Ryan Mitchell is youth minister at Calvary Baptist Church, Roanoke. At 19 years old, he teaches Sunday School, leads Bible studies and organizes monthly youth events while attending Southern Union State Community College in Wadley full time and working part at a local bank.
Q: What led you to this?
A: I was called to ministry at 16 but did not feel God leading me to be a youth minister anywhere. My dad became the pastor at Calvary, and there was not a youth program there at all. My dad introduced me to the idea of becoming youth minister, and we spent a few months praying about it. He presented it to the church, they called me and I accepted the Job.
Q: What does it demand?
A: A lot of time. I see people in my youth group pretty much every day. I try to be a part of their lives and let them be a part of my life as much as possible. The ministry demands that your whole life be a ministry.
Q: What do you get from it?
A: I see lives being changed for the better, and that is all I want out of it.
Q: How do you see yourself involved in this in the future?
A: I hope I’m involved in youth ministry for the rest of my life. I feel like that is what I was called to do.
Q: What difference will this make for you in the future?
A: I just hope that later in my life I will be able to look back and know that I made an effort to change people’s lives for the better. I hope that people will come to know God or come to be close to God. It’s not about me; it’s about the people that I’m working with and for.
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