Equipping the Next Generation

It was one of the coldest days on record when Angela and I landed in Auckland, New Zealand on a cold June Sunday morning in 1994. We were three months married to the day, and I was the new youth pastor at a Baptist church in south Auckland. The church was called Papatoetoe Baptist Church (cool name isn’t it?). It had a rich history in New Zealand. Many youth pastors had gone before me. And I had no idea what I was doing. I had been out of the Marine Corps for just over a year.

How did we end up in New Zealand? Well, I point to the Lord. I would have never hired me. But God knew what He was doing. He threw the doors wide open and we walked through. We had a love for the Lord, a love for youth, and a big giant heart to dive in wherever the Lord took us. And I thank God for the road He took us on! I absolutely love youth ministry! (When we moved back to the States we settled in Phoenix where I was invited onto a church staff… as an associate pastor… not working with youth! This was viewed as a demotion for me!)

I still have a special heart for youth ministry these many years later. Angela and I have 25 years of full time ministry behind us now, but still a special place for youth ministry.

As many of you now know, we are under a transition in our youth ministry currently; in fact, I am excited about engaging in it personally with more hands on for a little bit. Our youth ministry matters to us as a church. This coming generation is being thrust into a very different climate than I had when coming out of high school. And this generation needs to be well prepared for the days that God is calling them into. We also have a heart to support our parents as they navigate the road of adolescence that come with many ups and downs. We have every intent to fulfill Ephesians 4:12 of equipping the saints for works of ministry. As well as Colossians 1:28 that says this, “We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

 In our transition there are some immediate questions of next steps. Let me lay out a general road map for us. One, I am gathering together our current youth leaders and potential leaders Sunday night to map out the next few weeks. Then we will be full-on come June 6th with our welcome of the new middle schoolers and into the Summer kick-off. Also just around the corner is camp – which we are really looking forward to! And finally, we are in the process of searching for a youth pastor and talking with a potential candidate. Much is happening. Be praying for us.

In His Grip, Pastor John