Joshua Velez
Youth/Young Adults
Josh served nearly 12 years in the United States Marine Corps, where much of his role involved mentoring and developing young people. But in 2017, while serving as a Marine recruiter in Boston, he had a life-changing encounter with Jesus that completely redirected his life.
After leaving the military, he sensed God calling him into ministry. He recently graduated from Southeastern University with a degree in Ministerial Leadership, and during that time he served in youth ministry and helped lead outreach efforts in his community. His experiences with mentorship in the Marines and leading in various ministry settings developed in him a passion for discipleship.
His passion for discipleship comes from a deep conviction that the heart of ministry is not merely gathering people but helping people to become faithful followers of Christ. When Jesus gave the command in the Gospel of Matthew 28:18-20, He did not simply instruct His followers to make converts, He called them to make disciples. Because of this, he is dedicated to helping people learn to follow Jesus with their whole lives, to grow in their faith, grow in obedience, and grow their love for God and others.