I loved being a youth pastor. Honestly, there are many days I wish I could immerse myself in student ministry all over again. Ministering to teenagers is often taken for granted. Maybe its the zany personalities of men and women that decide to work with students, but sometimes, they aren't taken as seriously as they should be.
A youth pastor is a chaser, whether or not they choose to admit it or realize it. To properly love students and meet them where they are requires the passion and energy to run after kids and bring the love of the gospel to them. I have been fortunate in my life to meet many good men that have answered that call and been chasers. My youth pastor, Waller Boyer, was an incredible man of faith. He loved students more than he loved himself. He used his energy and humor to bring the life of Christ out on full display. My dear friend, Brian "BJ" Jennings, was an incredible youth pastor. He also passionately loved students and worked selflessly and tirelessly to bring them truth.
What stood out to me about both of these men was the fact that they were funny, full of life, loved Jesus, and were never afraid to say or do the hard things for the sake of the gospel. They also had a great love for their families.
God took both of these men home early. You may say they died too young, but God has a purpose in His perfect timing. If anything, they were both a glimpse at light in the midst of darkness.
One of the characters in my book, The Chaser, that I haven't talked much about is the youth pastor. His name is Todd. Todd is an inspiring character. I purposely made Todd one of the heroes of the story. Why? Because I know how much light a student pastor can bring. I experienced this firsthand from my youth ministers, and I tried to live out the same philosophy when I was a student pastor myself.
Todd isn't necessarily based off of one particular person. I tried to incorporate some of the Godly attributes that I saw in men like Waller and BJ, but I also gave him a perspective and disposition similar to my own. I wanted to have a voice in this character, because I believe it is the character of Todd that is responsible for bringing the heart of the gospel message to light in The Chaser. That was my desire in writing this book, to bring the gospel to light through a dark and difficult story.
Although his dialogue is brief in the book, Todd makes a lasting impression. I believe individuals that are passionate about the things of God, always make enormous impressions. My hope is that you have or had a youth pastor that fits that mold. My prayer is that you are inspired to be a person that brings light to the darkness.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."
Matthew 5:14
PLEASE! Snag the book if you haven't already....
