Celebrating 40 years of Consistent, Obedient Ministry to Youth Pastors

Despite the wisdom of the advice to never judge a book by it’s cover, I admit that I have judged a book by it’s title.  A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson qualifies as a great book with an excellent title.

Consistency appears to be a rare commodity in today’s instant gratification society.  We wish we could fly rather than drive; we prefer fast food over a slow cooked home meal and we would rather write a quick e-mail rather than compose a handwritten letter on something called stationary.

Roy Bilyeu has served on the PastorServe staff since it’s early years, coming on board as the second member of the team.  Roy’s primary calling is to serve as a pastor to the youth pastors of Kansas City.

Many (many) years ago, the Lord called Roy and his high school sweetheart wife Connie to serve teenagers. Al Metsker challenged Roy to join the staff of Youth for Christ.  After much prayer and discussion, Roy and Connie said yes.  Roy resigned from his teaching position at Washington HS, sent out 150 support letters and went to live at a Youth For Christ camp for 10 weeks with his family.  When camp was over the pledges to Roy’s support equaled the amount he had been receiving as a teacher.

Roy would go on to serve youth ands youth pastors with Youth for Christ (a.k.a. YouthFront) for 30 years!  The last ten years a major part of his work was in starting local networks for youth pastors across the city.  Roy would “cold call” youth pastors asking them to come to a gathering of like-minded youth pastors.  After they realized he wasn’t selling or promoting anything, and that he genuinely cared, they readily came to be under Roy’s compassionate leadership.

In 2003, Roy joined the PastorServe team, continuing his ministry to youth pastors in Kansas City.  During the last 10+ years, Roy has kept things together in the office while he continues to serve youth pastors and facilitate youth pastor networks.  Roy will schedule what he calls a DayAway, where the youth pastor can have a time of refreshing; praying, reading, sleeping, whatever is needed.  Roy makes himself available to talk with them individually.

While you may not know this about PastorServe, we have a thriving fishing ministry.  From Spring to Fall, Roy can be found around Kansas City with a pastor in a boat, fishing for bass and talking about life.  It’s amazing how pastors will open up when they are alone with Roy as the sun rises over a quiet cove of a Kansas lake.  Roy has done more ministry on the water than 95% of pastors have done from the pulpit (that’s my professional opinion!).

Wherever Roy and Connie have attended church, they have thrown themselves into youth ministry.  He presently works with a group of senior boys at Grace Church as their small group leader.  Roy says it’s in the DNA!

This year, Roy celebrates  
Roy Bilyeu – the living picture of a long obedience in the same direction.  Thanks Roy! 

Thank you to you for consistently supporting Roy and the ministry of PastorServe.  Thank you for honoring pastors through your faithful prayer support and generous financial support.

May we all lead lives of consistently pursuing the person of Jesus!