Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett Day.
Hi Brett, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Charlotte, NC and have lived in the Carolinas all my life: Charlotte, Gastonia, Myrtle Beach and Rock Hill. My wife, Hannah, and I met while we were both students at UNC Charlotte. We moved to this area when I was offered a job at North Rock Hill Church to be the Student Pastor in October 2021.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
For the most part, it has been a smooth road. We’ve found ourselves in the middle of a great community of people who love us and value the things we value. Our boys, Eli and Lewis, both have friends their age which has been a huge blessing for our family.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the Student and Teaching Pastor at North Rock Hill Church. That means my main role is the oversee our Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade), and I also preach on Sunday mornings about 8-10 times a year. Our Student Ministry has grown in many ways over the last 3 years – the most exciting area of growth has been our leadership team. We have a team of 25 adult volunteer leaders who give up time every week to be with their students. They are responsible every Wednesday to lead their small group (ex: 6th grade boys; 9th grade girls, etc.). Since we have such a great team of leaders, I focus much of my oversight in the Student Ministry in 3 areas: Shepherding, Teaching, and Planning.
One of the things I am most proud of is when students feel safe and seen. You don’t have to look far to see instances in which young people feel unsafe in church environments. But by the grace of God, students of all kinds of backgrounds truly feel safe, seen, loved, and appreciated in the North Rock Hill Student Ministry. We believe that belonging is an important aspect of community, and we seek to foster a relational environment where leaders and students are intentional to help people belong.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
There have already been several major shifts since I started in Student Ministry. The biggest one I can think of is the shift from attractional to intentional. Attractional ministry was what youth ministry was known for several years ago, and still in some places today. The stereotypical youth group gathering wasn’t much more than pizza and games, with a quick Bible lesson thrown in.
But what has been proven time and time again is that young people are hungry for depth, substance, and truth. Truthfully, people aren’t coming to church for entertainment. They can be entertained elsewhere. People are coming to church to get what they can’t get elsewhere – the truth of God’s Word and the community of God’s people.
Contact Info:
- Website: northrockhill.com/students
- Instagram: nrh_students
