I was privileged enough to be a part of something last night that most people never get to experience. One of the most influential men in my life is Tim Young, my youth pastor at Spring Baptist Church. Tim has been the youth pastor for the last 6 years at SBC and was called to fill a different position at the same church. Last night, I drove home to Spring to go to Tim's very last Wednesday night service with the youth ministry and was blessed to share a small amount of the influence Tim has had on my life. Here is a MUCH bigger idea of the hand print he left on my life.
Tim Young first came into my life as a bible study leader with his brother-in-law, David Morris. David and Tim lead my 7th grade bible study at Spring Baptist. We were at an awkward phase at that time, in between youth ministers and bouncing between interim youth pastors. At that time, Tim worked for Xerox. A little more than a year later, our church hired a Youth minister and Tim became the Assistant Youth Pastor, or so it seemed, even if the title or pay wasn't official, and worked with middle school. I was still in 8th grade so I fell under Tim's direct leadership for a short time.... in that time the words "Edify!" and "Right on!" were etched into my brain so heavily that they will forever bring up images of Tim Young.
During those years, Tammy Young, Tim's wife, took me under her wing and I became very good friends with their niece, Morgan, and my brother was dating Morgan's sister, Brittany. The Benks, the Morris's, and the Youngs did a lot together, including Sunday night dinner at Whataburger after church. The girls would all spend the night at Tim and Tammy's and I cant tell you how many ridiculous movies we watched.... all the girls and Tim. Madea..... Actually, anything Tyler Perry.... Anaconda (I blame my very unhealthy fear of snakes on Tim and Tammy). Poor Tim.... Thinking back, I cant imagine that was fun at all. We ganged up on him every time and teased him about every little thing.... including one awkward encounter with puppy anal glands.
The summer before my Junior year in high school, I surrendered my life to ministry having no idea what in the world I was doing, so naturally, I just pretended like it never happened. One month later, our youth pastor left to move to Oklahoma. I was very involved in the youth ministry, singing in the praise band, on leadership teams and just simply overly active. It was difficult for me to lose a youth pastor, especially at that time. I was up on my high horse by then and my pool of friends was dwindling because of it. I stuck to the adult leaders of the youth group like glue. Tim filled the roll of the interim youth minister and I quickly learned how much fun it was(or wasn't) to lead worship without being able to play the guitar. Our youth pastor had been the one to lead worship and now that he was gone, Tim, being musically declined, couldn't fill that spot. So 3 doofus Juniors picked it up on our own.... Merritt on guitar, Sam on djembe, and me singing. It was quite the experience. It didn't help anything that I had a deep rooted anger towards the people in that youth group at the time.... a fire I kindled for several years.
When Tim became our full time youth minister, life began to change. We hired someone to lead worship. That was awkward... he didn't last long... so we hired another one, Steve Riser. We also hired an Assistant Youth Pastor..... Carl McKenzie. The combination of these two men, along with a family friend named Ryan Bradshaw, began an intense work in breaking me of my horrible bitterness toward everyone. I became very close to all 3 men, seeing all of them as mentors in different ways. Tim continued to pour into me, call me out when I was wrong, and push push push because he knew I was capable of so much more.
Come December of my senior year in high school, Carl McKenzie disappeared for a few weeks of vacation. I still remember the last conversation he and I had before he went on vacation and I remember the conversation we had the Wednesday he came back. Tim was awkward that Wednesday. We had started a rotation of girls singing with Steve Riser and I had switched with another girl to help her out. I wasn't supposed to be at church that night because I worked at Lifeway the weeks I wasn't singing. That night, Carl announced that he was leaving Spring Baptist. My heart was broken. It was one of the hardest experiences ever for me, and I know, at the time, Tim knew it would be. The next Wednesday that I sang at church, I told Tim it would be my last Wednesday in the praise band. He was so upset with me, but family tragedy happened that same night and Tim's mother passed away.
By the time Tim had come back from everything with his family, I was looooong gone. I blamed my youth group and the "messed up" people in it for Carl leaving and I didn't want to be anywhere near them. I was at church on Sunday mornings and Sunday nights, only because I had to be. Wednesday nights were spent at church with my friends who didn't go to Spring Baptist. I remember Tim's response to me when I told him I wouldn't be at Dnow that year because I had another commitment. Ive seen Tim angry a few times.... but only one time at me. He was M.A.D. at me for giving up on the youth group. But in my selfishness I just walked away. I learned a lot that semester about my heart and what my motives really were behind leading worship and how God WANTS worship to happen. I eventually made my way back to church one Wednesday night right before graduation. I avoided commitment, but decided to go to camp.
At camp, broken friendships began to mend and relationships were strengthened within a solid group of seniors who were all going to A&M in the fall. After going off to school, we saw Tim Young show his face in College Station one night our freshman year. A friend, a kid from the youth group, ended up in the ICU one night. The rest of us all happened to be together in the library that night so we all packed up and went to the hospital to sit in the ICU waiting room. We wanted to be there to show support and be the love from our families to their family. About 45 minutes after getting to the hospital, Tim Young walked through the door and joined us in the waiting room. An hour long drive from his house to College Station was nothing when one of his students was in critical condition. He sat with us, a youth minister and 5 goofy college kids, and waited. If that doesn't speak testament to his heart and his character, I don't know what does.
He continued to come to College Station for breakaway and was a constant face and encourager for us in college. When I realized I was called to youth ministry, my mentor relationship with Tim just strengthened. He has been a source of comfort in times of ridiculous anxiety, like when I was freaking out about jobs for post-graduation when graduation was a year and a half away, and wise counsel for me for personal and biblical advice. I can say my youth minister did not leave me when I went to college. He has stayed a text or a phone call away the entire time.
All of this, as sporadic as it was, to say, Tim Young has left a huge mark on my life. In 7 years in the youth ministry at Spring Baptist, I saw 7 different men, youth pastors, interims, and assistant youth pastors, come and go. I've said it before and I still stand by it; Tim Young was the best thing to happen to Spring Baptist Church's youth ministry.Tim allowed God to take his heart and love for people and pour it into the mess of a youth ministry we had at the time and God worked wonders through Tim. Sitting where I am now, a super senior at Texas A&M, I see the massive effect Tim had on so many lives. There is no one I trust, outside of family, to be completely honest and to lead me in the right direction than Tim Young. The love of Christ is written on everything he does and it has been such a privilege to be mentored and lead by a man like Tim.
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