I love sushi, snowboarding, the Canucks, and hanging out with teenagers. My journey in the MRCRC Youth program has been a long one. From attending as a teenager years ago, I had the privilege of journeying in MRCRC Youth leadership until, after graduating with a Bachelor of Youth Work from ColumbiaBibleCollege, I was given the opportunity to serve as the Youth Pastor here at the church. I wanted to share a little about my heart (and that of my wife, Chantalle) in terms of where I think the good news of Jesus and the teenage life intersect.
As a youth leadership team, there are a number of things we’re passionate about but I only have space to write about a couple. First, we’re passionate about Jesus, the giver of REAL abundant life. The good news of his kingdom has huge implications for how we choose to live and who we depend on for hope, peace, comfort, strength, provision, and direction today. We challenge students to be Christ-followers in every situation – at home, at school, at church, at work – using their gifts to serve others and bringing Jesus with them wherever they go. Secondly, we are passionate about fostering a tight knit crowd at MRCRC Youth. For this to happen, things need to be safe, relational, and authentic. The youth leaders (adult volunteers) of our church do an amazing job at meeting, caring for, and mentoring students. Thirdly, we’re passionate about fun. If Jesus’ kingdom is about living abundantly then I believe celebrating life, especially through relationships and creation, is a big part of that. The activities that we do together not only help keep youth connected and help authentic relationships to flourish, but they also provide a safe and engaging entry point for youth who aren’t connected to a Christian youth program yet.
In short, I believe that building a vibrant Christian community happens through drawing people to relationship and, from that point, daring them to follow Jesus wherever he leads. He summarized it best when he told us to love God, love others, and bring this good news to the world with words and concrete acts of love. That’s what we try to do at MRCRC Youth.
Not only is adolescence hard, but the high school years are also incredibly formative. It’s a transitional time in every way for young people as they wrestle for independence and make decisions and discoveries about who they are and where they fit into the world, including choices about the future and who they will live for. It’s my goal to help youth navigate this transitional stage in the healthiest way possible. I believe that means pointing them towards Jesus in an environment that it is safe to own their faith and safe to wrestle with questions and doubt.
