For the past year and a half Frankie Gilmore has been serving as our Youth Ministry Intern/Student Campus Ministry Director. During this time Pastor Sean trained and mentored Frankie as an intern. Under Sean’s supervision, much of the youth ministry had been turned over to Frankie’s leadership. Frankie has also been serving as Pastor Marty’s assistant in the Worship ministry. Therefore, it was easy to fully recommend Frankie to take on the new position as full time Youth Pastor. It worked out as if it was the perfect timing of God: we already had in place a qualified servant ready to step in.
Let me tell you a little about Frankie. He is a graduate of Charleston Southern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Worship Leadership. He has a very strong background in bands and ensembles. Frankie’s peers recognize him as a leader, extremely organized, Gospel centered, artistic and creative. Since 2012 he has worked at Moe’s Southwest Grill in Summerville. The last three years he worked there as Shift Manager. Frankie is engaged to Jen Colburn. They make a most beautiful and wonderfully talented couple. You see Jen playing and singing in the praise band each Sunday. She also serves with Frankie and Marty in the Youth “Surge” ministry. Frankie and Jen have already been a blessing to our church family and the ministry here at JIBC. I look forward to working with Frankie and seeing how our Father will use him to equip JIBC to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken generation.
Two caveats to my introduction. First, Frankie is not Sean. God already has a Sean. Frankie is Frankie: saved by grace, blessed by God, talented in more ways than we can count. Sean brought almost 25 years of experience to the table. Frankie is just beginning his full time journey. Frankie learned from one of the best, so he has a great start. Second, Frankie is primarily focused on Youth Ministry. While he may deal with those infamous “other duties as assigned”, his primary mission is to lead JIBC to join God’s work to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken generation of youth. He is not the Connection Pastor or All Star Pastor. He is the Youth Pastor who will, as all of us do, help out when appropriate. Susan Warren will supervise Joanne Brown in Children’s Ministry and Marie Smith in Awana. It is our plan that Frankie will continue as our Full Time Youth Pastor even when, Lord willing, we fill Pastor Sean’s position as “Family Pastor/Associate Pastor”. The new position and title has yet to be determined. To God be the glory, great things He is doing!
Pastor Tom
