In 1995, the parents of two little girls and “young” members of Faith Lutheran Church were tapped on the shoulder one afternoon and asked by Pastor Gary Blobaum to step out in faith and become the next Youth Directors at Faith Lutheran. At the time we had one four year old and one two year old daughter. What in the world did we know about leading and mentoring high school kids? We prayed about it, talked to our parents, family and friends about it, and ultimately committed to this true, “stepping out in faith”.
Over the last 15 years God has truly blessed the relationships we developed at Faith with young adults. It has molded our lives and who we are. It was Faith Lutheran Youth, FLY kids, who first learned we would be adding another child to our family. They, too, were some of the first to meet her when she finally arrived. As we and our family grew, our ties to the kids grew and they became our family. Some of these young adults now have families of their own. Many continue to be our closest friends.
We have held the Youth Director position twice, for four years each, while at FLC. Faith grew during those early years and eventually we saw and experienced, firsthand, the need for a full time youth leader. We, and a group of core parents at Faith, worked to define the position and hire our first full time Youth Minister. The change was amazing, though we and other parents could spend our free time to make youth ministry a priority, no one person or family could be there like a full time youth minister. The youth ministers at Faith have been outstanding instruments in growing our youth program. Through their leadership we’ve added mission trips, mimes, recharges and countless recreational and volunteer opportunities. Faith has been blessed by the efforts that no volunteer or group of volunteers can match.
Faith is now moving toward filling the newly defined Director of Youth and Family Ministries [DYFM for short] position. Carolyn and I know what it’s like to live with and without a full time youth leader at Faith. During the times we’ve had a strong leader in that position God has blessed the kids that were served through their leadership. We’ve witnessed firsthand what it’s like to see a truly relational ministry at work through our youth ministers. We see the need this new position fills.
The DYFM role will expand the Youth Minister position to serve not only high school kids but the young adults who grew up in Faith and now have young families of their own. Faith Lutheran Youth and their families will hear and see God’s word through the completeness from which this position can serve.
Faith Lutheran will always need volunteers like those two young adults asked to serve their church fifteen years ago. No staff position will ever replace that. Examine your opportunities to serve, listen for God’s voice, and then act. God’s got a plan for you. Make sure you listen when he taps you on the shoulder and asks you to step out in faith.
In His Grip!
Todd & Carolyn Mitchell