Opening His Doors to Possibilities: Kris Reed’s Transformative Support of the CSULB Gospel Concert
This past February, California State University Long Beach held its second Gospel Community Choir Concert, and the large choir of close to100 voices filled Bethany Church with encouraging songs. The Gospel choir was led by Ananias Montague, and an incredible team of highly proficient volunteer music professionals. The significance of having so many Long Beach community members gather in song is powerful. It contributes to unity, and it creates a space where people from all walks of life can participate in a safe environment where both unexperienced and established voices can be heard.
Senior Pastor Kris Reed is always willing to open his doors to the community as a CSULB liaison. This year, he contributed to the Gospel Concert’s success by hosting rehearsals at College Park Church, which is only five minutes from campus. Opening his space to community members and youth aligns with College Park Church’s mission of building awareness for events like this, especially as Pastor Reed continues working toward community expansion in the faith. He shared that having a place where people feel welcomed, encouraged, and supported is something he wishes he had during his own undergraduate experience. For him, this space is transformative. He does not seek to make people commit to attending church services. Instead, he hopes the space can be a steppingstone where students and youth feel supported.
Pastor Reed’s decision to partner with CSULB as a member of the CSULB Village comes from a genuine desire to uplift the community by offering outreach and welcoming church spaces for shared use. He said, “Anytime we have a partnership available with CSULB, we are always welcoming our heart to the idea.”
Watching the rehearsals take place in College Park Church felt rewarding for Pastor Reed. He hopes people appreciated one of his favorite moments, which was seeing the performance. Between songs, the mention of excellent artists in historical Black music, such as Richard Smallwood, brought memories of legacy for Pastor Reed. He also viewed this as a teaching moment for choir participants who had never experienced Gospel music. He was most surprised by the staff, the teamwork, and the overall unity that led to the performance. He mentioned that they had great participation and involvement and said, “Around 80 to 125 participants” came.
Pastor Reed’s background includes serving as a co-vocational Senior Pastor while also working in human resources in higher education at University of Southern California. He entered ministry as a musician. Through obedience and a desire to support youth, he eventually became a youth pastor after completing commissioning and church affiliation. This journey led him to co-vocational pastoring. He enjoys how his job brings together everything he loves, including business, people, psychology, and most of all, God.
Pastor Reed has hosted other events like this one, including welcoming Victory Boyd, who is recognized as one of the only gospel artists featured on Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. They hosted her recently. He hopes to continue sparking change in the area through events like these. What stood out to him the most emotionally was the way his wife, Carmen, stepped in when he was not present, along with staff, Alfred, Kameren, and Jag. They were all behind the scenes helping to ensure the community choir had what they needed, including music preparation and instruments.
Pastor Reed’s willingness to host reminds us that community is built when people choose to make room for one another. The Gospel Concert was more than a night of music. It was a gathering that honored faith, history, culture, and the next generation. Space and collaboration were essential to the success of the event. We are grateful for his partnership and for the leaders who worked alongside him to make this possible. May this be the start of even more moments where students, families, and neighbors feel seen, welcomed, and supported.CSULB Gospel Concert YouTube Video 2026
