Jacob Fields: Our Candidate for Youth Pastor

After months of prayerful dedication and diligent work, our search team made a unanimous recommendation and the Faith Church leadership team (our elders) recently affirmed that recommendation. Therefore, we are pleased to announce our…

Candidate for Youth Pastor

Jacob Fields

 

Jacob Fields

Jacob and his wife Rilee

"My desire is to encourage, equip and empower young people and their families for God's glory.”  

Jake Fields

Personal: Married Rilee in 2013

Ministry Experience Includes:      

  • 2015-2018 – Youth Director, Crosspoint Community Church (Centennial, CO)

  • 2010-2013 – Youth Intern, Valley Fourth Church (Spokane, WA)

Education:     

  • A. Youth & Family / Denver Seminary (will graduate Spring 2020)

  • S. Biblical Studies / Moody Bible Institute (Spokane, WA)

  • S. Diploma / Valley Christian School (Spokane Valley, WA)

IMPORTANT DATES: Get to know Jake and Rilee!

Friday, August 23rd

6:00 to 9:00 pm in the Community Center- Special event for Jr. High & High School students. Join us for Pizza, games and a chance to meet & greet our Youth Pastor Candidate Jacob Fields and his wife Rilee.

Saturday, August 24th

9:00 to 10:30 am in the Worship Center- Meet & Greet with Jake & Rilee, including brief presentation at about 9:30am. This opportunity is open to all Faith Church adults but specifically intended for those with current or future Jr. High & High School students.

Sunday, August 25th

10:15-10:45 am - Another opportunity to meet Jake & Rilee.

10:45 am Worship Gathering - Introduction of Jake & Rilee to Faith Church.

On Sunday, August 4th, we announced that the youth pastor search team unanimously recommends (and the elder team affirms) Jacob Fields as our next youth pastor. It's been exciting to see God's clear guidance in the process!

Approx. 12 pm Noon - Brief congregational meeting where Faith Church members will vote in regard to the search team's recommendation.

Comments from search team members:

Pastor Derek Olson (Faith Church search team):

"Not only did God clearly guide us to a great candidate for youth pastor, but I'm so excited to report that Jake & Rilee chose us too! It was incredibly clear to the search team, that God has gifted Jake for ministry to students. He loves Jesus, cares about students, is well educated, has significant experience, and will be a great addition to our staff team. I believe God has caused our church's family's path to cross with Jake and Rilee. I look forward to how God will continue working in and through them and would ask you to join me in welcoming them into our church family!"

Darand Davies (Faith Church elder & search team member):

“What an honor and privilege it was to serve you on the search team for our youth pastor!  Having served on a few committees in the past it is always humbling to see God’s hand as we seek His will first.  With Jake it became clear that he was a quality and qualified applicant but was he the right fit?  As we continued the process of calling on references and interviews and praying for God’s wisdom there became a real peace that Jake was going to be the right man of God to present to you for your approval. Not only does Jake have a heart after Christ but he has a passion for your kids. It is with great pleasure that I recommend Jake as our candidate.  I know as you get to see Jake and interact with him that you will see what drew myself and the search committee to him; an easy going spirit with a humble heart and a driven plan for eternity that he wishes to share in his teaching and interactions with the youth.”

Ben Bobeda (Faith Church search team member):

“When I first looked over Jacob Fields application for our youth ministry position, he stood out because of his high level of education and his ministry experience.  On paper, he included several things that spoke to the depth of his understanding and vision for youth ministry.  Meeting Jacob in person and speaking with people who had ministered alongside of him at various places confirmed that Jacob is an upstanding individual who loves the Lord and is passionate and energetic about connecting with and discipling youth.  The biggest thing that stands out about Jacob is his humility and willingness to be coached in his gifts and ministry.  I'm confident that Jacob and Rilee will fit into the Faith Church community well and be a blessing to our youth and families.”

Bethany Fuller (Faith Church search team member):

“Jacob was at the top of my candidate list from day one. His experience, along with having already finished his theology degree specifically in youth ministries, made his resume stand out to me. After seeing his personality come through during both our online and in person interviews and hearing his passion for youth discipleship, I am absolutely confident, not only in presenting him to the church body as our choice, but also that he is the man that I would be thrilled to have as my kids’ youth leader.

Gretchen Post (Faith Church member and member of search team):

“Jacob stood out to me as a strong candidate from the very beginning as I think you will see and hear from the other search committee members as well. From the first time you interact with Jake and his wife, they have a way of putting you at ease and you feel a strong connection. I believe he will relate well with our students and will make the Youth a vital part of our church family and community. Jake is genuine in his love for the Lord, his desire to bring others to him and in his call to ministering to young people here in our community.”

Stacy Foster (Faith Church member and member of search team):

“Jake’s dynamic personality, paired with his education and experience makes him an excellent candidate for Faith’s pastoral team. Jake values the discipleship of young students, which is evident through his previous ministry experience, and in the way he talks about his student ministry philosophies. Early on in his interview process Jake said, “Youth are not just the future of the church, they are the church now.” Faith will be blessed if God leads him to this church.”

Comments from other references:

Becky Podhajsky (Crosspoint Community Church, Centennial, CO):

“In our kid's time with Jake as youth pastor, he seemed to have a gift for building quality relationships with each kid.  He invested so much time and energy into each kid whether through discipleship, meeting them for lunch or coffee, or relationship building through fun activities like paintball.  Our kids grew in their walk with the Lord through this key relationship as well as through the teaching when the youth group would meet each week.  Jake wasn’t afraid to challenge the kids with in-depth Bible study and our kids loved it.  He really challenged them and set the bar high rather than trying to dumb down the message of Scripture.  They truly learned what Bible study was all about!”  

Tyler Younker (Crosspoint Community Church, Centennial, CO):

“I served weekly with Jake Fields in Denver for years. I knew him to be highly intelligent, exceptionally creative, and spiritually disciplined. Jake cultivated a warm, safe environment for teens to come into the physical church and explore their relationship with the Lord. We served a population struggling with the hardest things: abortion, cutting, suicide attempts, sex, drugs, and he led them with tremendous poise and grace. Two of our most rebellious teens later turned into youth worship leaders. Aside from weekly in-depth sermons and coordinating fun activities, he started a separate discipleship study group that the kids routinely engaged in. Lastly, he created an incredible environment for the volunteers to connect and thrive in. I didn’t know any of the team when I joined it (and have since moved to Chicago), but Jake, his wife Rilee and our third volunteer remain some of my closest friends. I believe the Lord gave him a special gift for connection and he built something we all wanted to join and stay part of. If I had teenagers, I would absolutely want them to be in his spiritual care.”

Pastor Joe Pursch (Lead Pastor from Valley Fourth Church, Spokane, WA):

“As Lead Pastor for Valley Fourth Church in Spokane Valley, Washington, it's my pleasure to recommend Jacob Fields to you for ministry. Over two decades, the Elders of our church have watched Jacob come to Christ, grow in maturity, marry a Godly young woman and learn the skills and servant commitments of Pastoral Ministry. We know he has a Biblical mind, a solid walk with God, and a passion for encouraging young people to meet Christ, grow in authentic discipleship, and find their place in the community of God's people. We believe that the experience Jacob gained here both as an intern and as Young Adult Ministry Leader, as well as in his youth director ministry at Crosspoint Church, will bring value eternally in a Biblically-driven, discipleship-focused ministry context like that of Faith Church Dallas.”

Daniel Kubes (Youth Student, Valley Fourth Church, Spokane, WA):

“Jake is a really compassionate person he loves working with kids and telling them about God. He also has an almost impartiality when hanging out with friends; he seemingly loves them the same, no matter if they have been his friend for five years or for five months. He was one of the first people in my life who took some time to show me God's Word. We went through the book of Romans together, and he showed me how to actually read and understand Scripture.” 

Pastor John Underhill (South Hill Bible Church, Spokane, WA):

“I've had the privilege and pleasure of watching Jacob Fields grow into the man of God that he is today.  God planted him in a Godly family where he grew up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. His mother was a leader in the women's ministry and his father was an elder at the church here in Spokane.  He watched as they modeled a passion for Christ, a love for the Word, and a burden for those who do not yet know (or even have opportunity to know) Jesus Christ.  

My most vivid memory of Jacob is from a short-term mission trip to Papua New Guinea.  Jacob's parents decided that it would be a good thing for the entire family (Jacob, three sisters, mom and dad) to go on this trip so that together they could experience and share what God was doing through our missionaries and know specifically how to pray and encourage them. The whole family sacrificially served the Lord during those days and when it was time to head back to the United States, the children sat down with their parents and asked if they could stay in PNG and continue helping in the work of God, reaching unreached people groups with the Good News of Jesus Christ. What Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:5 certainly applies to Jacob and his sisters:  "I recall your sincere faith that was alive first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am sure is in you."  The example of sincere faith that they were exposed to in their parents took root in their lives, continues to bear fruit to this day and will into eternity. 

God has blessed Faith Church with a remarkable young man who has worked hard to gain a knowledge of the Word and has demonstrated a growing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (and by the way, is married to a wonderful and godly wife).  With your encouragement and support I know that the seeds planted years ago in Jacob's heart will now be planted in many other young hearts who will be challenged to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”  

Brad Widstrom (Professor at Denver Seminary, Denver, CO and past EFCA Pacific Northwest District Pastor):

“Jake deeply loves the Lord, his family, and the people who are privileged enough to share the journey with him. At the top of the “people list” are the students and families under his ministry care. He’s a great communicator, gifted leader, and amazing in one-on-one and small group relationships. Probably the biggest compliment I can give is, I would have loved if Jake had been my daughters’ youth pastor. Make sure, once they land in Dallas, you invite Jake and Rilee over for a meal to help launch your relationship. And be sure to ask them about their tent collection.”

Pastor Duane Brigman (Crosspoint Community Church, Centennial, CO):

“Jake is a team player with great vision and a passion for God and people. (He actually loves students, not just the “job” of being a Youth Pastor.) Teens are drawn to his genuine and authentic faith lived out in the real world. He has a steady reputation of living what he believes. When I was looking for a Youth Pastor for Crosspoint, I was impressed with Jakes faith and zeal. He’s the kind of guy that says, “Let’s rock this place and change the world one student at a time.” Jake will be a blessing to the families of your church as well as bringing energy and experience to your pastoral team!”

Bill Payton (Crosspoint Community Church, Centennial, CO):

“My wife and I adopted three beautiful girls when they were newborn to 3 years of age. They came to us from a drug addictive family. I’m telling you this because my perspective on their spiritual growth and daily living is that of a parent, and I’ve gotta make sure they understand the grace of God and have a strong, unwavering spiritual foundation. I met Jacob and his wife about four years ago when Jacob became the youth leader for our church. Jacob was attending Seminary in Denver, working for a department store, and now ministering to our kids.  My daughters were then in the 7th, 8th and 9th grades in school.  One of the first things I noticed was that my girls immediately bonded with Jacob. You would have thought they had known him for years. Jacob was very engaging with all our church youth.  He seemed to have an unending supply of enthusiasm and related to every child on his or her level.  I watched kids who might not normally get involved, suddenly begin attending the youth group. Jacob had the unique ability to come up with activities that kept the youth involved. My oldest daughter, now in High school, began dragging all her friends to church.  I was soon driving lots of kids back and forth to church. I was in awe as these kids kept coming. I finally asked my daughter, “What are you telling these kids to get so many to come?” She just simply replied, “I just tell them that Jacob is lots of fun, we do fun things, it’s a safe place to be and I know that Jacob will do the rest.”  Jacob used to joke with me that I needed to buy a school bus to carry them all. So I know what you are thinking…it must be all games…Nope. Jacob began every youth night with prayer and a Bible study. He had a box that every kid could write a question they had about the Bible anonymously and he would answer them in class. Afterward the kids would break in to small groups and have a more intimate study.  And yes, when this was over, everyone played games and visited; there were always snacks and drinks, and I had to drag the kids out of church and get them home. Jacob didn’t just restrict his activities to coming to church, he soon created an after-church lunch group and an evening Bible study that took place once a month; he even started a separate group to learn how to share God’s word on their own. As a parent I was humbled as I witnessed Jacob changing lives with his unfailing love for the youth. What I learned is Jacob would be doing this even if he never got paid.  Jacob truly blessed my family at a critical time in my daughters’ teen growth, and for this I am forever grateful. I know that God sent Jacob and Rilee to minister to our girls.”

Brenda Snailum (Associated Faculty, Youth & Family Studies, Denver Seminary, Denver, CO):

“Jake represents the rare combination of humility and competence in youth ministry, and he so graciously extends the Lord’s love and compassion to everyone he meets. I am looking forward to hearing what God does in and through Jake and Rilee as they reach out to the emerging generations who so desperately need the Lord.”