoah, Dewald Kritzinger, Steve Hemenway, Otis Coutsoumpos, Beverly Maravilla

Brand new and unexpected fulfilling affirmed Taimi’s brand spanking new getting in touch with to serve neighborhood church and its teenagers, the guy told you. Moreover it culminated new step with each other a good ministerial industry roadway the guy never might have thought many years prior to. Their impractical trip try stimulated from the Jesus-driven words away from Los angeles Sierra University’s Homebase Ministries originator Jodi Cahill whoever understanding carry out prove prophetic during Taimi’s life, right until the fresh new few days regarding Cahill’s unanticipated death into the .

“I didn’t know that is my calling. And you may she told you, ‘trust me, this is exactly planning to happens.'” — Pastor Iki Taimi, HMS Richards Divinity University alumnus

Taimi basic came across Cahill in 1999. He had been a student at the Riverside People School at that time, working as a stock director within a shirt store and you may answering their free time with sports. One night he was bouncing more shrubbery attempting to slip straight back into his sister’s house towards La Sierra’s campus just after being out later to tackle basketball.

“I became into the basketball jeans and take off t-top and you can my personal locks is crazy–bear in mind,” Taimi recalled. “A small White woman with her poodle spotted myself and you may said, ‘Hey what’s happening? …what are you doing together with your existence?’ I told you, ‘I’m not sure.’ And you will she said ‘you are going to join myself and you’re probably carry out ministry and you are gonna register which college or university.’ And i told you, ‘that’s not possible absolutely nothing lady’ — I did not be aware that was my contacting. And you can she said, ‘trust in me, this is exactly browsing takes place.’ And you can lo and view a week later I became enrolled at La Sierra College or university and i also is actually doing work for Homebase [Ministries] to own Jodi Cahill. This lady has started a good prophet inside my life,” Taimi said — an effective prophet whom encouraged and you can predicted their pastorship at Los angeles Sierra College or university Church while you are Taimi had been in school.

Inside the 2004 Taimi acquired a beneficial bachelor’s training in the spiritual studies from La Sierra followed by a king off Theological Studies into the 2013 from Los angeles Sierra’s H.M.S Richards Divinity University. In the process the guy supported just like the a part chaplain into the university. Taimi’s performs for the past age has incorporated leading the organization out-of what might become the SCC’s youth and young adult ministries company he added full-time after its inception inside 2018. At the time he was in addition to head pastor of your own Gardena Genesis People Church, a seventh-go out Adventist church which he grown between 2006 – 2008 which have a look closely at society engagement and you can outreach.