"Developing Our College-and-Career Ministry"
by Tom Goodman
June 29, 2007

This Sunday morning, you’ll get a chance to meet Courtney Carlson and her husband, Benji.  This Sunday night, you’ll get a chance to vote for her as our new College-and-Career Minister.

Those who serve on the deacon body, the Personnel Committee, Finance Committee, and Missions Committee have all discussed this opportunity.  They back the recommendation to add her to our staff.  Now's your chance to vote on this recommendation.

Hillcrest is in a good position to reach the “college and career” cohort.  In terms of our location, we’re one exit ramp away from one of the largest off-campus sites for college students (the Far West area).  In terms of our program, the Bold Service and Common Ground Café have given us some “tools” to reach this age group.  In fact, since putting these things in place, we have attracted a good number of 18-to-25 year olds even though we haven’t provided any trained leadership for the group.

We think it’s time to put a “match” to that “kindling,” and we believe Courtney is that match.  Courtney is thirty-year-old newlywed who has a degree from Fuller Seminary.  She has just completed two years as an intern at UT’s “Baptist Student Ministry.”  While there, she grew the Wednesday noon lunch program from an attendance of 20 to 100, with a major focus on outreach to unchurched students.

Our recommendation is to bring her on staff in a part-time capacity with the challenge to help us reach young adults 18 to 25 years of age.

A large part this age range includes college students, but this age range also includes young adults already in the workforce, recent college graduates, and even students in postgraduate programs.  The common denominator:  Every young adult in this age range is learning how to “do life” on their own.  They are asking, “How do I find true love?”  “How do I manage money?”  “What do I want to do with my life?”  “Will I adopt or reject the values I was raised with?”  As a church, we need to be able to offer them biblical answers to these important questions.  An intentional, targeted ministry to 18-to-25 year olds will help.

Meet Courtney this week, and be in prayer about the recommendation of our church’s leaders.  We will vote in a special called business meeting this Sunday evening, 6:30pm.

--Tom

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