Tim Simmons | Mar 18 2007 3:10 PM

Tim Simmons | Mar 18 2007 3:10 PM

Since I just heard that Tim was following the Lord's lead and will be resigning as our junior high youth pastor on June the first, I thought it only fair to write this blog about what he's done in my life.

I first joined the youth ministry when I moved up into 7th grade. This was in 2003. I went to a disciple now where, even though I had been attending Beltway Park Baptist Church since I was 2, I made some real friendships within the church youth. Tim and Rick did all of the teaching (mainly Tim) and at this D'now I got involved with GPYM (going public youth ministries).

I soon began to help run sound and stuff back in the sound booth, and I joined the "junior high lead team", led by Tim Simmons. We met frequently and talked about different things about leadership.

Eventually, we went on a lead team retreat, which was one of the most fun trips I have ever been on. This trip really got me involved with the youth, and I made a lot of friends there (friendships that are extremely important to me even today). Tim was there, leading us in the purposes of GPYM and what his and Rick's vision was for the ministry.

Another important note is that the very first ultimate frisbee games I ever played were with Tim. When I think about it, he was the one (partly with Rick) who started the trend of ultimate frisbee in our youth group, and if you know anything about my youth, that is one thing that we LOVE to do.

I also began taking guitar lessons from Tim in the 7th grade. He taught me all of the basics and without him, I wouldn't be where I am today, as far as guitar skills go. He was an awesome teacher, and he kept me going when I didn't feel like playing.

In eighth grade, I played guitar on the worship team, and before we began practicing, he taught me what the heart of worship really looks like.

I kept taking lessons from Tim all the way until he got married to Ana Simmons in the summer after my 8th grade year. After he got married, he stopped giving lessons, but he started a "guy's night out" where he invited guys from the youth to come and hang out with him every week. We had some awesome times, and I remember continuing this all the way through my freshman year of High School.

When I think about it, it is absolutely amazing, how much time Tim put into our youth. He invested so much time just hanging out with us!!! He was the best role model I had. He really cared about us, evident in the hours he spent with us every week. This is what every youth leader should look like. I really can't get over the effort he put into planting seeds of leadership in our youth. I know randall, josh, blake, my brother, the salties, brett, and every other guy that has ever met Tim will agree with me that he was and still is one of the best examples of a Godly man that we have ever seen.

Thank you Tim, for the leadership you have shown us. Thank you for the Godly example you have been. Thank you for the purity talks you were always so adament about, and how the teaching you gave us then still affects us now. Thank you for being more than a leader - truly, a friend. And in that, being humble.

Above all, thank you for seeking Christ, following his lead, and being so much like Jesus in your time here.

Praise God and God Bless.