Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andrew Kiste. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Andrew, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

In my previous career, I was a high school history teacher. I spent time with my students, day in and day out. Because I taught at a small school, I often taught students several years in a row, with a few “lucky” ones taking my classes all four years of high school.

Over the span of these years, I got to know these students: what they liked, their fears, the intricacies of their personalities, the makeup of their family, their political and social opinions. In other words, I got to know their STORIES. And because I also served as their class advisor, AP Director, yearbook adviser, and Cross Country coach, we spent a lot of time together outside the classroom. I got to know them on a deeper level, and I also let them get to know me than more than just a teacher, but as a person–with professional limits, of course.

Not only was I a teacher, but I had also become a mentor, someone they could reach out to in times of need. One student asked me for relationship advice, while another reached out to me in the midst of a suicide attempt. All of this helped me to be prepared to grow deeper relationships in the role that I currently serve as a Campus Life director in youth ministry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Andrew Kiste, and I am a middle and high school Campus Life director in a rural Michigan town.

Prior to entering into youth ministry, I served eleven years as a high school teacher in North Carolina. However, my wife and I felt called to move back to our home state of Michigan, specifically to pursue what God would have for us regarding ministry. I found a job posting online for a position which would allow me to build relationships with students, spend time with them socially, have a deep impact upon their lives, and teach them about the love of God. It seemed like a role that combined my previous experience with the calling I felt God had for me moving forward.

My schedule varies from week to week. During the school year, I spend time in the space students occupy: the athletic stadium, the local gas station/cafe, the lunch room, all to spend time getting to know them. We also offer Bible studies, where students come into our homes to learn about the love of God. A larger group meeting, called Club, takes place on a weekly basis which includes games, snacks, a lesson and small group time. We also offer fun activities simply to socialize throughout the week, such as playing minigolf, going to the beach, having s’mores, or playing video games. Finally, in the summer, we take a group of students from our small farming town to wilderness camp for a week of unplugging from their technology and plugging into Creation.

I have loved seeing how my students have grown stronger in their own faith. I have loved empowering adults from our community to make their faith real, by investing in the lives of students. And I have loved seeing the trickle-down effect of how parents and families’ lives are being changed as their teenager has come to learn about a loving and gracious God.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

One of the most important pieces of youth ministry (or ministry of any kind) is to develop a listening ear. To do ministry well, it often means being slow to speak and quick to listen. People–especially students–don’t want someone to talk AT them or solve their problems. They want someone who is willing to listen, to empathize, to see them in their situation and to love them through it. Only once someone has seen that you are listening to them will they be ready for you to provide care, love and advice.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start?

As someone who is in ministry, I have considered myself to be a missionary. As a result, I rely upon private, monthly donations to support this ministry. I meet with people, tell them about the incredible work God is doing in students’ lives, and invite them in to the ministry, to invest in the Kingdom of God and in the blessings of witnessing and participating in the life change experienced by our students and their families.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/middlevillecampuslife/home
• Instagram: @tkcampuslife
• Facebook: Andrew Kiste-Middleville Campus Life