A Tale of Eight Leaders

It is the eve of our annual Disciple Now weekend for our student ministry. As I look forward to all God has in store for the weekend, for our students, for our leaders, and even for me, I have already experienced a tremendous blessing. Earlier today as I looked at the list of names of those who would be leading or serving in some way this weekend, I was reminded that eight of those leaders were trained and discipled by First Baptist Watauga, by former ministers, and at times by me.

Leader 1 | Josh

Josh came to me early in my ministry at First Baptist Watauga and asked me to begin discipling him. That discipleship quickly turned into an internship. I had served as an intern myself in my early 20s, but up until that point I had never had an intern of my own. Josh was my very first intern. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know quite how to have an intern, but I had a willingness to continue discipling him and a willingness to train him for the ministry. So, I was creative and intentional and began to show him the ins and outs of the ministries that I oversaw. Josh served with me until I was able to recommend him for a student ministry position. Josh has now served faithfully as a student minister in two churches and God continues to use him in great ways.

This weekend, Josh will serve as our guest speaker for Disciple Now Weekend for the second year in a row.

Leader 2 | John

John grew up at First Baptist Watauga and was very active in the student ministry. When I came to the church more than ten years ago, John was nearing graduation. John had the opportunity to be ministered to and discipled by two ministers before me. They gave him opportunities to be an intern and to grow in his leadership and ministry abilities. Once engaged, John asked me to disciple him. He and I would meet up for coffee on the weekends and we would discuss both ministry and marriage. I later had the opportunity to officiate his wedding ceremony to his wonderful wife Kailyn.

John is now serving as the youth pastor at a church in the Dallas area. He and his youth group will be joining us for this Disciple Now event and John will serve as one of our small group leaders.

Leader 3 | Kailyn

Kailyn first came to First Baptist Watauga while she was attending the College at Southwestern. She became involved in our young adult ministry, which I was leading, where she would eventually meet John. Kailyn met with our student pastor and began serving as an intern in our student ministry alongside John. While I was discipling John on the weekends, my wife was discipling Kailyn.

It is a joy to watch both John and Kailyn as they grow and as they continue to serve the Lord together. Kailyn will also be serving as a small group leader this weekend.

Leader 4 | Nathan

I first met Nathan the summer after his seventh grade year on the way to Falls Creek. He often reminds me that he thought I was simply that strange adult that chose to sit with a student on the bus ride to camp. He might have even called me crazy! One day in the middle of the week, the worship pastor and I were walking back to the cabin with Nathan when I asked Nathan what he wanted to do when he grew up. He confidently said, “I’m going to be a pastor.” I wish I could have had that confidence in a calling at his age! Nathan grew under two former student pastors, being discipled by one before me and then by me. He served as an intern under the former student pastor as well as under me. Nathan continued to grow in his call and showed a clear commitment to the Lord and the local church.

Today, Nathan serves on staff at First Baptist Watauga as the young adult minister and the assistant student minister. He will be working closely with me this weekend, making sure Disciple Now runs smoothly. It is a blessing to serve alongside him, not only as a mentor, but also as a colleague and friend. First Baptist Watauga will have the blessing of ordaining Nathan on March 14^th, 2021.

Leader 5 | Corey

Corey came to First Baptist Watauga when he was already in the student ministry. It was in his time as a student that the Lord called him to worship ministry. Our former worship pastor and student pastor invested in Corey to both give him opportunity and to train him in his call. When I became student pastor, Corey’s senior year, both the new worship minister and I picked up the baton and continued to pour into Corey’s life to disciple him and to help him grow in his worship ministry calling.

Very recently Corey began serving in the student ministry as our worship ministry intern. He is continuing to learn and grow in his call. This weekend Corey will serve as an assistant to the small group leaders in one of our homes. First Baptist Watauga will have the blessing of licensing him to the gospel ministry on March 14^th, 2021.

Leader 6 | Victoria

Victoria came to First Baptist Watauga while she was already attending the College at Southwestern. She joined our young adult ministry and quickly made herself available to serve in our children’s ministry. Victoria already had experience working with children in the church she grew up in and she proved to be an asset to the children’s ministry at First Baptist Watauga. I often called on her to fill in for Sunday School teachers and to go with us to children’s camp.

When I transitioned out of the role as children’s pastor into my current role in the student ministry and began praying about my replacement, Victoria’s name kept coming to mind. Victoria soon became the interim children’s minister and later the permanent children’s minister. Victoria will be serving as one of our small group leaders this weekend.

Leader 7 | Jen

Jen grew up at First Baptist Watauga. She has been at First Baptist Watauga longer than I have. Her family has faithfully served the church and Jen has been discipled well by her parents. While Jen was still in high school and in the student ministry, Jen experienced a call to missions. She is now attending Oklahoma Baptist University pursuing her calling and leading in opportunities as they are given.

I was able to serve as her children’s pastor and her student pastor both for brief times, but it is clear that God is at work in her life and in her calling. Jen will be serving as one of our small group leaders this weekend.

Leader 8 | Mathew

Mathew came to First Baptist Watauga shortly after graduating high school as he began his education with the College at Southwestern. Mathew became involved in the young adult ministry while also serving in different churches to help with their media. This is a clear area that Mathew is gifted. However, one day he came to our worship pastor expressing a call to do more. He believed God was calling him to step out from behind the scenes and to begin leading in worship. Our former worship pastor quickly gave him opportunity and the entire church discovered that Mathew was gifted in more than just media. Shortly thereafter, Mathew was hired as the assistant worship minister and when our worship pastor was called to another church, Mathew became our worship minister.

This weekend, we will have a guest worship band, so Mathew will once again help lead from behind as he organizes all of the media for Disciple Now. First Baptist Watauga will have the blessing of ordaining Mathew on March 14^th, 2021.

More than a weekend

We call this weekend Disciple Now weekend as we intentionally spend the weekend discipling those that are younger than us. But, discipleship is clearly more than a weekend. Discipleship is an intentional effort that both the ministers and the body of First Baptist Watauga have done well.

It is a blessing to serve alongside these eight leaders this weekend knowing that God isn’t simply bringing us together this weekend for the first time. God has used years of discipleship to bring us together for such a time as this.