How will YLI impact Azusa Pacific University and the surrounding communities?

The YLI has been commissioned to do ministry in the following areas: First, create an annual conference and establish community with and for high school student leaders, enabling them to explore and live out Gos call upon their lives. Second, YLI furthers the universits influence on local churches by providing youth worker training and mentoring. We want to share our schoos ministry giftedness with the local church for the purpose of edification and encouragement. Third, through APU's Haggard School of Theology youth ministry major, YLI provides necessary research on current effective and healthy student ministry models. We want to expose APU students, and especially our youth ministry majors, to the most up-to-date information, training, and resources available, so that they can be effective and God-honoring leaders in the future.

What is your vision for the youth of today?

I see many Christian students struggling with the call of Jesus and how that call is to be lived out faithfully in a very diverse and secular culture. Students need ministry that impacts their whole lives, not just during their high school years, but also as they grow and make decisions through young adulthood. I envision a ministry environment through the YLI that will challenge students to take seriously the biblical truth that God has called and gifted each one of them to make a difference in the world to His glory. I dream of students making Christ-honoring decisions in every aspect of their lives as they grow, seeking to serve God regardless of the financial and materialistic pressures of our day.

What do theology and youth have in common?

Students are alreadytheologians They process the world through their hearts and spirits more than ever. Whether they do so in a Christian context or not is the real question. Thinking about God and how to make sense of the world are what we are attempting to do in student ministry. We want to teach kids how to engage their culture from a Christian worldview. Doing theology, helping students see their life experience and interpret it via the revelation of God through Jesus and the Scripture, is a challenge that gets me up every morning excited to serve Jesus!

What three books would you recommend to others?

I read all the time so it is hard to narrow it to three, but here are my three favorite so far this year:
Authentic Faith by Gary Thomas
Safely Home by Randy Alcorn
The Return of the Prodigal by Henri Nouwen

Favorite Bible passage or verse and why?

The section of Scripture that changed my life and how I saw God leading me as a disciple is the book of Ephesians. Through it, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about community, spiritual giftedness, relational ministry, and Gos deep passion to be in an intimate, life-changing, Kingdom-glorifying relationship with me. I also grew in my knowledge of the struggles of relationships and Christian living and how to find victory through Jesus Christ. Even today, d rather teach and speak on Ephesians than any other book in the Bible.

How has your own life experience enhanced the work you do with youth?

My years as a high school student were traumatic. I experienced not only a spiritual crisis brought on by my parens divorce and my fathes struggle with addictions and psychological disorders, but also my heart had to be remolded by the power of the Holy Spirit. As I emerged from high school, I was an absolute mess. If it wast for the amazing grace and healing of the Spirit of God, I would not be the person I am today. Every step of brokenness and desperation was overwhelmed by the power of the Lord. I believe that every student is at an important crossroads in their lives as they emotionally and spiritually process their lives in distinct and deeper ways. I believe my experience helps me to see students and accept their struggles under the canopy of Gos wisdom and mercy. As it says in 2 Corinthians 1:4. . . God comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction which the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God Thas driven my passion and call to student ministry.

Favorite pastime - what do you enjoy doing most on a day off?

On my day off, I spend the entire day with my wife, Vicky. We go to movies, early dinners, Disneyland, or just hang out together. I also love reading, recording music in my home studio, surfing, playing roller hockey, dreaming about what God is going to do in the future, and watching movies.