Over the past few years I have been hearing of the struggles in Youth Ministry. The drop in attendance and the exodus of students after graduation from the church seemed to be a world wide trend. This prompted me to really start questioning what is going on with students. With the onset of facebook, myspace, twitter, and texting we have forgotten the art of relationship. The idea of being in each others lives and engaging, investing, and empowering one another. I believe we need to encourage students to live a life that matters and makes a difference in their world. For this to happen I have concluded there needs to be people walking on campuses and engaging students, youth ministers investing in other youth ministers and ministries, and empowering the next generation of leaders. This is more about building the Church than organizations. This is about being kingdom minded, instead of minding our own kingdoms. The question is, where do we start?

I have had the opportunity to minister in many different settings over the last 20 or so years. I spent years on Young Life staff both overseas and stateside growing a heart for outreach and learning how to navigate the world of public schools and administrators. I also spent years on church staffs confirming my belief in God’s plan for the world through His Church. Most recently, I have been on staff at a kingdom minded church named Mosaic on the outskirts of Orlando, Florida. Over the last year and a half God has opened doors for me to build relationships with many youth pastors, the administrators of 3 large high schools, and many other community and ministry leaders. At the same time God began to birth a vision of identifying students that are following Christ in each school and connecting them together and with local churches to bring about real change. I discovered that in the area of West Orange County and South Lake County there are over 15,000 high school students. There are great student ministries happening, but none of us were making a dent in this population. Running a weekly ministry is very time consuming, and as I sat in my office last summer I wondered how we would ever make a difference?

This past year in ministry was like so many before. We had growth and God was moving, but I could not get rid of a nagging feeling I was not doing enough. Everything changed in May of this year. We had been discussing sweet spots and the places we run the hardest in ministry on staff, when it became obvious that running the student ministry at Mosaic was not the best fit for me. I spent the next couple of weeks seeking God and trying to figure out what He was leading us to. The day after I was asked to step down, I received a call from an old friend asking me about an opportunity to set up an outreach program for at risk teens in the West Orange County area. God started rebirthing a vision He started in me the year before. What if I was free to be on the campuses engaging students every day? What if I could walk along side youth leaders in the area, encouraging them and investing in them to help them to succeed? What if I started empowering a new generation of leaders wanting to give their lives to ministry? This was impossible if I was running the day to day ministry of a church youth program, but now anything was possible. I had my questions. I did not want to just start another ministry that would develop outside the church. I wanted to build the Church and be connected to a body. I wanted to take the passion God placed in me for outreach and the passion for the local church and combine it. I wanted to be a part of seeing our own church grow and see every other one grow as well. I wanted a life and ministry that matters in the building of the kingdom, but what kind of position in a church allows for all that? This past week I got my answer. My position at Mosaic will now be one of being a campus pastor and leading community outreach.

Over the next year or two, we will be developing a ministry that will focus on three things. First, we will be engaging students by being on the campus every week. We plan on working with local agencies to provide school assemblies that promote personal responsibility and prevention of at risk behaviors. We will be organizing outreach events that will be community based while being connected to local church bodies in an attempt to funnel students into the many outstanding youth programs in our area. We will begin to identify the students on each campus that are followers of Christ and encourage them to live lives that matter and make a difference in their schools. Second, we will invest in the local youth leaders. We will seek to provide opportunities for networking with one another while also connecting them with local schools and administrators. We will be available to support and encourage the youth leaders and their ministries in any way possible. Third, we will empower a new generation of leaders by helping to connect those who have sensed their calling into ministry with local churches. We will provide mentorship and coaching as these new ministers seek to step into the world of youth ministry.

For years I have preached that we should dream a dream so big, that if God is not in it, it will fail. The time for me to practice what I have preached has come. This is an enormous undertaking that could have ramifications for youth ministry far beyond our area. I am humbled by this calling, and yet I know God is bigger than the dream. Mosaic has given the green light, but there are needs that must be met to make this dream a reality. The first thing I need is prayer. I need God’s wisdom and favor over the coming months as I begin to solidify relationships with area officials and local ministry leaders. I need teams. Teams of people called to outreach, event planning, administration, and those who will help keep my feet on the ground as I dream. Finally, I will need financial support. As this is a new ministry and Mosaic is still a growing church, I need people who will believe in this vision and support it. I need to raise around $5,000 a month in support. This is as simple as 50 people committing to $100 a month. As I said, I will be on Mosaic Church staff for them to provide oversight and and accountability for all things financial. This also allows you to use your contribution as a tax deduction. All support must be made out to Mosaic Church and can be mailed to me at 3833 Glenford Dr, Clermont, Fl, 34711. Please identify the donation as monthly or a one time gift. E-mail me at tonyhevener@gmail.com to be added to my e-newsletter mailing list so you can keep up with all that God is doing.

I have ministered to and with more people than I can count over the years. Many of you reading this are those people. I want to thank all of you for what you have meant to me and the ministry I have given my life to. I am asking you to partner with me, as I have served you and with you, to make it possible for me to continue to give my life away for students and the kingdom. I know God is leading this and I am so excited to be able to share this with you all. Together we will change the world. Together we will live lives that matter and make a difference for eternity. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing in this amazing journey.