Pastor Obed Brefo, Senior Pastor of King’s Cross Church in San Diego, California, never expected that what was meant to be a one month trip to the United Kingdom in 2025 would turn into a year-long season of unexpected challenges for him and his family. A small paperwork error unexpectedly delayed their return, requiring the Brefo family to remain in England for nearly a year. Finally, in March 2026, they were able to return home. Yet through faithfulness, perseverance, and God’s provision, King’s Cross Church continued to move forward. What could have been a season of uncertainty instead became a testimony of God’s faithfulness, as the church rose above adversity and grew stronger in both faith and community along the way.

What first stirred your heart toward pastoral ministry, and how did you sense God’s calling?

Looking back, what stands out most is how unexpected God’s call was. We were living in London, surrounded by community and serving in ministry, but I had no
desire to become a pastor. Then, without warning, the Lord placed a deep and persistent desire for pastoral ministry in my heart. It was not something I planned, but something He clearly initiated. As that calling grew, my wife Elena and I stepped out in faith and moved to Los Angeles to train at The Master’s Seminary. We originally planned to return to England, but over time, God redirected our hearts toward Southern California. Through prayer, relationships, and opportunity, San Diego became clear. We saw both a need for gospel centered, Bible-teaching churches and a place we could truly love and serve. In 2018, we launched King’s Cross Church in Pacific Beach, a small coastal town in San Diego,CA. God’s calling was not a single
moment, but a journey. What began as an unexpected desire became a clear direction, and He faithfully led us every step of the way.

What has been one of the most rewarding moments in your pastoral journey?

This past year, ironically while being physically absent from our church, has been one of the most rewarding seasons of ministry I have ever experienced. Watching our church not only sustain itself but grow in depth, maturity, and ownership was incredibly moving. People stepped into leadership roles they had never imagined. New pathways for discipleship were established, ministries were launched, and individuals committed to the church without ever meeting me in person. There came a moment when
it became clear that this church does not rise or fall on one pastor’s presence. Christ is truly the head. That realization was both humbling and deeply rewarding. It felt like watching a child learn to walk, not because you are holding them up, but because they have grown strong enough to stand on their own. And of course, hearing the words, “You have been approved” at the embassy, after a year of waiting, praying, and uncertainty, was unforgettable. It was not only significant for our family, but also a reminder that we were carried there by the prayers of our church family, many of whom were awake in the middle of the night, lifting us up before the Lord.

How did this season away from home and church impact your family, and what did you learn about balancing ministry and family during that time?

That season reshaped us. What we thought would be a short trip turned into a year of constant transition, moving multiple times, navigating uncertainty, and to create stability with very little. There were real challenges, emotional strain, deep wrestling with God, and even questions about continuing in ministry from a distance. Yet, there were also unexpected gifts. We reconnected
with family, including restoring a relationship with my father after nearly 40 years. Our children experienced the global church in Oxford, and my wife stepped into a new role, working at Oxford University; something we did not expect. What I learned is this: ministry and family are not competing callings, they are meant to be integrated. There were moments when my family needed me more, and choosing them was not a failure of ministry, but faithfulness to it. We invited our family into the mission, and God reminded me that before I am a pastor, I am a husband and a father, and that order matters.

What encouragement would you give to other pastors who may need to step away temporarily but want to ensure their ministry continues to flourish?

1. Trust that the church belongs to Christ more than it belongs to you. That’s easy to say theologically, but much harder to live out practically. Stepping away exposes how much we can subtly believe that everything depends on us. But it doesn’t. It never did.

2. Invest deeply in leaders before the crisis comes. What sustained our church during that season wasn’t a last-minute plan; it was years of raising up faithful men and women, equipping them, trusting them, and giving them real responsibility. When the time came, they didn’t just “fill gaps”, they led.

3. Don’t underestimate the power of prayer. Our church didn’t just organize logistics; they sought the Lord. There were moments when people were praying at 12:30 a.m., 3:30 a.m., crying out to God with persistence and faith. That kind of dependence changes a church.

4. Release control. The ministry may look different in your absence. In some ways, it may even become stronger. That’s not a threat, it’s a gift. It’s evidence that God is building something that extends beyond any one person.

How did your leadership team step up during your absence, and what did that reveal about the culture of your church?

Our leadership team didn’t just maintain the church, they shepherded it.

Initially, we thought I’d only be gone a short time, so guest preachers filled the pulpit. But as weeks turned into months, our leaders adapted. They experimented with video sermons, even though it wasn’t our natural style. They restructured ministries. They cared for people. They made decisions. They carried the weight, and the church responded.

People stepped into new roles. Leaders emerged. The body began to function more fully, with each part doing its work. It was a living picture of what Scripture describes; a church not built on one personality, but on a shared commitment to Christ and His mission. What it revealed is that our culture, by God’s grace, is not centered on a platform but on participation.

It showed that we are, at our core, a church family. One that believes in the priesthood of all believers, in shared ownership of the mission, and in the quiet, steady work of discipleship. If anything, that season stripped away illusions and deepened our foundation.

And now, as we move forward, we do so not wanting to return to “normal,” but to carry that same dependence, that same hunger, that same clarity of mission into whatever God has next.

This church property, used by King’s Cross, was entrusted to BFCal as a gift to support and advance ministry efforts. For more information, please contact Courtney M. Coates, Esq. at or call (909) 475-7907.