What’s Happening in Student Ministry?

By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor

Since the end of April, we have been experiencing a transitional time in our Student Ministry as we have been praying and searching for the person God has to be our new Pastor of Student Ministries. I have been the pastoral presence during the midweek and Sunday youth group times and have had the privilege of working alongside our youth ministry adult volunteers who are wonderfully committed to our students. 

With this change and time of transition, I know that many of you have been in prayer for what’s next. We know that a new pastor to students is essential for the health and vitality of a student ministry, and our prayer has been to find the right person as soon as possible.

In recent weeks during my own personal prayer time, I heard God whisper a name to me of someone who could meet this need to our students and become our new Pastor of Student Ministries. I didn’t act on that whisper right away but gave it some time, and each time I would go to God on this subject the same name would come to me.

After many confirmations in my heart, I went to this person and asked if they would pray about becoming our Pastor of Student Ministries. This was not something I was going to mandate or try and make happen, but something I wanted this person to pray about and see if God would either confirm this whisper or if maybe I had heard something wrong.

After a period of praying with his wife and close family, seeking God’s direction and will for this time in his life and ministry, believing that the role of youth pastor is what God has for him here at LBF, I am excited to let you know that Jeff Taylor, our current Pastor of Worship, will be stepping into the role of Pastor of Student Ministries, effective June 1.

Jeff was first hired in 2003 as our Pastor of Student Ministries. He was in that position until 2007, when he took on 50% of the teaching team role in the main services in addition to his youth position. In 2009 Jeff left youth ministry when he took on the Pastor of Worship role – a role that he has functioned in since. As a youth pastor, Jeff demonstrated over and over again that he has the ability to connect with and reach junior high and high school students. Jeff is excited to follow God’s lead back into student ministry and be used by Him to minister to the lives of our young people. 

This is not a band-aid or quick fix. This is where we believe God has us and are  excited to see how He will move.

Understandably, this change may seem abrupt and quick, but it is with great confidence that God is leading this way and Jeff is stepping into this role. Summer camp and other youth activities are right around the corner, and Jeff and the volunteer staff are hard at work, assuring a safe and spiritually meaningful time for our students.

This change means we will also experience a transition in our worship ministry and the main services as we look for a new Pastor of Worship. During this transition we will have some familiar faces leading our adults in worship through music. And I hope you will join me in praying for our next worship pastor – pray that God would be smack-dab in the middle of this process and that we would see His Spirit lead us to the right person quickly, just as I believe He has for our Student Ministry.

It is with great anticipation that I look to the rest of this year and beyond. As I told our staff recently…

Healthy things grow – growing things change – changing things challenge us – challenge forces us to trust God – trust leads to obedience – obedience makes us healthy – healthy things grow.

I believe this speaks to where we are right now. Things are changing and this will challenge us, but I would ask you to join me in looking to God as we trust Him and walk in obedience to Him and as we do, grow in our health.

If I can answer any further questions about all of this, please feel free to send me an email.