For years, Tina Rivera has been a faithful volunteer teaching kids about Jesus from the stage. Whether it’s in Kids Ministry on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, or as “Chelsea Martin” during Summer Blast, her love for Jesus shines through her in every setting and in every season. And this next season holds a beautiful change for both Tina and Hillside as we welcome her into a full-time position on staff as our Kids Ministry Director. With a background in education, years of hands-on ministry experience with children and moms, and a heart that truly sees and cares for people, Tina brings both compassion and intentionality to her leadership and we are so excited to see what God has in store through her! 

Tina has been married to her husband, Gabriel, for 17 years this November, and have three daughters – Johanna (15), Lily (13), and Zoey (11). Tina said God brought their family to Hillside in 2016 to attend a theater production of Cinderella, and they were amazed at the work God was doing through Hillside kids. “We wanted God’s story to come to life in each of our daughters as well!” Tina said. “We saw the way Hillside was doing that with their families and loved how they allowed kids to serve and play a part of the church family. God spoke to me and Gabe individually that night and gave us both a vision that this might be our new home church.” 

After both sharing their thoughts with each other later that night, it confirmed that what they were hearing was from Him. 

“He is a God that is clear and confirms His ways, and He did that for both of us and after more prayer, we slowly made our transition to calling Hillside our home church,” Tina said. “It is wild to me to know that even then, the God of the universe knew the role I would be stepping into, almost 10 years later. God is always working on our behalf, even before we know it and working and putting things in place long before the miracle unfolds.” Tina has spent many years in the education field – as a 9th grade English teacher in Fontana, an elementary school art teacher, homeschool teacher, charter teacher, and drama tech instructor. She said that much of what God has given her to do and steward were not necessarily things that she set out to do or had extensive training in, but she followed Him in obedience. 

“I continue to learn that God is not looking for a certificate, a platform, perfection or brilliance,” she said, “but instead, a willing heart… and that is where I humbly stand today. Open hands and a willing heart, expectant for what God will do through us as a Hillside family in this next chapter.”  

Tina said in her new role, her main responsibility will be to encourage families to love God and love His people. Through overseeing Sunday Kids Ministry gatherings, planning special events, and walking alongside families, her hope is that God will use her to help facilitate deep long-lasting connections. “I want the deep connections with our Creator to remind our families that they are loved and that God has purpose and intention for our good and His glory,” she said. “I also want to help create moments for our families to connect and find joy and community in this parenting journey.” 

Tina said God has already given her many dreams ideas and plans for her new role as Kids Director, and she is being very prayerful to stay in step with Him on how to steward and bring them to life in His perfect timing. 

“I am dreaming on how we can get parents actively praying together each month so we can be shouldering prayer requests for one other and walking alongside each other as we see God work specifically in our kids’ lives,” she said. 

A fun dream of hers is a big Hillside campout – on the field with colorful bandanas, line dancing, hot dogs, s’mores, guitars and family worship right under the stars.  

Tina’s main dream and priority, however, is that children would transition out of Kids Ministry equipped to step into Student Ministries with, “confidence to know they can pray out loud, talk about God’s word, be a kind friend, and fully aware of who God is in them and who He’s called them to be!”

Want to know a bit more about Tina? Check out these fun facts that she shared about herself: 

1. I grew up listening to all kinds of music, but will  always have a deep love for the 90s boyband era – I am a huge Backstreet Boys fan! And I want it thattttt way… 
2. I played water polo all four years of college.  
3. My life verse is Galatians 6:9, “Do not grow weary in doing good for at the right time, you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.” This has carried me through life and continually reminds me that the Lord will produce the harvest, the reward, the outcome, or the benefit to anything I do – it keeps me going even when I want to give up.  
4. I was a store trainer at In-N-Out for many years and even graduated from In-N-Out University.  
5. We have a maltipoo named Fenway that we love and adore. He is named after Fenway Park. Any other Red Sox fans? 
6. As a family we love to spend time paddle-boarding.  We love taking our boards through the Naples Island canals in Long Beach and through the Huntington Harbor.  
7. I have a dream to write (and maybe illustrate) a children’s book one day about how kids can hear God’s voice and know it is Him speaking to them… because He does! And I want all kids to know that. 
8. I love decorating for the holidays and I am a firm believer that September and October are for Fall decorations and November and December are for Christmas. I will not be taking any further questions at this time. Thank you. 😉  
9. I love See’s Candy. Bordeaux, California Brittle, Butterscotch square… I love it all. Except peanuts – I’m allergic! 
10. My family loves spending time together swimming, having game nights or gathering on the couch for family movie nights … although if you ask my girls, I never make it past the opening credits. Zzzzzzzz 

We can’t wait to see how God moves in and through Tina in this next season. If you see her around the halls, introduce yourself, give her a warm welcome to staff, and be praying for her as she jumps into all things Kids Ministry!