Christian Communicator
About Kelly
I’m Kelly Levatino, a Jesus follower from Memphis, TN. My purpose is to motivate people to passionately pursue Jesus for their good and His glory!
I usually speak at large events (conferences, retreats, dinners), teaching the Bible deeply in everyday language with a healthy smattering of comedy. Sometimes I teach Bible courses and write books. Other times I tell clean jokes on stages. No matter how or what I am communicating, I have one goal in mind: to show how a relationship with Jesus through His scriptures is immeasurably more delightful than anything else in this world!
background +
Biography
Despite my having lived in “the Bible belt” for more than half my life, I haven’t always been a Christian. (It’s a long story, really. To read about my conversion from atheist to Christ-follower, start here.)
After years of behind the scenes orchestrating, God finally got my attention and showed me my need for Jesus. Within a year of my accepting Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, I became completely fascinated with scripture. So much so that I just had to spend the rest of my life studying and teaching Bible.
One year after marrying my wonderful husband, I graduated from Crichton College in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies and Theology (which means I have a B.S. in B.S.–a bachelor’s of science in biblical studies…). I taught Bible studies, wrote a faith-based blog, and spoke at a handful of events, but I always knew God created me for more.
So, one decade and two babies later, I enrolled in seminary. In 2017 I earned a master’s degree in Christian Ministry with a focus on Homiletics from Liberty University’s School of Divinity.
Since graduating I’ve joined the She Will Conference, a women’s conference that travels nationally. As a keynote speaker since 2021, I combine humor with deep biblical teaching to get people excited about scripture and pursuing Jesus! The She Will team has released a couple of books I have contributed to, and in 2023 I did stand-up comedy for the first time. I look forward to having more opportunities to try my hand at that in 2024.
My husband and I have been married for 19 years, and, together, we have two daughters, ages 14 and 16. We call Memphis, TN, home.
motivation +
Driving Factors
Jesus tells us in John 15 that when we obey His commands, His joy is in us, and our joy is made complete. It’s a win-win!
But how can we obey God if we don’t know what He wants us to do?
The Bible is the primary source of instruction to us on how to live lives that please God. The quality of our relationships with the Lord and our willingness to obey Him are directly related to our Bible intake.
The problem is a lot of people don’t read their Bibles often, if ever. Then they wonder why “the Christian life” doesn’t seem any different and is just as dissatisfying as life apart from Christ.
The truth is God made us to know Him, to love Him, and to obey Him. The secret to having a satisfying Christian walk is in knowing and obeying scripture!
My goal when I speak is to show people how the Bible really is delightfully relevant to their lives today, and how they really can study it themselves.
I want them to leave an event hungry for more of the Word of God, and eager to dive into it on their own. When they do, the Lord will use it to increase their knowledge of and affection for Him, which will create in them a desire to obey Him. They will become people who passionately pursue God for their good and His glory!
I also do clean stand-up comedy. Why? Because humor helps people emotionally reset. After we laugh a while, we find ourselves in a better frame of mind to face the hard things in life, encouraged to keep pursuing Jesus.
Like what you see? Let’s talk!
Each year the Lord brings me more and more opportunities to share my passion for His Word and my gift of comedy with people all over the country. As He sees fit, I look forward to serving YOU at your next event!