Youth Leader Spotlight: Terry Knecht
Meet Terry Knecht!
Terry is the acting student pastor at Bayside Baptist Church in Harrison, TN. He and his wife Carrie have been married for 21 years and they have three kids, Cooper (17), Carson (14), and Caroline (11). Their family has attended Bayside for the past twelve and a half years and Terry has been on staff for almost seven of those years. Coming from a background in teaching and coaching, Terry shares that he is so grateful for his relationship with Zach and YLCO from which he has gleaned a lot of wisdom since stepping into his new role in youth ministry almost 7 years ago now.
Ministry Story
Terry has one of those stories where it’s just so undeniably clear that God had big plans for him since the very beginning. He became an orphan at the age of 10 and was in and out of children’s homes, living with family members, and then foster homes until he was 16 when he decided to leave his foster family. Unfortunately, this change that he thought was the best decision at the time led to a lot of drug and alcohol use as well as a plethora of other bad decisions for Terry. He began to notice a gaping void in his heart that he sought to fill through football, relationships, and anything else he could grasp for.
One night he was invited to a youth group where he was surprised to see his buddy Justin, who had shared a similar lifestyle as him, up on stage sharing his testimony about how God had changed his life. Terry recalls hearing that and thinking I think I want that but at the time he wasn’t aware of or ready for the cost of that change.
Later on his senior year of high school, Terry found himself in a pretty hopeless place, believing as an orphan that he had no prospects for college or any path to success in his life. So on a weekend in January of 1995, against the bidding of some of his Christian friends, he began drinking and smoking and his heart started pounding to the point where he was really scared. Terry shares that in his mind he heard God say, “TK, you either start living for me or you’re gonna be gone.” After that, he recalls having a flashback of all the people that had ever shown Jesus to him from friends to teachers to coaches. He can still clearly see each of those faces to this day when he thinks about that flashback. The next morning he woke up and felt completely changed, with the assurance that God wanted to use him in the lives of teenagers just like him.
From there, Terry went on to graduate from Bryan College with a degree in Christian Education with an emphasis on youth ministry and minors in Bible and History. He taught Bible and History at Grace Academy after college, served as their chaplain, and eventually helped start their football program as well before coming on staff with Bayside in 2014. Terry still coaches football at Grace and especially loves spending time with his two sons through that, who are currently on the high school team.
Key Influences
Without hesitation, Terry shares that his friend Justin Park, the friend Terry had heard share his testimony at youth group that night, has been the biggest influence on his spiritual development. Justin now serves on staff here in town at Rock Point Community Church. Terry considers Justin to be more like a brother at this point, considering all they have been through together. Terry says that as he spent time at practices with Justin, he knew by the way he lived his life that he loved Jesus. He shares, “When I got saved, I knew immediately who I needed to talk to and it was him.” Justin and his family even let Terry live with them for a while so he could have a safe place to be around someone following Jesus away from any old influences or temptations from prior living situations. Since then, Terry and Justin have discipled one another as they’ve both entered into ministry, and Terry is deeply grateful for Justin’s influence during his early years of following Jesus.
Some Thoughts on Student Ministry
What do you love about student ministry?
Being able to pour into students going through the same situations Terry went through, doing life with them, and teaching them God’s Word…
What scares you about student ministry?
The kids that look like they know everything and say all the right things now but walk out the doors of the church and on to college or a job and leave their faith behind, forgetting everything they’ve learned. These students remind Terry of what he could have been like if not for the Lord interceding, having been on the same path as them.
Best student ministry advice you’ve ever received?
-Not to pour his whole life into the Church to the point where he neglects his family- He feels this tension more strongly with his own kids being in youth group. The role overlap makes it more difficult to prioritize intentional family time.
-To take every caution necessary to draw boundaries with students, especially as a male youth leader in the way he interacts with female students in his ministry. Terry recognizes the fine line that can easily be crossed between students sharing emotional struggles with leaders and other feelings becoming involved and attached with that. Being aware of this, he’s passionate about the grave responsibility he holds through his position of authority to represent the Church well in the ways he treats his students in a culture where social media and other things make it so easy to slip up in this area.
Random Trivia about Terry
Name a song that would appear on your life soundtrack?
Jesus Freak by DC Talk – he even wants the lyrics read at his funeral
What makes you laugh?
His daughter Caroline
Do you know your Enneagram number?
9
Nickname growing up?
TK
Something people may not know about you?
“I’m a huge sports fan, BUT I also love acting and theater!”
Ways to Pray for Terry
Let’s pray for wisdom for Terry to be sensitive to the Lord’s moving in his life and ministry.