A Spirit-Led Journey

Dr. Brent Baskin

God called Brent into ministry as a teenager.

God gave me a deep desire to share the gospel and guide students to encounter Jesus. So he became a youth pastor, but after two years he began to doubt his calling. Why? Church leaders told him that he was too serious and needed to pursue the "fun" of youth ministry. I knew "fun" wasn't why God called me to youth ministry. Eventually I moved to a different church. 

Brent became the new youth pastor at a prominent church in Wills Point, Texas. In 2005 I took my kids to Super Summer Texas, a ministry Barry had started. God introduced me to Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry (JFYM). I encountered veteran youth leaders who pursued "Jesus and His way of doing life and ministry". I spent a year studying Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry , and I attended my first JFYM Forum. God used those experiences to reaffirm my calling.

Brent's team began to implement their JFYM Plan of Action. Over time, they developed a spiritually mature Leadership Team who discipled students. Fast forward...7^th graders became seniors, students led the ministry and reached their friends at school with the gospel. The superficial "one-man-reach-all" effort became a "mature reaching and discipling team" endeavor.   

Shorter University Forum

A Spirit-Empowered Movement

Brent pursued his PhD in youth ministry in Texas. His major professor, Dr. Johnny Derouen, had experienced JFYM through Val and Janette Robinson, my good friends then and now, as a student in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Brent expended a heroic amount of energy as a full-time youth minister, full-time PhD student, with a growing family. As he finished his degree, God opened the door to become Professor of Youth Ministry at Shorter University.

Before Brent's first academic year began, he approached me about creating a four-year curriculum around JFYM. His approach:  I use my academic understanding and JFYM experience to teach students how to do ministry the way Jesus did it!

Empowered Prayer

Much is yet to come, but during his first year God has moved powerfully at Shorter.

Spirit-Empowered Movement #1:  

Students responded to each other with "snarky" attitudes and disrespectful behavior. Brent called a "Come to Jesus" meeting with them, simply read Ephesians 4 and 5, and asked them to repent. They did! Right then, students confessed specific bad attitudes, disrespect, pornography and many other sins. Tears flowed. Forgiveness came. Relationships got restored.

Spirit-Empowered Movement #2:  

His students started what they called a "Blessing War". The guys decided, as a group to bless the girls. The girls retaliated with more acts of blessing to the guys. They began to dress up for class, cook meals for each other, and treat one another with respect and kindness.  A complete change had occurred.  Students all over the campus noticed.

Caleb Britt

Spirit-Empowered Movement #3:  

Brent and I led a JFYM Forum for his students. The Vice-President of Student Affairs heard about the changes occurring, so he encouraged his Resident Advisors to attend. God moved. One example:

God spoke to me today. He wants a deeper relationship with me holding nothing back, giving my all. He showed me how to genuinely care for others no matter how they treat me. After today I know I can have a ministry that draws people closer to Christ. - Caleb Britt

When students say, I want to know the Lord and be transformed by His Spirit, then certainly God has raised up a Spirit-led leader who has engaged in a Spirit-empowered movement. That's Dr. Brent Baskin.   

Together with you, we have the privilege of investing in Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered leaders like Brent.

Jesus is Lord,

www.reach-out.org 

PO Box 870141, Stone Mountain, GA 30087