Scott and Sandi Gaither sold their belongings, their house and their family business in Florida to be the associate youth pastors for the Koloa Church. “I just had a feeling in my spirit that we just had to make the
Scott and Sandi Gaither sold their belongings, their house and their family business in Florida to be the associate youth pastors for the Koloa Church.
“I just had a feeling in my spirit that we just had to make the move,” Scott said.
For the past six years, he and his wife have directed five youth camps and citywide outreaches, organized and ridden in 500-mile bike rides to raise money for missions and served as sectional representatives for the Penn Florida District. They hope to bring activities like that to the Koloa Church youth group, Crave Youth Ministry.
“We’re looking forward to this year,” he said. “My goal is to establish a good solid youth group at the church. To really grow their relationships with God, one student at a time. It doesn’t matter to me the quantity of the youth group. It’s the quality of it that matters.”
They want to work on starting an island-wide youth camp scheduled for the summer. Then he eventually wants to establish a youth worship team.
“Everything will eventually be student lead,” he said. “That’s another goal of mine. When you’re a youth pastor you have many goals. You try a lot of things. Some things will work, some won’t.”
Koloa Church’s pastor Harold Kilborn said once he reconnected with Scott Gaither, he knew he was the right man to bring over for the position. Kilborn knew him for a long time.
“I knew him since he was 8 years old. He was born and raised in the Christian Church, a good family,” Kilborn said. “His parents are missionaries in Japan and I told them we were looking for a new youth pastor. They said their son was looking for a change. He contacted me and within a month, we decided he’s the one.”
Prior to him, Kilborn and the church searched for three months for someone to lead the youth group.
The installation ceremony was conducted in November, and the group held its their first discipleship at their house this past Wednesday. Youth services are on Sundays at 8 a.m.
Scott graduated from Southeastern College in Lakeland, Fla., with a bachelor of arts in church ministries, with a concentration in communications. He was ordained in May 2001 with the Penn Florida District.
Sandi graduated from Central Bible College in Springfield, Mo., with her associates of arts degree in Christian education in April 1988.
In addition to the youth group services, Kilborn will begin an in-depth study or verse by verse exposition of the Book of Romans.
This book will be taught every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in the church’s fellowship hall in an informal setting. There will be a question-and-answer period at the end of the teaching.
For more information on Crave Youth Ministry, call 212-9458. For more information, call the church at 742-9956 or the parsonage at 742-8984.
