The Choice That Changed Everything
It was the spring of 1999. I was a junior in high school, working at Footlocker, which meant my entire paycheck went straight to shoes, but that's another story for another time.
On this particular day, my father came into my room and shared an exciting opportunity with me. He told me about a mission trip our church denomination was organizing to England for two weeks that summer. He was so enthusiastic, "Trey, you'll get to visit London, Manchester, Birmingham-this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!"
But I didn't share his excitement. There was a problem: I was supposed to play in a basketball tournament that particular weekend, and the girl I was 'crushing on' was going to be there because her dad was one of the coaches. This was my chance to show off my basketball skills-and my new kicks from Footlocker.
I couldn't tell my dad the real reason I wasn't excited about the trip, so I just said, "Not sure if that's how I want to spend my final summer at home, but we'll see." Of course, he insisted I "pray on it."
Answering the Call
The more I prayed and thought about it, the more I realized that this mission trip was a chance I couldn't pass up. So, I said yes.
Fast forward a few months, and I found myself on a plane heading overseas for the first time ever, with 20 other youth delegates from across the country and some amazing youth leaders-one of whom was a professional Christian rapper, who, if I said his name, some of you would probably recognize.
We did many things on that mission trip-feeding the homeless, cleaning and repairing homes, sharing the gospel on the streets of London, having Bible study outside Buckingham Palace, and praying in front of Big Ben. But the most influential moment for me came when we hosted a VBS for inner-city kids in London.
A Moment Outside My Comfort Zone
Ten minutes before the rapper on our team was scheduled to perform for the young people in the room, he came up to me and asked, "Trey, will you be my 'hype man'?" For those who aren't familiar, a hype man in hip-hop is a supporting performer who helps keep the energy up and the audience engaged. My heart dropped.
This was not in my comfort zone, nor was it anything I had signed up for. I had no idea what I was doing. But then I remembered, none of this mission trip had been in my plan, either. If it had been up to me, I would've stayed home, played basketball in my new Jordan 4's, and tried to impress a girl whose name I've long since forgotten.
I took a deep breath, said yes, and joined him on stage. I got in my groove and did my thing. When it was over, something unexpected happened. In that moment, in front of hundreds of inner-city youth in London, I realized that I was called to something greater than basketball.
I wasn't just there for myself-I was there to serve.
Youth Leaders: You Are Changing Lives
It was because of one leader seeing something in me and inviting me into that greater purpose that my passion for youth ministry, for youth leaders, and most importantly for the life-transforming work of Jesus Christ began.
To all the youth leaders reading this: what you do is so important.
The invitation you extend, the time you invest, and the truth you speak into the hearts of youth matters more than you know. You may not always see the immediate impact, but never underestimate the power of your influence.
You never know whom you might be inviting into something greater.
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Trey Grant served as a Student Pastor before being called to plant The Well Church in Keller, TX. He also serves on the Keller Police Chief's Advisory Board and is founder of The Specs Movement, an organization promoting Unity, Diversity, and Justice. Trey is a founding member of The Tribe Collective, a group of multi-racial church pastors across the country.