Helping The Church in the Charlotte, NC Area To Develop Into Authentic, Bold and Mature Followers of Christ, Through Loving, Organic and Strong Relationships.
Meet Dr. Kirby & Tara Anthony
Dr. Kirby and Tara Anthony met at church in Norfolk, VA while he was serving in the U.S. Navy. While volunteering together, they became friends, followed up with a year of dating. They became engaged, were married in 1998 and began a life journey together that neither of them could have imagined.
As a young family, the Anthonys set out to serve God through a local church, while establishing their home and careers. While serving in the military Kirby sustained several injuries requiring extensive surgery and was discharged. He soon began an undergrad program and started a second career in the transportation industry where he excelled, before leaving to accept an assistant pastor position at a fast growing church in the area. His academic journey includes a BA in Theology, a MA in Urban Ministry and a PhD in Leadership from Beulah Heights University in May 2024. Tara, who graduated from Norfolk State University, began teaching at a private Christian school, and later worked as a teacher for Norfolk Public Schools. In 2008, sensing God’s calling to plant a new church, the Anthonys pursued this endeavor, which led them to Charlotte in 2010.
Queen City Discipleship is the convergence of multiple streams in Pastor Kirby’s ministry. From 2004 - 2018, he served in various leadership roles within the local church including youth leader, itinerant speaker, assistant pastor, and church planter/senior pastor.
Most recently he and Tara led R5Church Charlotte, which they planted in January 2011, and lead until January 2018. Kirby shares, “It was a privilege to lead and love on the various individuals that God brought to R5Church. That season was very busy, exciting and exhausting at the same time. After seven years, I began to burn out, and needed to take an extended sabbatical. But, taking time off allowed me to do other important things, like caring for my elderly, sick parents prior to them passing away. It also allowed me to continue developing my leadership skills, while fueling a greater burden to lead Christ's Church into authentic, Biblically, healthy discipleship.
During this season, Kirby wrestled with the sense that he was functioning outside of his pastoral calling to the local Church. During an out of state conference, he felt The Lord open the door for Him to step back into pastoral ministry.
As God affirmed a growing burden for continued service to the Charlotte community, the vision to plant Queen City Discipleship settled in Kirby and Tara's hearts. In January 2025 they will once again step out in faith and launch Queen City Discipleship in the Northeast Charlotte area.
Kirby and Tara have three young adult children: Jerome, Kayla and Kahlil.
Queen City Discipleship
Helping the church in the Church in Charlotte, NC to develop into AUTHENTIC, BOLD and MATURE followers of Christ, through loving, organic and strong relationships.
