INTERIM LEADERSHIP TEAM

 
 

SHAWN DARNELL

Interim Student Ministry Director

My name is Shawn Darnell, or more commonly known to most students as Momma Shawn. I have been involved in student ministry for over 14 years in various churches. When we joined LH, I immediately started volunteering with our student ministry in November of 2018. God opened unexpected opportunities for me to step into and begin serving in my dream job as the LH High School Girls’ Director in late February 2019. Over the course of time, I have been able to bring my gifts of organization and hospitality to our team and take on more responsibilities as a ministry team leader. There are so many parts of my job that I love, but my absolute favorite is in fervent prayer asking Jesus to work in the lives of our students so they can come to know Him more and then watching Him move as our students become aware of His presence, power, movement and love in their lives. I have loved seeing their desire to truly commit to follow Him with all they are. As we enter this new season of change, I am excited to see how Jesus stretches and grows each of us, students and leaders as we continue to move forward in our ministry with our goal to continue to develop students who commit to following Jesus. My prayer is that our students know deep within their hearts that no matter who leads them in ministry, Jesus is their constant hope, anchor, savior and friend. I am so excited for the numerous student events we have planned this summer that encourage students to connect and build relationships through fun activities like swim parties and summer movie outings, provide a little friendly good hearted competition through our dodgeball tournament and create opportunities to see the need and serve others in our community. While we have all these fun events planned, my real hope and true heart for our students is that while this interim season of change will not be easy, they truly know Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

 

BEN GRAY

Interim Associate Director

My name is Ben Gray, and I have been serving in LH Students since January 2022. I have been serving for the past year and a half as the Middle School Guys Director, and it has been an absolute joy. I love having a front row seat to witness God moving and working in the lives of 12, 13, and 14 year old guys! The thing that excites me the most about LH Students is middle and high school guys and girls, interested in and on fire for Jesus. I didn’t have a youth ministry at all when I was young, and I craved it desperately. I am so thankful that LH students exists for these young adults, and Jesus is really working in their hearts and lives. Just in the past 16 months, I have seen Jesus break down walls and destroy strongholds in my boys lives, and in the lives of the students in the ministry at large. I have seen student’s chains crumble to the ground, and subsequently they want to follow, pursue, and worship, the God of the Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. My prayer for the students in this interim season, is that they would learn to grieve well, but realize that God isn’t leaving the ministry with Coleton. The pillars and values that Coleton has built will remain, and God is going to continue to work and continue to move. This summer is going to be a blast for the students. There are going to be weekly events, and whether it is service projects, mini golf, movie theater, bowling, etc., there will be ample opportunity for the students to connect and create/grow relationships with each other. Change is rarely easy and fun, but I am confident that my Jesus is going to be at work in this season. The God of Peace will be with us.