Serving the Future of the Church
It’s often said that a Jessup education is transformational. For alumnus Nick Tucker, he came to the University as a soccer player and left a leader. “I was always more of an athlete than a scholar, but I learned to value my time and apply what I was learning,” the Christian Leadership major said.
Tucker came to faith his junior year in high school and by that time, he had perfected his skills on the soccer field. He was familiar with being a leader because of sports, but that leadership took a different direction once he accepted Christ. “For the first time, I found myself not only leading my teammates, but also other guys in student ministry groups.”
After high school, with intentions to become a physical therapist, he enrolled in a community college kinesiology course and found himself feeling somewhat empty inside. “It just didn’t feel right,” he said. “So, I became an undeclared major. During that time, I prayed a lot about what I was going to do with my life. I remember vividly, the exact spot I stood on campus when the Holy Spirit spoke the word “ministry” to me.” Tucker recalls not being quite sure what to make of the experience. “I processed this with my mentors and small group leaders and finally came to grips that I was being called to ministry. I’ll never forget one of my mentors saying to me, ‘Nick, you’re not built to sit on the sidelines, you are built to lead.’”
It was at that time he was ready to transfer to a four-year university. “From that point, I stopped pursuing enrolling at state and public universities and concentrated on Christian universities. “What set Jessup apart for me was how relational the faculty and staff were. This wasn’t about playing soccer and getting a piece of paper. I was seen as a person that faculty wanted to invest in as a student and future leader.”
In addition to his leadership courses, he took classes that helped him develop an interdisciplinary concentration with courses in communication, marketing and psychology. He credits Jessup with helping him develop time management skills, grow socially and learn from relevant course content.
He also landed a solid internship at a church right away, one that lasted two-and-a half years. “That was a great experience and somewhat unique because Covid hit near the end of it. I was able to observe and learn from the way my leaders responded,” he said. “So many of the principles I was studying were being demonstrated real-time, so my studies were highly applicable. I was able to test and theorize so much of what I was learning in class.” His internship forced him to step up his leadership and learn what worked and what didn’t. “So much of ministry doesn’t follow a typical playbook. You have to gain the experience by doing and I’m so thankful I had that opportunity.”
The experience paid off and Tucker accepted a job offer before graduation. “I moved to Modesto on Friday, went to commencement on Saturday and started my first day of work that Monday.” Currently, he serves as the student ministries pastor at Lifepointe Christian Church where he oversees 7th grade through young adult ministries.
Tucker is doing something right because their programs have doubled since his arrival. “My heart beats so much for the next generation. There is no other job on the planet where you get to vacation and brag about Jesus,” he said. “I love the events, summer camps, winter camps, and being able to see the world and invite students to come alongside me.”
Watching teenagers and young adults come to acknowledge and understand who God is and how He is calling them to walk in the calling He places in their lives motivates Tucker. “Youth ministry is the lens where you see the future of the church. I get to be one of the first to see what the church is going to look like in 10 years.”
