The Last Week...

The last week of September marked the end of an era in my life.

I have been a youth pastor for the last 20 years. I began as a college freshman in September of 1988, as I led the youth group at Grace Chapel Worship Center in Green Lane, PA, until December of 1992, when I accepted a full-time position at Full Gospel Worship Center in Philadelphia, PA. Our years after that made stops in Mount Holly, NJ, Monroeville, PA, Shelby Township, MI, and lastly in Hermitage, PA.

It has been a truly incredible ride, as I have had such great experiences in being welcomed into the lives of so many teenagers. I think it was my friend, Doug Sayers, who said that youth ministry is likened to that of a roller coaster ride. The life of a teenager is filled with so many ups & downs, twists & turns, etc... He went on to describe effective youth ministry as being one that enables teenagers to desire to invite us to ride the coaster with them, experiencing every turn and loop that life throws at them, and what a great privilege that it is to be invited for that ride.

I couldn't agree more.

I have been so blessed to have been a part of the lives of students for so many years. Today, many of these same students are some of my closest friends and confidants. It has been extremely rewarding to see students move from that "Hey, funny-man...entertain me..." posture, to the point when it seems like the "light bulb" goes on in the understanding of the Words of Jesus. There is nothing like watching a young person see the face of Christ in those he serves on a missions trip, or to recognize the great need for God that her friends at school have, seeing that they might be lost for eternity, should she choose to ignore God's call to reach them.

I am routinely amazed at the students God has allowed Jodi and I to minister to. It is so awesome to think of those who serve God with distinction in churches, the business world, the military, and their local Jr & Sr high schools even today. I am incredibly fulfilled and blessed in what God has allowed us to be a part of.

Sunday night, September 28th, our church family in Hermitage, PA honored us with a going-away party. I was overwhelmed by the number of people who took the time to bless us with their presence. Pastor Ken & Marlene Martin have been great friends and mentors, and surrogate parents to Jodi and I. The church family in Hermitage has been so supportive of us, and we are forever grateful for your unending friendship over these last few years. Lastly, the students of Re:volution. We will miss you all so much. We've shared so many great memories together, from Tacky Thursday, to El Salvador, to Willdom, to delivering takos together, to the "Thing-A-Thon...the list goes on and on. It's been fun...except for the fact that on the night of the party, Emily Woods and her band of thieves vandalized our car. (You'll pay, Woods! Watch your back!)

I know that some of the tone of this post seems down, but nothing could be further from the truth. In the time since our move, I have had much trouble finding my socks, much less the time to post the many introspective thoughts I have had. While I will miss being directly involved in youth ministry as in the past, I am so looking forward to the future ministry that God has for us. I walk daily with a sense of destiny, feeling that all of our past experiences, both good and bad, have been allowed in our lives to make us exactly who we need to be for this moment in Millvale. I can't wait to see what God does! Tomorrow I will begin to blog about the next chapter in our lives.

MILLVALE.