Student Ministry

Hello,

My name is Tae, and it is my absolute privilege to serve as the Youth Pastor for the Ignite Student Ministry. I know that as parents, you are entrusting us with your students, and I believe it's important for you to know the heart and mission behind the person leading them.

I wanted to take a moment to share not just what we do at Ignite, but why we do it—a "why" that is rooted in my own personal journey.

My Journey: Faith as a Reasonable Position

My path to ministry wasn't a simple one. For me, dedicating my life to Christ was the result of a deep and personal search. I am passionate about ministry today because I first discovered the compelling, logical, and evidential reasons for the existence of a creator.

I came to understand that faith isn't a blind leap in the dark; it's a reasonable step into the light. This discovery changed everything for me, and it is the absolute bedrock of my mission for your students.

Our Mission: Building a Resilient Faith

Consequently, my primary mission at Ignite is to ensure that our youth understand that having faith in Jesus is a deeply reasonable and defensible position.

We live in a world full of competing ideas, and our students are (or will be) facing tough questions in their schools, online, and eventually in college and the workplace. My goal is to equip them, not to run from these questions, but to engage them thoughtfully.

We want to create an environment where doubt is not shamed, but where questions are welcomed and explored. We want our students to graduate from this ministry not just with a "church-kid" faith, but with a resilient faith—one that they understand, that they own, and that they can articulate and defend with both confidence and grace.

From Belief to Love: The Heart of Discipleship

However, our mission doesn't stop at intellectual belief. A reasonable faith is the foundation, but the building is a life of love and relationship with Jesus.

The natural and beautiful progression of the Christian life is to move from believing in Jesus to loving Him, and that love is the fuel for adhering to His teachings.

Jesus himself said it perfectly in John 14:21:

"Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."

This is our ultimate goal at Ignite: To see students move from "This makes sense" to "I love Jesus." We want to guide them in understanding that our obedience to God's word isn't a list of harsh rules; it's the natural response of a heart that has been loved by its Creator and, in turn, loves Him back.

Thank you for the honor of partnering with you. My prayer is that together, we can help our students build a faith that is both strong in reason and rich in relationship.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you ever have questions.

In Partnership,

Tae Kim

Youth Pastor, Ignite Student Ministry