Welcome to the St. Matthews Baptist Church Youth Ministry. As a ministry of the church, all that we do is designed to support and share the vision as stated by the church’s vision statement:
“St. Matthews Baptist Church will be a vibrant faith community, demonstrating the love of Christ, becoming vital to the life and hope of our city.”
More specific to the Youth Ministry, our goal is to connect students with a community of faith that includes both peers and others of all ages, foster an environment and specific avenues for students to develop and grow their own faith, and to provide opportunities for students to serve and minister to the world around us.
Our students are a diverse group who come from different places, attend different schools, have different worldviews, and face different struggles. The beauty of our group is that different is not a bad thing. Our hope is that the Youth Ministry is a safe place for all who wish to enter our doors and pursue a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Throughout the year we have many opportunities to engage with the Youth Ministry. From retreats to DNOW to mission trips to fellowship events, the group is always on the move to find ways to keep students involved. We have great leaders who are committed to being present for the difficult journey of adolescence. Each leader involved with our students undergo background checks as well as periodic training on topics such as how to counsel teens, how to craft lessons, and how to lead students in a daily walk with Christ.
Here at St. Matthews Baptist Church, we do not see the youth as the “church of tomorrow” but instead look for ways to include students in all aspects of church life today. We would love to have you join us for this sacred journey. If you have further questions, feel free to contact our Minister to Students, Brian Johnson, or the Youth Ministry Administrative Assistant, Emily Thompson.
Our Fearful Leader
Brian Johnson has been our Minister to Students since July of 2015 and has been in youth ministry since 2002. He has been working with youth long enough to realize that a healthy amount of fear is healthy. SMBC is the 4th church that Brian has served, previously having served churches in North Carolina and Tennessee. Brian is an avid fan of Wake Forest University Athletics, mostly caused by his receiving an undergraduate degree from the school, and enjoys the occasional golf outing. Brian firmly believes in the philosophy that youth ministry cannot be done in a long-distance manner and works hard to know each student on a personal level.