Welcome to my page! I’m excited to share my Youthfront journey with you!
I grew up in a family who loved gathering. These gatherings came to be a type of sacred ritual which helped to ground me in the knowledge that I am taken care of, whatever circumstances may be. As I grew up, my family became increasingly involved in our church. Those I encountered at church taught me of both compassion and accountability. It was while on a summer trip during high school I received my call to help people understand their own beloved nature. From there, I attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Religion Humanities. After undergrad I moved to Kansas City where I earned a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary.
During my time at seminary, I worked at a local church with K-12 students. It was here that I met my wife Taylor and we were married in 2017 and now have a wonderful daughter named Charlotte (Charli) who was born in 2021. Being a father, continues to remind me of how vital it is to be cognizant of the ways in which I move in the world. She teaches me there are things to get excited about, and reminds me there is so much to learn about the world and people who inhabit it. When not working, I enjoy seeing the world through the eyes of my toddler, listening to music and podcasts, hiking, or playing a board game with some friends.
During my time on this earth I have been constantly reminded of one thing; people want to belong. Beyond all things people want to understand that they have a place at the table. They want to know that whatever happens they have people who are going to be there, and that they have the opportunity to be there to support others as well. In the midst of transition I have been able to offer support to both high school and college students who felt that nothing around them was stable. In the midst of instability, God has gifted me with groundedness. At each turn there is something new to wrestle with. It is at this intersection that Christ is found, at what was and what could be. My call is to share this tension with people, to help them recognize that all is already well. God has already redeemed all things, we are just catching up. I am privileged to be able to toe this line. To teach students what it looks like to engage in conversations well, even if there is a disagreement, and to live as a result of having encountered a different kind of story.
Camp offers a time for us to loosen up. To engage in silly songs, and to channel our natural bent toward wonder and awe. A week away can be transformative because it breaks our ordinary rhythm. Camp grounds us in the extraordinary of the ordinary by removing distractions and orienting us to what is before our eyes. At camp we re-engage our bodies through movement and activity. We are reminded there is a world beyond our screen, and other people inhabit it too. It is in the midst of this world beyond-the-screen we begin to reattune our senses to our natural world and human relationships. In this re-orienting we come face to face with Christ. Just like youth and young adults are in transitional spaces, so too is camp a transitional space. It is no longer Spring, but not yet Fall. Camp happens during Summer, when life is in full swing. I am excited to participate in cultivating a space where life is fully lived into. Where we recognize both the heaviness that exists in the world and the difficulties that we face, while also embracing the fullness of relationships and something as seemingly simple as playing volleyball or standing around a fire together swapping stories.
During my years in this world I have been impacted by family members, teachers, mentors, friends and students alike. I am so thankful for the ways in which we have shared life together, and for the wisdom you have given me. During my time at Youthfront I hope to build a network of supporters who know about the work I participate in and can provide partnership through prayer, maintaining relationships, and through financial support as possible. As part of my responsibilities at Youthfront, I fundraise to support the ministry and a portion of my salary. You can support me monthly or with a one-time gift.
God has given me the opportunity to minister not only to youth and young adults, but also to the families that Youthfront serves and the staff I work alongside. Youthfront provides a safe space for people to encounter a God who longs to have us recognize our belovedness. Thank you for your continued partnership! If you have any questions or want to connect feel free to reach out to me at tgriffin@youthfront.com
