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Dear Pastor or Search Committee:

My resume will show you the variety and extent of my experiences. In having trained, taught, and preached, at large gatherings and small groups, in having created and implemented many ideas and programs and having worked with youth of all ages, I know, without a doubt, I have learned as much from these experiences as I have taught to others. I have learned the valuable lessons of ministering as part of a team as well as the responsibilities involved when initiating programs on my own. I have listened to parents and heard them describe the heartaches and difficulties facing families today. I have worked with these parents to strengthen their family unit and with their young people to improve relationships with parents and siblings. I have occupied the pulpit for Sunday services, performed weddings and officiated at funerals seeing both the pleasing and the hard side of ministry. I have learned the importance of agreement in vision and submission to authority in church ministry as well as the weighty responsibilities and accountability that accompanies the office of pastor and teacher. I have had an opportunity to participate in ministry across like-minded denominations in many meaningful ways over the years because our agreement in the life giving works of Jesus Christ. Believing salvation is available to all who receive the teaching of forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, while understanding that each of us has sinned and each of us must experience this cleansing in a personal way in order to restore fellowship with God unavailable to us any other way.

Right now, my heart sees such a need to provide young people with the truth of the Gospel and a spiritual compass to steer them through the difficult choices society throws at them. I see the need for a place to regroup and recharge in an atmosphere of safety and love when the going gets too tough to handle. I also see a need that goes beyond the evangelizing of youth because in our world it is necessary to be mature in Christ in order to have the strength and confidence to face the secular onslaught that attacks from every direction. I recognize the need for young people to develop Christian relationships and have like-minded peers around to be supportive and encouraging. I see a need for discipleship and mentoring to set an example to follow. And possibly most important of all, I see a need for the family as a whole to be drawn closer together in their relationship to one another and to look to the Word of God and the teachings of Christian values to guide their decision making and activities.

For a period of time, the Lord led me out of youth ministry and into the field of Christian Hospice work. At the time it seemed like a very unusual move because of my passion for youth and youth ministry. Little did I know at the time, my wife and I were about to lose four grandparents within the next year. This diversion from youth ministry afforded me the opportunity to oversee care of the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our own families during a very stressful time. Although unusual, it was clear to see the reason for God's change of direction in my ministry and validated the importance of listening and obeying the guidance and leading of the Spirit.

I continued in hospice work for a period of time as it allowed our families time to recover and make some important decisions and changes in an atmosphere of healing and support. I took a short leave from the more structured ministry employment to work with young people in private counseling and to do one-on-one discipleship while I sought the Lord's direction for the next step in my life. After this time of prayer, study and waiting on God, I was confident it was time to return to my true call and passion, Church Youth Ministry.

My most recent position has been a great experience of restructuring and building a youth ministry program. I have been blessed with the opportunity of recruiting and training staff and discipling youth for leadership preparing to turn the ministry over to the person that God called to pastor that flock. I feel the Lord has now called me to settle in a location where I can stand behind the Pastor and Church Leadership for a lengthy season, to put down roots and develop relationships of integrity with students and work hard at mentoring and discipleship. I believe this model of ministry is what is necessary to prepare our youth for the next great movement of God. The model of ministry I follow is the one Jesus used in His ministry. I develop a smaller group of students and adults and then pour much of my time into mentoring them, preparing them to be released, trained and equipped, to reach the larger group as I model for them.

While accomplishing this, it is also necessary to provide ministry for all students determined, as much as possible, by their degree of spiritual maturity. Briefly, this is a description of how I often look at my programming needs. Youth are categorized into certain groups, the first group being the Outsider--friends of students involved in the program. The second group being the Outreacher--the student who sees youth group as a social event-it is important to show this student unconditional acceptance and encouraged to participate more. The next group is the Intermittent student--this student attends occasionally and shows interest in the program but can't quite commit. This is an area where leadership can work hard at developing relationship with the student providing a connection that can draw them closer to the youth group and to God. The last group--the Sheep--("my sheep hear my voice and listen to it, a voice of a stranger they will not follow")--these are the committed ones, the ones to mentor and put extra time into (not that there isn't a responsibility to the other groups). Focus on the spiritual growth and training for leadership of these students often determines to growth and effectiveness of group as a whole. They become the mentors for new members to the group and their witness and example of discipleship can be the catalyst for growth multiplied much like the work of Jesus' disciples.

Youth ministry goes well beyond what one person can do. A majority of churches have a philosophy that when they hire a youth pastor, everyone else can step back and let him/her do the job themselves. Youth ministry takes a team approach in order to accomplish the work that needs to be done. It is the responsibility of the church to instill the truth in the congregation that every man, woman, and child is a minister of the Gospel.

I ask that you prayerfully and review this letter and resume. I have developed this website to provides a broader look at my ministry experiences. This site contains a personal message from me, resume and pictures, news articles about my ministry, personal published works, several letters of recommendation, video and audio teaching samples, and curriculum samples. Perhaps of most interest to those considering my interest in this position is the Question and Answer section where you will find sincere personal answers to most any question you might want to ask me. Please take time to look over this section as it will give you a great deal of insight into my personal thoughts on ministry. The material can also be provided to you on CD if requested. I would like for you to take a few moments of your time to view these materials. I also ask that you prayerfully consider allowing me the opportunity of a personal interview. Please contact me at your convenience at the above email or phone number. Thank you for your consideration.

In Him,

Tim

Rev. Tim C. Bowling