Preaching began early and often for Kedric Green.
The 33-year-old minister at Mount Carmel Baptist Church of Baton Rouge initially answered his call to preach at age 15 under the Rev. Henry J. Brown at Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Before long, Green was called to the eventual role of youth minister at New Gideon Baptist Church.
While the youth ministry thrived, Green stepped away after five years. He didn't stop believing or going to churches, but he stopped preaching.
"My faith never wavered," he said. "I started to question am I really called to this."
Green said it was primarily "church hurt" that drove him away from the pulpit.
"I was running from ministry and being a leader in ministry," he said. "I was afraid of getting involved in something again and getting hurt or getting misunderstood, that version of me not getting accepted. And that's what made me stay out."
In 2012, Green moved to Dallas, where he visited area churches and wherever his trucking routes took him.
"Dallas people would ask me if I was a minister and, honestly, I was telling them no," he said.
After four years in Dallas, Green returned to Baton Rouge. He continued to visit mostly larger congregations to blend in.
"You're able to really lock in and enjoy the word for yourself," he said.
One of those larger congregations Green most frequently enjoyed was Healing Place Church. It was at an event that Green had a "life-changing" conversation on serving with Pastor Mike Haman.
"He said, 'We need strong men at Healing Place,''" Green said. "That changed me and made me start to take ministry seriously again. … It was like an awakening, me rediscovering myself and realizing who I am and how valuable I was and where I'm supposed to be."
Green spent six months at Healing Place, where he enjoyed volunteering in the Serve ministry while continuing his search for a smaller church home. In August, Green and his family settled on Mount Carmel.
"Out of all the churches that we visited, that's the church that kind of checked all the boxes," Green said. "I felt like there was space for me there. I really wanted to be in a position where I could have an impact."
Green was also impacted by Mount Carmel Pastor Andra Johnson.
"He's a phenomenal pastor, phenomenal leader, biblical sound in all of his preaching and messages, and he's a really a visionary leader when it comes time for Christian education," Green said.
A month ago, the church appointed Green the youth minister. Green is back doing what he's passionate about: preaching (usually on third Sundays), teaching and working with youth.
"That's the most important thing, making sure we have things in place to teach our young people that it's not just about having fun. But it's about having the word first and foremost," said Green, founder and CEO of K&B Event Rentals. "We teach them that in all things seek God for direction."