Meet the Team: Joey Evans

This post is part of a series called "Meet the Team" introducing you to our Generation LINK staff. We hope it will help you get to know Generation LINK staff members serving around the country a little better. 

Where did you graduate from and what did you study?

I graduated from Clemson University in December of 2008 with a B.S. in Political Science. I graduated again from Clemson University in May of 2013 with a M.A. in Professional Communication.

What led you to do Generation LINK?

Since finishing undergrad, the Lord has slowly been growing within me a love for the local church. I've worked for parachurch organizations and came back to grad school with the desire to use a communications degree to serve/lead within a parachurch or non-profit organization. Over my time in graduate school, I completely fell in love with the local church and He worked within me a desire to use my gifts to serve there. I'm still processing those desires: does it look like vocational ministry? Lay leadership and service? Generation LINK gave me an opportunity to serve the church body I love - Crosspoint Church in Clemson- while being equipped for a life of ministry, whether it's in the local church or in the workplace.

Which location and what areas of ministry do you serve with through Generation LINK?

I serve at Crosspoint Church in Clemson. Within Student Ministry, I serve with a specific focus on high schoolers. I also serve with the Media and Publicity ministries at Crosspoint, giving oversight to Sunday morning media and then chipping in to meet any publicity needs that arise. 

What are you most excited about in your area of ministry?

I'm excited to see high school guys make their faith their own. Student ministry can be frustrating at times; you wonder if your students are listening or even care about what you have to say or what the Word says. As a student ministry team, our prayer of late has been that the Lord would move in our students' hearts to open their eyes to their need for Christ. We know that we cannot "persuade" our students to trust Jesus, to submit to Him, or to regard Him as Lord. We cannot persuade them to think about life from a Biblical worldview. We cannot give them discipline to seek the Lord. This is extremely humbling, but also absolutely thrilling. My greatest excitement toward student ministry is the excitement of knowing that God is completely capable of setting the hearts of my high school guys on fire for the Gospel.

What 2-3 books have been most formative in your walk with Christ?
"Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life" - Donald Whitney
"A Gospel Primer" - Milton Vincent
The Letter to the Hebrews

What are your favorite things to do in your free time?

I immensely enjoy anything active/competitive. Basketball is the all-time favorite, while racquetball is a recent hobby. I love being outside in creation and I delight in watching the seasons change. I have slept in my ENO more times than I can count. I think I'm becoming a better reader. I'm an avid coffee drinker, an avid Duke basketball fan, and a slightly less avid Atlanta Braves fan. I enjoy travel and exploring new places, but it's hard to beat an afternoon downtown in my hometown: Greenville, South Carolina.

What is your typical coffee shop order?

Grande dark roast with an inch of room and two raw sugars at Starbucks. Anywhere else, it's just black coffee.

By: Joey Evans

Meet the Team: Emily Schneck

This post is part of a series called "Meet the Team" introducing you to our Generation LINK staff. We hope it will help you get to know Generation LINK staff members serving around the country a little better.

Where did you graduate from and what did you study?

I graduated from Clemson University in May of 2013 with a bachelor of arts in architecture and a minor in history.

What led you to do Generation LINK?

During the fall of my senior year at Clemson I began thinking and praying about what God would have me do after graduating.  I had no desire to continue studying architecture or to pursue a career in the field, and therefore faced a lot of uncertainty as to what my next steps would be.  I had heard briefly about Generation LINK while attending Crosspoint, but became really interested in this opportunity as it was presented in the Connecting Point group that I was attending.  I was excited about the chance to serve full-time in the church and to pursue growth and discipleship with like-minded believers.  As God grew my desire to be a part of Generation LINK, He made it clearly evident that this is where He wanted me.     

Which location & what areas of ministry do you serve with through Generation LINK?

I serve in the family & children’s ministry at Crosspoint Church in Clemson.

What are you most excited about in your area of ministry?

I am most passionate to see children grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Gospel as they are consistently presented with the Truth.  I am excited to see children recognize their need for a Savior and dedicate themselves to a lifetime of serving and honoring Christ.

What books have been most formative in your walk with Christ?

Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper

Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley

What are your favorite things to do in your free time?

I enjoy running, finding new recipes & cooking healthy foods, doing craft projects, and almost anything outside (especially when it is warm!).  I love tea, both iced and hot, any kind of whole wheat bread, popcorn, and vine-ripe tomatoes.

What is your typical coffee shop order?

I’m not a coffee fan, so I don’t visit them frequently… but when I do, either hot tea or a smoothie.  

By: Emily Schneck

Meet the Team: Matt Jordan

   Where did you graduate from and what did you study?

    I graduated from Coastal Carolina University in December of 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. I thought that I wanted to become a financial advisor so after I graduated I applied for many of those types of jobs but I never got an interview or anything so I had to take a job as a server to start paying bills.  

      What led you to do Generation LINK?

     What led me to Generation LINK was I realized that God had called me to ministry and that he was calling me to seminary. I had looked at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and really felt that that was where God wanted me to go. About that same time, a new friend I had met named Dustin Raley had told me about GLINK. He told me that they offer seminary training through SEBTS and that you could get hands-on experience as well. I then sat down with Russ Bennett who is a pastor at Cornerstone Church and he gave me a more in-depth summary of GLINK. I felt that this was what God wanted me to do and so I filled out my application and here I am.

Which location and what areas of ministry do you serve with through Generation LINK?

 Because I live in Myrtle Beach, I requested Cornerstone Church and Jeremy and Jenna allowed me to work here and it has really been a blessing. The staff and I get along very well and its a very fun workplace. I am involved in the youth and college ministry here at Cornerstone Church because that's where I have the most knowledge. I can relate to both college kids and youth because I was there not too long ago.

What are you most excited about in your area of ministry?

I am most excited about seeing the youth that I minister begin to grow in their faith. With kids its really tough for them to take things seriously but slowly and surely I have begun to see some fruit from this ministry and it really makes it all worth while.

What 2-3 books have been most formative in your walk with Christ?

Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung has been my favorite read so far this year. Everyone struggles with what the future will hold and I definitely struggled with how I was supposed to fit in God's plan. Just Do Something really opened my eyes to how we figure out what are to do with our lives. And the best about the book is that is simple and to the point. You can read it in a day if you wanted.

My next favorite book will probably Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot. It tells the story of 5 missionaries who gave everything for the sake of spreading the gospels to the nations. The setting is in the jungles of the Ecuador where the missionaries are trying to reach the violent waudoni people who have had very little contact with outsiders. These men eventually get speared to death in one of the meetings with the waudoni but the fruits of their labor is seen today in that there is a thriving Christian population there today.

What are your favorite things to do in your free time?

Where do I start. Well first off I am an avid outdoorsman and anytime I go bowhunting or fishing I go. I grew up on a farm so I am no stranger to the country life. But I also like to play pretty much any sport that involves a ball. Its very fun and its also a great ministry tool. Lastly, my kryptonite is video games. If you would let me, I could play Call of Duty or Battlefield all day long. But don't thing nothing good come out of video games, because it is also a great ministry tool.

What is your typical coffee shop order?

I pretty much always stick with French vanilla. Many of my buddies drink it black but I have no shame in dropping a ton of French vanilla creamer in my coffee and turning it the color of my skin. I pretty much should ask, "Can I get some coffee with my creamer?"

Meet the Team: Josh Davis

This post is part of a series called "Meet the Team" introducing you to our Generation LINK staff. We hope it will help you get to know Generation LINK staff members serving around the country a little better. 

Where did you graduate from and what did you study?
I graduated from the great university of Clemson University. I studied Construction Science and Management with a minor in Business

What led you to do Generation LINK?
Ultimately Christ led me to do G LINK. When I first heard of Summer LINK I was like “ Yes, I want to do that” Through my first Summer LINK in Myrtle Beach, God led me to pursue full time ministry as a youth pastor. I then served on Summer LINK Boston 2012 and during my last semester at Clemson, I applied and was accepted to G LINK.

Which location and what areas of ministry do you serve with through Generation LINK?
I am serving at Crosspoint Church in Clemson, SC. I serve in the Student Ministry and Kids Ministry.

What are you most excited about in your area of ministry?
The opportunity to spend another year with my students, this year being my 4th year, and continue to build relationships and point them to Christ.

What 2-3 books have been most formative in your walk with Christ?
“Humility” by CJ Mahaney, “Spiritual Disciplines” by Donald S. Whitney, and “Master Plan of Evangelism” by Robert E. Coleman

What are your favorite things to do in your free time?
I love just relaxing and spending time with friends, I like sports, soccer, football, ultimate Frisbee, racquetball, I just like being active. I’m also starting to enjoy reading more, which is surprising. And I always love a good cup of coffee and conversation.

What is your typical coffee shop order?
Large regular coffee, no sugar, just creamer. OR an Americano.

Meet the Team: Meghan Lowe

This post is part of a series called "Meet the Team" introducing you to our Generation LINK staff. We hope it will help you get to know Generation LINK staff members serving around the country a little better.

Where did you graduate from and what did you study? 

I graduated from The Ohio State University in May 2013 and studied International Studies, with a concentration 
in West European Studies. 

What led you to do Generation LINK?

I had the opportunity to do Summer LINK Myrtle Beach after my freshman year so I had an idea about 
Generation LINK. My senior year came around and the idea floated around in my head a little more. I was 
scared so I came to the conclusion that it wasn't for me and decided to go in a different direction. However, God 
had something else in mind. After He shut the door to something else, the fear that had led me to run was 
pointed out to me through a number of people. Just a week later the opportunity to do Generation LINK was 
presented to me again. I knew I could only run for so long and decided to take a step of faith and I haven't 
regretted it one bit. 

What areas of ministry do you serve with through Generation LINK?

I serve with the college ministry at Crosspoint Church.

What are you most excited about in your area of ministry?

I love having the opportunity to lead a Bible study for freshmen girls. It has been such a joy getting to know 
them and to spend time in the Word with them every Wednesday night. On top of that, I love getting to meet 
with those girls one-on-one and talking about God together.

What 2-3 books have been most informative in your walk with Christ? 

• Let the Nations be Glad by John Piper
• Knowing God by JI Packer
• Follow Me by David Platt

What are your favorite things to do in your free time?

I enjoy reading. I often have several books going at once. I also love to spend time in coffee shops, spend time 
with friends, travel, watch soccer and football, go to concerts... The list could go on and on. 

What is your typical coffee shop order?

It depends on the season and the coffee shop. If it happens to be winter time I love a good Gingerbread Latte. 
Otherwise, I'm pretty simple: black coffee. 

Meet the Team: Chad Ferrell

This post is part of a series called "Meet the Team" introducing you to our Generation LINK staff. We hope it will help you get to know Generation LINK staff members serving around the country a little better.

Where did you graduate from and what did you study?

I graduated from Appalachian State University in the Spring of 2007 with a Bachelor's of Science in Communication. I also have a M.Div. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

What led you to Generation LINK?

After graduating from seminary in December 2010, my wife and I were given an opportunity to serve a year in India with Generation LINK and our home church, Ridgecrest in Durham, NC. After our year in India we started pursuing church planting. Through our interest in church planting we decided to do a church planting residency through Generation LINK. 

Which location and what areas of ministry do you serve with Generation LINK?

I am at Crosspoint Church in Clemson, SC. I am a church planting resident. I serve on the college ministry team. I also lead our International Student Ministry. I have been able to serve with our international partnership in India. 

What are you most excited about in your area of ministry?

One of the most exciting parts of my ministry is being able to interact with the elders at Crosspoint. I have been able to see a great example of plurality of elders at Crosspoint. I also have a great desire to see internationals reached with the gospel and am very excited about getting families within Crosspoint involved in the lives of the 1500 international students at Clemson University. I am excited about Crosspoint's desire to see churches planted internationally and nationally. 

What 2-3 books have been most formative in your walk with Christ? 

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

Romans by the Apostle Paul 

Institutes by John Calvin 

What are your favorite things to do in your free time?

I love spending time with my wife and son. I enjoy fishing, hunting, disc golf, anything outdoors. I enjoy a good book and a wonderful cup of black coffee. Another favorite thing to do is try new restaurants especially those that have been featured on the Food Network.

What is your typical coffee shop order?

Drip coffee, no room for sugar or cream. 

Don't Waste Your Summer!

When I was a college student I heard this advice repeated frequently: “Make the most of your summers. Use them for God’s kingdom! This is a unique season of life and will most likely be the only time you have to take advantage of mission opportunities that are weeks or months long.” 

The summer after my junior year, I had the privilege of being a part of the first Summer LINK in Hilton Head, SC. I spent 10 weeks in Hilton Head with about 30 other staff and students working a job (the one and only time in my life I’ve been a waitress!), living in community, studying God’s Word, and learning how to engage the lost.  Looking back on that summer, I cannot tell you how thankful I am that I decided to do Summer LINK. I can think of many theological discussions, hard days at work, gospel conversations, and deep friendships that shaped and sanctified me and, by God’s grace, made me more like Christ.

The first Summer LINK in 2008 in Hilton Head, SC

I know it can be easy to get caught up in pressures to focus on school or work or internships (and for some of you that may be what God is calling you to do). But for many of you, would you prayerfully consider how God is calling you to fulfill the Great Commission with your summer? Jesus says in Matthew 28:18-20: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and if the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” How does God want you to be a part of His commission to make disciples this summer? Personally, when I look back on my time in college I’m so thankful I heeded the advice I heard and did Summer LINK. I have no regrets!

Since the first Summer LINK in 2008, I have been able to participate or help lead Summer LINKs for the last five years in Hilton Head, Raleigh, and India. Here are a few reasons I’ve found Summer LINK to be so valuable in my life and in the lives of numerous other students:

1) You experience intentional discipleship and theological training. I have experienced discipleship in a variety of forms through Summer LINK. Bible studies, one-on-one mentorship, and weekly church services are major ways the Lord can grow and develop you during Summer LINK.

2) You gain valuable ministry and leadership experience. Whether you’re working with a church plant in Seattle, teaching children English in Honduras or on staff for the summer at Crosspoint in Clemson, you will gain valuable ministry experience. You will come alongside of the missionaries or church planters in your location and play an essential role in serving them and advancing their ministry. Whether you plan to go into ministry, the secular workplace, or more school when you finish college, Summer LINK will prepare you to live on mission and share the gospel wherever you are. In addition, when the summer is over, you will have the blessing of knowing the ministry you began will be carried on long after you’re gone through the local church or missionaries you worked with!

3) You live in gospel community. Community is vital to our growth. We need to “stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). You’ll grow so much from living together, doing ministry together, studying the Word together, and laughing and having fun together! Some of my closest friends, friends I know will be lifelong friends, have come from Summer LINK. And who knows, you may even meet your spouse (we’ve seen it happen a few times)!

Now you may be saying, “Ok I’m interested. What’s next?” Here’s a few action steps for you:

1) Check out our website at www.generation-link.org. Go ahead and start your application (even if you’re not certain yet!).

2) “Like” our facebook page and follow us on twitter to stay up to date on what’s new with Generation LINK.

Summer LINK 2013

By Jenna Wayment, Generation LINK Assistant Director