Luken Pride

3 Lewis Rd.                                                                   Luke.Pride@yahoo.com   
Swanzey, NH ostalCode w:st="on">03446ostalCode>                                                       603-540-3320

___________________________________________________________________

Personal Mission

To live in such a way that God is exalted through my every thought, word, and deed,(1 Cor. 10:31) to Love God deeply and passionately above all else, (De. 6:5)  to love others above myself (Phi 2:3) to never give up in the service of the Gospel, to be an example of Faith and Hope to all and to pursue the Lord single mindedly through the scriptures, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines.

Ministry Mission

My Desire is to work with a team that strives to “present everyone mature in Christ,” As a Coworker with the Holy Spirit I want to be intentional about engaging teenagers to delight in God in every aspect of their personal lives and to grow into the unique person God has called each of them to be, changing more and more into the likeness of him. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Theological and Biblical Orientation.
I believe teens want to grow into the knowledge of their creator, and are ready to delve deep.

I believe the Bible to be the inerrant, infallible word of God. Because I want teens to get to know God personally, I want them to get to know their Bible, God’s chief and final means of communicating himself to us. When God’s word is spoken, God’s voice can be heard. Undergrad training in Religion and my Grad training in Christian Formation have developed in me a reformed theology that respects input from other viewpoints. I am open to various views on Baptism and eschatology. I affirm both the five solas of the reformation and the five points of Calvinism; however I can and often do work with people who do not fully share these views.

Personal Conversion and call to ministry

I was raised in the Christian faith by my parents, both of whom are devout believers. I grew in the faith during my elementary school and Junior high years. In high School I was hit with a heavy depression. At the time I did not feel like I was growing anymore but looking back I probably grew the most during that time. I went to college to pursue a degree in Journalism. It was then that I took a class in theology and a professor told me to consider switching departments. I did and was developed immensely by my professors with whom I sought spiritual direction. I also worked in camps every summer during my College life, igniting in me a desire to work with youth. Upon finishing college several professors and my pastor recommended I pursue ministry as a vocation and go on to further studies. I went to Wheaton to receive training in Christian Formation and Ministry and there discerned that the Lord was leading me into Youth Ministry.

Formal Education
  Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy and Religion.  Minor in English
  Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL, December 2005
           
Master of Arts, Christian Formation and Ministry
Wheaton College Graduate School, August 2008
 

Relevant Work Experience

Youth Ministries Coordinator Chinese Christian Union Church-Present Job
  -In charge of oversight of all youth ministries
  -Developing youth program for this recently planted church
  -Training of all Lay teachers volunteering in ministry
  -Arrangement of off site events

  -Speaking the cultural language of these third culture students

Fresh./soph. Lacrosse Head Coach Wheaton-Warrenville South Feb.08-May 08
 -Teach lacrosse to freshman and sophomore high school students new to the game
 -Be in loco parentis for players both at practice, games, and on the bus rides

Summer Camp Counselor Moose River Outpost, Jackman, Maine. 07
 - Supervised high school students in intensive outdoor living community
  -Developed and led Bible studies, Mentored one on one  Performed In loco parentis role.


Youth Ministries Assistant  Monadnock Covenant Church Sept- Dec. 2006
 - Arranged activities and lessons
  -Maintained contact with students
  -Dealt with church organization

           
Summer Camp Counselor, Camp Brookwoods, Alton, NH      02,03,04,05
  -Supervised young adolescents in intensive community living setting
  -Instructed wind board surfing, lacrosse, basketball and drama
  -Developed and led Bible studies
  -Life guarding responsibilities each day for over 200 campers

Philosophy of Ministry (Brief Sketch)

The Westminster Catechism states that “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Ministry exists to spread this delight in God into all areas of life; to increase it in believers, and to introduce it to the unconverted. I take the students happiness seriously.

The Youth ministry of a church is part of its educational ministry... As such it exists to connect truth to life, to integrate the word of God so that it forms the way students think, act, and feel. This requires a ministry that is orthodox and relevant. In striving to be relevant many ministries become relative, while others, in striving for orthodoxy, speak in a language that is unintelligible and has a message that doesn’t intersect with people lives. Thus I am very uncompromising in doctrine, but very open in methods.

      Relationships are a huge part of my ministry, because I believe youth ministry to be an incarnational ministry. The teaching is not simply spoken in formal words, but is a formational education that is lived out in community. Incarnational ministry enters into the lives of students, finding out how each student is meant to uniquely reflect God.  It thus strives to develop students into who God wants them to be, which is different for each one.
   Virtues that I strives to develop in every one of my students are a passionate love for God above all else and a love for neighbor as oneself, The fruit of the Spirit, a love for the church, sexual purity, a vibrant quiet time, a heart for the poor and oppressed, a deep faith that trusts at all times, a hope that can’t be shaken, a God-centered approach to vocation, and a passion to spread the Gospel.

      Ministry does not just give information but exists for formation. In order to do this it must not only present the facts objectively, but help students to experience the truth themselves. This is especially true of God's love. A ministry that has not brought students into a personal encounter with God has failed. Every tenet of theology learned about God should be experienced and turned into a means of praise too God.

     Thus a major goal of youth ministry is to get the child to encounter God and be changed by this encounter.

     Because scripture is God's primary means of revelation, it is central in Christian Spiritual Formation. If we want to get to know God, we want to get the know God as he reveals himself in his Word. Scripture is the measure of all I do.
   I believe in using the best educational philosophies and methods that have been discovered. My educational philosophy is based on shared praxis, that is, reflexive action in community. It attempts to make the subject, not the teacher, the center of the lesson, and to bring the truth not only into the realm of intellectual assent but experiential, personal knowledge.

     The Church is the bride of Christ, and it is the duty of every Christian to love her. Many Christians in America think they can grow in their faith without the church. This mistake is lethal and students need to be developed to have a relationship with the church. She has five aspects to her Ministry; Preaching, Teaching, Worship, Service, and community. It is important to me that students are involved in all five areas.

                Mercy ministries are a central part of Christian obedience. Care for the brining about of God’s kingdom by showing mercy to the poor, the oppressed, and the outcast is central to a biblical based faith.

                Since ministry attempts to develop the whole person, it is not appropriate to pigeon ministry into “spiritual” development only. How they interact socially, how they approach their diet, the way they hang out and play games are all part of a healthy overall development. Group outings, retreats, and games need to be crafted so that students experience how they can be done for God’s glory.

                In summary I would say that I strive to make my ministry missional, holistic, relevant while being orthodox, God-centered, scripture based, prayer saturated, incarnational/relational mercy oriented, gospel driven, and joy pursuing. 

here is a brief, 3 page resume

Luken Pride



3 Lewis Rd. Luke.Pride@yahoo.com
Swanzey, NH 03446 603-540-3320



___________________________________________________________________

Personal Mission

To live in such a way that God is exalted through my every thought, word, and deed,(1 Cor. 10:31) to Love God deeply and passionately above all else, (De. 6:5) to love others above myself (Phi 2:3) to never give up in the service of the Gospel, to be an example of Faith and Hope to all and to pursue the Lord single mindedly through the scriptures, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines.

Ministry Mission

My Desire is to work with a team that strives to “present everyone mature in Christ,” As a Coworker with the Holy Spirit I want to be intentional about engaging teenagers to delight in God in every aspect of their personal lives and to grow into the unique person God has called each of them to be, changing more and more into the likeness of him. 2 Corinthians 3:18


Theological and Biblical Orientation.
I believe teens want to grow into the knowledge of their creator, and are ready to delve deep.

I believe the Bible to be the inerrant, infallible word of God. Because I want teens to get to know God personally, I want them to get to know their Bible, God’s chief and final means of communicating himself to us. When God’s word is spoken, God’s voice can be heard. Undergrad training in Religion and my Grad training in Christian Formation have developed in me a reformed theology that respects input from other viewpoints. I am open to various views on Baptism and eschatology. I affirm both the five solas of the reformation and the five points of Calvinism; however I can and often do work with people who do not fully share these views.

Personal Conversion and call to ministry
I was raised in the Christian faith by my parents, both of whom are devout believers. I grew in the faith during my elementary school and Junior high years. In high School I was hit with a heavy depression. At the time I did not feel like I was growing anymore but looking back I probably grew the most during that time. I went to college to pursue a degree in Journalism. It was then that I took a class in theology and a professor told me to consider switching departments. I did and was developed immensely by my professors with whom I sought spiritual direction. I also worked in camps every summer during my College life, igniting in me a desire to work with youth. Upon finishing college several professors and my pastor recommended I pursue ministry as a vocation and go on to further studies. I went to Wheaton to receive training in Christian Formation and Ministry and there discerned that the Lord was leading me into Youth Ministry.



Formal Education
Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy and Religion. Minor in English
Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL, December 2005

Master of Arts, Christian Formation and Ministry
Wheaton College Graduate School, August 2008





Relevant Work Experience

Youth Ministries Coordinator Chinese Christian Union Church-Present Job
-In charge of oversight of all youth ministries
-Developing youth program for this recently planted church
-Training of all Lay teachers volunteering in ministry
-Arrangement of off site events
-Speaking the cultural language of these third culture students

Fresh./soph. Lacrosse Head Coach Wheaton-Warrenville South Feb.08-May 08
-Teach lacrosse to freshman and sophomore high school students new to the game
-Be in loco parentis for players both at practice, games, and on the bus rides

Summer Camp Counselor Moose River Outpost, Jackman, Maine. 07
- Supervised high school students in intensive outdoor living community
-Developed and led Bible studies, Mentored one on one Performed In loco parentis role.


Youth Ministries Assistant Monadnock Covenant Church Sept- Dec. 2006
- Arranged activities and lessons
-Maintained contact with students
-Dealt with church organization


Summer Camp Counselor, Camp Brookwoods, Alton, NH 02,03,04,05
-Supervised young adolescents in intensive community living setting
-Instructed wind board surfing, lacrosse, basketball and drama
-Developed and led Bible studies
-Life guarding responsibilities each day for over 200 campers














Philosophy of Ministry (Brief Sketch)

The Westminster Catechism states that “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Ministry exists to spread this delight in God into all areas of life; to increase it in believers, and to introduce it to the unconverted. I take the students happiness seriously.

The Youth ministry of a church is part of its educational ministry... As such it exists to connect truth to life, to integrate the word of God so that it forms the way students think, act, and feel. This requires a ministry that is orthodox and relevant. In striving to be relevant many ministries become relative, while others, in striving for orthodoxy, speak in a language that is unintelligible and has a message that doesn’t intersect with people lives. Thus I am very uncompromising in doctrine, but very open in methods.
Relationships are a huge part of my ministry, because I believe youth ministry to be an incarnational ministry. The teaching is not simply spoken in formal words, but is a formational education that is lived out in community. Incarnational ministry enters into the lives of students, finding out how each student is meant to uniquely reflect God. It thus strives to develop students into who God wants them to be, which is different for each one.
Virtues that I strives to develop in every one of my students are a passionate love for God above all else and a love for neighbor as oneself, The fruit of the Spirit, a love for the church, sexual purity, a vibrant quiet time, a heart for the poor and oppressed, a deep faith that trusts at all times, a hope that can’t be shaken, a God-centered approach to vocation, and a passion to spread the Gospel.
Ministry does not just give information but exists for formation. In order to do this it must not only present the facts objectively, but help students to experience the truth themselves. This is especially true of God's love. A ministry that has not brought students into a personal encounter with God has failed. Every tenet of theology learned about God should be experienced and turned into a means of praise too God.
Thus a major goal of youth ministry is to get the child to encounter God and be changed by this encounter.
Because scripture is God's primary means of revelation, it is central in Christian Spiritual Formation. If we want to get to know God, we want to get the know God as he reveals himself in his Word. Scripture is the measure of all I do.
I believe in using the best educational philosophies and methods that have been discovered. My educational philosophy is based on shared praxis, that is, reflexive action in community. It attempts to make the subject, not the teacher, the center of the lesson, and to bring the truth not only into the realm of intellectual assent but experiential, personal knowledge.
The Church is the bride of Christ, and it is the duty of every Christian to love her. Many Christians in America think they can grow in their faith without the church. This mistake is lethal and students need to be developed to have a relationship with the church. She has five aspects to her Ministry; Preaching, Teaching, Worship, Service, and community. It is important to me that students are involved in all five areas.
Mercy ministries are a central part of Christian obedience. Care for the brining about of God’s kingdom by showing mercy to the poor, the oppressed, and the outcast is central to a biblical based faith.
Since ministry attempts to develop the whole person, it is not appropriate to pigeon ministry into “spiritual” development only. How they interact socially, how they approach their diet, the way they hang out and play games are all part of a healthy overall development. Group outings, retreats, and games need to be crafted so that students experience how they can be done for God’s glory.
In summary I would say that I strive to make my ministry missional, holistic, relevant while being orthodox, God-centered, scripture based, prayer saturated, incarnational/relational mercy oriented, gospel driven, and joy pursuing.