Youth & Young Adult Pastor Mikey Koons Joins Joy City

Hello, and welcome to today’s Joy City podcast, I’m your host, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA recording from beautiful Diamond Arrow Campground in Nevada City. We are at family camp this week and I was excited to be able to sit down with our Youth presenter in a moment of down time, Mikey Koons. 

Mikey is the Youth and Young Adult Pastor at LifeHouse Church in Rocklin, CA, where he also has the honor to serve as the Worship Arts Director. We will cover a lot today, including his wild super power that he calls Pastor’s id Syndrome, being a sponge or a light bulb and how the young people seem to be re-engaging in socializing after this pandemic and staying connected electronically but not necessarily physically interacting with one another. You will hear some tremendous insight, a few actionable tips that you can implement to grow in your pursuit of God, and I am confident that you will find at the very least some mild amusement along the way too. 

Lets jump into my interview with Mikey Koons:

Growing up as a pastor’s kid, camp is part of my lifestyle, not just being at camp as a young person but also singing or speaking at camp. So being around all these kids is like a huge rush of energy. 

You will always have a mix of kids who are present here and then those who are tethered to the world through their devices. I am familiar with many students who have fits of anxiety when their devices don’t work. After being birthed into this technology age, this is all they know. So lets not rush to judgment. 

Parental anxiety regarding allowing youth to go to camp; as creatures of comfort and routine this is difficult. You have to trust but there is so many benefits of experiencing camp. Team building is emphasized when we live in a world that is solo-based. We are made for community, interacting and flourishing as humans. 

Mikey talks about using as little words as possible when sharing the Gospel of Christ with young people. Walk the walk and be an example to others. He then shares the challenges of coming up as a pastor’s kid. I want to be the one standing on the fringe who captures those who are walking away or slipping away. I want to be the one who people ask, “Why do you love me?” 

Pastor’s kid conversation was eye opening regarding the unfair standard pastor’s kids are held to. This forced him into being the “best fake” on the outside. It also pushed him deeper into music, both secular and Christian. He wanted to play Rock & Roll and be famous. Now at 35 years old, he is just scratching the surface on several areas of his life and the effects of living in a fish bowl. If you say “no” to the church you are saying ‘no” to God. But learning to say no is growth. 

You can reach Mikey at his church Lifehouse Church in Rocklin, CA. Mikey@thelifehousechurch.com.

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win. 

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases. 

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at pastorstuart@lifeconnection4christ.org or call me at (209) 522-3583.