RJ McCauley
Student ministries pastor at Magnolia Church
Leader in CSBC Youth
Riverside, California
What’s a challenge in your ministry, and how did you overcome it?
I’ve struggled to find and keep volunteers because of life and schedules changing. So, I changed our programming to match the available personnel and resources. It was humbling to pull back on things we enjoyed doing, but it allowed us to focus on the things that fulfill the Great Commission:
‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’
Matthew 28:19-20
Today, we infuse evangelistic elements and discipleship practices into our Sunday and Wednesday programming. We work smarter, not harder. It’s made our entire ministry stronger, more effective, and more manageable as we let the Great Commission guide what we prioritize.
What keeps you motivated?
When I visit schools, I see how lost and hopeless this generation feels. Going into the world motivates me to reach the people in it with the Gospel. I know that if I just stay in my office, I’ll get only office results. But if I step out of the office and onto the mission field, I see the crowds as Jesus did. I’m motivated to train teens to go out into the fields and reap the harvest when I see how desperately students need to hear the Gospel.
When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’
Matthew 9:36-38
What’s a funny thing that has happened in ministry?
A group of my students destroyed me in UNO: Show ’Em No Mercy. They convinced me to play against them and acted like they’d never played before. Once the game started, I quickly realized they were teaming up against me and they crushed me with a draw 24! It was brutal and showed me why the game is titled with the words no mercy. I told them: “You’re so lucky that Jesus commands me to be merciful, even when Uno commands me not to be merciful.” They laughed and mocked me all throughout summer camp for getting manipulated into a game I thought I could win!
What would you say to someone new to Gospel Advancing?
Everyone is advancing something. If you aren’t advancing the Gospel through your youth ministry, then you’re advancing something else. Take Gospel Advancing (GA) principles and apply them to your philosophy and strategy, even when it’s hard. Then watch as God uses GA principles to make your youth ministry flourish.
