Conversations with Kolby Alonzo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kolby Alonzo.

Hi Kolby, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m Kolby Alonzo. I was raised in a strong Christian home with two incredible parents who modeled faith, integrity, and a deep love for Jesus. I grew up learning what it meant to follow God, but I also threw myself into sports. That competitive fire shaped my early years, eventually earning me a spot playing Division 1 football at Tennessee Technological University. But even as I pushed my body and mind to the limit, I knew there was a deeper call on my life—something eternal.

Ministry started for me in 2019 with Fireplace Nashville, a local missions movement I helped pioneer out of Jesus Mission. For four years, I poured myself into equipping people to reach their cities with the Gospel. I trained individuals and churches in evangelism, led city-wide outreaches, and watched entire communities get awakened to Jesus. But after four years, I knew the Lord was leading me deeper and further.

In spring of 2023, I joined Iris Global, the missions organization founded by Heidi and Rolland Baker. Under the leadership of CEO Will Hart, I traveled and ministered internationally. A key season was my six months in Brazil, where I helped train missionaries on multiple Iris bases and lived in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, doing outreach in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country. That time was raw and transformative. It marked me for life.

After that, in fall 2024, I stepped into a new season with Circuit Riders, a movement based in Huntington Beach, California. I led outreach nights, discipled students, and preached across the U.S. and Europe. I witnessed radical encounters with Jesus, people breaking under the weight of His love, and lives transformed on the spot. It was powerful—but I knew my message needed a broader reach.

That’s when I wrote my first book, The Cleft of the Rock: Cultivating Intimacy in the Secret Place with the Lord.

This book isn’t just theology—it’s testimony. It’s my personal journey of finding Jesus not just in the spotlight, but in the hidden place. I wrote it to call believers—especially young ones—back to the secret place, to the kind of intimacy that transforms everything. It’s rooted in Exodus 33, where Moses chooses the cleft of the rock over the promise of power, choosing God’s presence over God’s blessings. That tension between intimacy and relevance is the heartbeat of this book.

Chapter by chapter, I explore how to cultivate a lifestyle of hiddenness with God, how to hear His voice, how to carry fruit from encounters, and how to discern between man-made cisterns and the living water only God can give. Whether it’s choosing the cleft over the crowds, dealing with the “little foxes” in our hearts, or learning contemplative prayer, every word is about one thing: bringing people into a life-altering friendship with Jesus.

At the core, I’m not interested in building platforms—I’m building legacy. I believe revival begins in the secret place. And through writing, speaking, and discipleship, I want to see a generation return to Jesus—not for performance, but for presence.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey hasn’t been easy. One of the earliest challenges was surrendering my own plans for success—laying down a promising future in engineering and Division 1 football to follow a calling into full-time ministry. I had to wrestle with purpose, identity, and the fear of wasting time, especially during college when I felt hidden while others were launching into ministry.

Transition seasons were another challenge—stepping away from familiar places, roles, and even relationships to follow the next assignment from God. Whether it was moving to Brazil, navigating intense spiritual warfare in the slums of Rio, or adapting to new cultures and leadership styles, every transition tested my obedience and trust in God’s timing.

There was also the internal battle between doing for God and being with God. Learning to value the secret place over public impact was not just a message I preached—it was something I had to live, especially when influence or relevance seemed more appealing.

And like any leader, I’ve wrestled with the weight of responsibility—training others, building movements, writing a book—and the pressure to carry it all well. But every challenge has been an invitation into deeper intimacy with Jesus. The hidden place became the foundation, not just the escape.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is centered around one thing: cultivating intimacy with Jesus in the secret place and calling others to do the same. I’m an author, preacher, and discipler, and my heart burns to see believers—especially young adults—live from the presence of God, not just for it.

I specialize in teaching on intimacy with the Lord, identity, and kingdom purpose. My first book, The Cleft of the Rock, is a deep dive into what it means to truly know God in the hidden place. It explores the biblical foundations of the secret place, how to access it, and what happens when we choose depth with God over visibility in the world. It’s not just a message—it’s the foundation of my life.

What sets me apart isn’t a platform or a performance. It’s the lifestyle behind the message. Before this book was ever published, I lived it—through seasons of hiddenness, through ministry in the slums of Brazil, and through choosing private obedience when no one was watching. I’m not calling people to a theory—I’m inviting them into a reality I’ve lived and am still living.

I’m most proud of the fruit I’ve seen in others—when someone says this book brought them back to their first love, or that they’ve begun hearing God’s voice again in the quiet. That’s success to me. I believe transformation starts not in the crowd, but in the secret place with God.

How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck—good or bad. What I’ve experienced in my life and ministry has been nothing short of the favor and leadership of God. Every open door, every opportunity, every connection has come from walking in obedience and staying close to Him in the secret place.

There have been moments that looked like setbacks—times of hiddenness, transition, or uncertainty—but even those were blessings in disguise. I’ve learned that what feels like delay is often God’s way of building depth. My entire book, The Cleft of the Rock, was born out of that very place—seasons where I felt unseen but was being deeply formed by the Lord.

It’s not luck that positioned me to write a book that ministers to people around the world. It’s not luck that led me to preach in Europe, train missionaries in Brazil, or disciple young adults in the U.S. It’s been God’s hand, His timing, and His presence every step of the way.

So I’d say: I don’t owe my journey to luck—I owe it to favor, obedience, and a God who rewards those who seek Him in secret.

Pricing:

• My book is $15.99 on Amazon

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kolbyalonzo/
• Other: https://a.co/d/1WBhfgA