By Cathy Higgins
Brian Kretschman has been the minister to students at First Baptist Church of Albany for almost two months now. And it’s a job the 26-year-old believes he was ordained to have.
“Ultimately, God directed me here,” Kretschman said of the position he has held since mid-April.
That’s after the church had been without a full-time youth minister since July when its previous one moved to Tennessee.
Now that Kretschman is at First Baptist, the married father of two girls has some plans in mind.
“The concept I’m working on is to develop a strategy of intentionally walking with the students through growing spiritually,” he said. “To establish a balance of what the focus is supposed to be. We’ll plan the events and programs around the direction we’re going.”
As part of that plan, Kretschman is developing a Web site specifically for First Baptist’s approximately 40 youth, their parents and teachers.
“The Web site is going to become a tool to communicate with them,” the youth minister said.
“I’m really excited about it,” said LouAnn Morrison, who has been working with the church’s youth program for a decade. “He’s taking the Web page and tying in the things we’re going to be learning about.”
That tool, as well as Kretschman’s concept, will center on a single focus.
“Everything revolves around sharing the relationship with God with an upward, inward and outward focus,” he said.
While it seems the youth minister has stepped into his role seamlessly, it hasn’t been without challenges.
“The biggest challenge has been trying to get a handle on the programs that are in place and getting to know all the people,” Kretschman said.
According to Morrison, the youth minister’s approach consists of making observations instead of coming in to make huge changes right off the bat.
“He’s seeing what works and might not work,” she said.
Chris Butts, who has worked with the church’s youth program since 1994, agrees.
“He’s been very patient in observing how the kids relate to each other and to the adults,” he said.
One observation Kretschman made has spurred him to include First Baptist’s college-aged members under the youth umbrella. And that’s just fine with recent Lee County High School graduate Leigh McClendon, who plans to attend Darton College in the fall.
“I think he wants the college class to be part of the youth program,” the 18-year-old said, “which is cool because I like being around the high-school and college age.”
Kretschman came to the Good Life City after spending the last four years serving as youth minister at First Baptist Church of Colquitt. That’s after working as a youth intern and leading worship at churches in his native Florida.
For the middle of three children, the path to ministry started with a positive childhood.
“I grew up in a solid Christian family,” Kretschman said.
His childhood included seeing his own father go into the field of ministry.
“When I was in second grade, my dad went to school to be a pastor,” he said. “When I was in high school, my dad was the leader of a church plant in Tallahassee.”
Being part of his father’s ministry led Kretschman to go on to graduate from Baptist College in Florida, with an emphasis on church leadership.
Now the youth minister is enjoying being part of First Baptist Albany, especially since he has the help of wife Caite.
“She has a passion for building relationships, particularly with teenage girls,” Kretschman said.
It seems that Brian and Caite’s efforts to develop relationships are being well received.
“He’s a cool guy,” McClendon said of the youth minister.
PHOTO BY CATHY HIGGINS
Brian Kretschman is taking an observational approach to his new position as youth minister at First Baptist Church of Albany.
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