Director of youth is ... youthful

At first glance, the high school ministry at Elgin's First Baptist Church looks pretty much like any church youth group. Lots of kids having fun, singing worship songs, studying the Bible.

But there's a difference, and it becomes evident when you start looking for the adult leader. At First Baptist, there isn't one.

Oh, there are plenty of grown-ups around to supervise and chaperon and make sure the message stays biblical, but actual leadership for the group is in the hands of a senior at Larkin High School.

Josh Lee has been on staff, part-time, as director of youth since he was heading into his junior year at Larkin. Generally speaking, that's pretty young to be drawing a church paycheck for anything other than mopping floors.

But this remarkable young man running a student-led worship service every Sunday night actually got his start in ministry at the age of 12. At the time, he was an eighth-grader at Kimball Middle School.

A worship service at Highland Fellowship Church introduced Josh to Jesus Christ, and he gave his heart over to God. "It changed my life completely around," Josh said.

Wanting other kids to experience the same loving relationship with God that he did, Josh kicked off a student ministry soon after at Kimball.

He said he expected maybe five kids to show, but "within weeks we were at 40."

When Josh entered Larkin, he took Cross Roads Church 4 Teens with him, and there the student-led music and teaching drew up to 65 kids each week.

Josh attributes the success to a relevant message and a desire students have for "something more than themselves," he said.

Josh Lee came to the attention of Jason Poland, pastor of ministry development at First Baptist, in 2006. Poland had been filling the church's youth pastor vacancy with volunteers, but that was becoming more difficult. Then someone who had heard Josh teach suggested that Poland talk to him.

The result was an invitation for Josh to run Cross Roads at First Baptist that summer of 2006.

"It was a win-win for everybody," Poland said.

After a year, the church brought Josh on staff for its own youth program.

Cross Roads, which returned to Larkin for the school year, was handed off to another student leader.

At First Baptist, the Sunday night youth program, Impact, runs pretty much the same as Josh's original ministry.

Students gather for games like Ping-Pong, air hockey and foosball, then the praise band leads in worship, there's a message - usually by Josh - and kids hang out afterward in the cafe.

Josh says his teaching has improved over the past five years.

"We cover a vast majority of topics that are very relevant to the students," he said. "I use a lot of real-life stories, showing them that I'm human, too, and have made some of the same mistakes that they have."

Students also run the sound board and lights, present a monthly drama, operate the cafe and organize special activities.

Besides Josh Lee, executive staff for the senior high youth program consists of Jason Spencer, administrative director; Joey Rodriguez, director of missions and operations, and Juan Marti, director of teaching and prayer. This team is supported by half a dozen fine arts directors, seven ministry support staff and a praise band of six. All but two are high school students.

"We let the students run it," said Poland, who oversees the ministry. "It would have to be something out of bounds for me to step in and say, 'We can't do that.'"

"They're doing a fantastic job, and there's no reason for adults to do what they're doing. All the students work really well together," Poland said. "The adults are there to support them in what they do."

Josh is thankful he filled his class schedule with credit courses the first two years at Larkin, ignoring advice to make sure he had a study hall. Getting credits out of the way early has allowed the A/B student to devote so many hours to ministry, and he expects to graduate from Larkin in December.

After that, he intends to pursue the pastorate, of course, and gets started this fall by taking a class at Judson University.

Josh receives great satisfaction from knowing that half the 45 to 60 seventh- through 12th-graders who show up on Sunday nights were previously unchurched.

"We've seen a lot of growth, but it's all a process," he said.

"They just feel God's presence when they're here, and they feel accepted and loved.

"They don't have to get their whole life straightened out before they come," he said. "We're here to help with that."

What's going on at your church or synagogue? Do you have an interesting program, new staff, big plans? Someone who deserves recognition or something a little out of the ordinary? Contact "In the Spirit" at cmchojnacki@yahoo.com.