As a six-year-old girl, Andi Matheson knew the story of Jesus. Her parents shared the truth about Jesus. She learned about Him in Sunday School. It was through a drawing made by her Sunday school teacher where it became personal. She drew a bridge connecting Andi to God. The bridge was Jesus. Jesus on the cross gave Andi the only way to God the Father. Right at that moment, Andi understood the truth about sin. Sin separated her from God. Right there, she prayed for forgiveness and accepted Jesus as her Savior. Ever since then, she’s had a heart to serve Jesus and to point kids and students to the cross.
“A few years ago, I was working full time at a camp in Arkansas,” Andi shared. “When my husband Keegan and I got married he moved down there. Keegan knew he wanted to work for Salt Company (college ministry). We moved to Omaha last year for his Salt residency. I got a job as the youth and family director at the downtown YMCA. I loved working with the kids and underserved families at the Y. I really enjoyed my job there.”
Citylight Midtown’s Student Director, Jacob Gatewood, approached Andi back in December. Jacob was looking for a Student Resident.
“Jacob invited me to be a Resident, and I said no,” Andi confessed with a grin. “I told him that I don’t know if I can work and serve in youth ministry. I just got my job at the Y and enjoyed it. Plus, I didn’t like support raising, and my stable job. I told him I would give it some time but knew my answer would be no. The Lord changed my heart. He moved in me as I prayed. I have a heart for this neighborhood and the youth. Plus, I missed being in ministry. The Lord has given me a deep passion for it and not working in it made me sad. I went back to Jacob and said I think I was wrong. He said I know.”
Andi joined the student team at Midtown this past summer and hasn’t looked back. The sweetness of and uniqueness of student ministry has been the best part.
“Our ministry is so diverse,” Andi described. “It’s been fun and challenging. We have kids in all the life stages and with different backgrounds all in one room. I’ve never worked for a church, just a para church ministry. The way you go about work is so different. I’ve learned that even the way we can present the gospel or pursue kids looks different. The follow up is more so here at church. At camp I would see them a week and never again. I’ve had to rewrite how I pursue kids and even how to teach.”
Andi has learned a few things about kids. One is that even when you have grown up in youth ministry and are around Christians, it’s an easy thing to feel that the Bible and Christianity are not fun.
“I want our kids to know that the Bible and Jesus are freedom,” Andi said with certainty. "Student ministry can seem to the kids that we want you stop hanging out with your friends and doing stuff and not to have fun. But that's not the case. We want to flip the narrative to the fact that Jesus is fun but also, the freedom that comes with Jesus! It is so real. We want them to know the gospel. We want the kids to believe the gospel and then be able to share the gospel. I want them to walk away knowing that with Jesus there is freedom. It’s not stifling. But also, I want each student to know the gospel for themselves and to relay that to others.”
As a church, there are many ways to support Andi, the Student Ministry team and the kids who show up each week. The biggest need right now is for van drivers. Andi described the need below.
“A lot of our kids get picked up. Some are close and some are a little further away. It’s the only way the kids can make it through our doors. The more kids, the more van routes needed and the need to pray for consistent drivers. Another prayer request is the need for consistent attendance with our students. We would love for them to feel they have a place to come to. I want them to feel loved and excited to come and to know that they have a community and friendship. I feel the pressure to communicate clearly God’s word and love.”
Andi’s heart and life was changed by Jesus at a young age. Today, serving in vocational ministry has given Andi an opportunity to continue growing in her faith and sharing Jesus. She has experienced Jesus’s love through her family, Sunday school teachers, friends, students, from her husband and serving others. Her hope is every student she serves knows and follows Christ. To see and understand clearly, as she did when she was a young girl, what Jesus did for them on the cross.
Join Andi's support team and newsletter >> andi.matheson@citylightomaha.org
Sign up to serve on the student ministry team >> citylightomaha.org/students