Starting anew: Swoboda named director for local Young Life

Elliott Swoboda has been connected with Young Life as a volunteer for several years. But next month he will start a new chapter with the organization as Southeast Missouri area director.

Swoboda replaces Bill Reazer, who was promoted in April as associate regional directorof Southern Missouri.

In today's Ministry Focus, Swoboda shares his vision for the local organization and the importance of building relationships that ultimately lead to ministry opportunities and leading people toward a relationship with God.

Q) Tell us a little about yourself.

A) I have lived in Cape Girardeau, Mo., since 1995 and graduated from Cape Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University. I have a work history in social work and carpentry/construction. I married my high school sweetheart Becky, who partnered with me in ministry with Young Life while we were in college. We have a 2-year-old girl and one girl due in October of 2013. Becky and I hold our history with Young Life very dear and are excited to be called into this position.

Q) How long have you been a member of your faith and who or what inspired you to join the ministry?

A) I was raised in a Christian home and my parents always encouraged to seek growth in my faith. After high school, I was greatly influenced by my brother-in-law, Chris Komorech, while working with him at a Christian camp in Iowa. It was after this experience that I felt called into ministry. The area director of Young Life at that time, James Green, became a valued mentor through my college years after he asked me to come aboard the Young Life team. Also, I have remained an active member of First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau and have been continually supported and discipled by members and our pastor Mike Shupert.

Q) You have been involved with Young Life for several years. What do you like the most about the organization and the work that it does?

A) This is hard to narrow down what I like most about Young Life since there are several ways Young A) Young Life blesses the communities it serves. Young Life is a nondenominational ministry that has an intense focus on Jesus Christ. We look at the ministry of Jesus and try to echo it through our lives. What it all really boils down to is relationships; Jesus is all about them and so are we. We intend to meet junior high, high school and college students where they are and put in the time required to develop an honest relationship, ultimately to introduce Jesus Christ.

Q) As the incoming director, what's your top priority for Young Life in Southeast Missouri?

A) Young Life blesses the communities it serves. Young Life is a nondenominational ministry that has an intense focus on Jesus Christ. We look at the ministry of Jesus and try to echo it through our lives. What it all really boils down to is relationships; Jesus is all about them and so are we. We intend to meet junior high, high school and college students where they are and put in the time required to develop an honest relationship, ultimately to introduce Jesus Christ.

Q) As the incoming director, what's your top priority for Young Life in Southeast Missouri?

A) There are many priorities for the director of Young Life, all of equal importance, including the new vision of working to develop Young Life in surrounding areas. Each area will require time and energy of different degrees at different times. I think, however, it is important to be intentional about remaining Christ-centered as a whole and supporting our core ministries to sustain growth. As of now, Cape Girardeau supports Young Life [high school ministries], Wyld Life [junior high ministries] and Capernaum [special needs ministry].

Q) How have you seen Young Life develop since your earliest days as a volunteer?

A) Young Life in Southeast Missouri has consistently been high school ministry at Cape Central High School. While in college, my wife and I were involved in starting the ministry of Wyld Life in our area aimed at reaching students in the Cape Central Junior High School. Since then, we have added the ministry of Capernaum to show Jesus' love for special needs students. Young Life has also had a steady growing support from the community.

Q) What other ministry-related activities are you involved in beyond Young Life?

A) Currently, I serve in our church home, First Baptist Church of Cape Girardeau, as deacon chair, guitar player for praise team and occasionally teach Sunday school and children's ministries.

Q) What's your favorite Bible verse and why?

A) Matthew 4:19 is Jesus talking to Peter, "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men." In the past I related to this verse because I loved to fish and felt a call into ministry. However, the verse and those surrounding this event have taken on new inspiration. Jesus looked beyond the ordinary fisherman and saw what He made Peter to be. Jesus' request was for Peter to drop what he knew and believe in the power of God. Peter's decision to follow Jesus was not the faith he had in himself, but in Jesus. Faith in Jesus created a transformation in Peter to who he was meant to be, "The Rock of His Church."

Q) What's the greatest challenge you've experienced in the ministry?

A) Young Life is about Jesus and relationships with people. While Jesus always comes through, people are bound to let us down. Young Life leaders invest so much of themselves that when we are let down by those in whom they have invested, it is sometimes hard to deal with our broken hearts. However, broken hearts are a challenge and a blessing. Broken hearts over people to whom we minister are an affirmation of our ministry.

Q) What's the greatest blessing you've experienced in the ministry?

A) I don't want to sound like a broken record, but again my answer is "relationships." There are so many relationships that develop within and as an outreach of Young Life. It is a treasure of the heart to maintain relationships with kids as they move through the seasons of life. Caring relationships develop between leaders and community members when they join together to reach kids for Christ. And as you serve Jesus' mission, it is amazing to experience the relational growth with Him.

lpresson@semissourian.com

388-3649

Pertinent address: 501 N. Broadview St. Cape Girardeau, Mo.