About the Youth Ministry

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CURRENT YOUTH MINISTRY PROGRAM

In the fall of 1986 Jeff Keele left his position as youth minister to take the pulpit position at the Tatum Church of Christ in Hickman County. Soon thereafter in January of 1987, the Elders of the Walnut Street Church of Christ approached Bob Spencer about developing a youth chorus to sing at an up-coming youth rally. This was accomplished and the decision was made to continue with the chorus activity.

In the early summer of that year, Ted Williams returned to Dickson and was asked to work with the youth. By the end of the summer, Bob and Ted decided to work together on a youth program for students in the seventh through the twelfth grades. The program started with approximately twenty members and took its first trip to Orlando, Florida in the spring of 1988.

The growth continued with members in the youth group reaching approximately seventy by 1995. During that year, Ted Williams decided to give up the youth work due to the birth of his twins. He had participated as youth minister for nine years ending his tenure at the end of June in 1996.

In the summer of 1996, Alan Ragan resigned as a legislative auditor for the Comptroller of the Treasury of the State of Tennessee and entered his family's realty and auction business full-time allowing him to be in Dickson on a full-time basis. In the late summer of 1996 Alan and Becky Ragan began to work with Bob and Sherrie Spencer and continue in that position.

As of the spring of 2010, Bob Spencer has been affiliated with the youth group at Walnut Street for twenty-four years and Alan Ragan for fourteen years. The current youth program has grown from its beginnings with twenty students to more than 140 in grades six through twelve.

Currently more than five hundred activities a year are available to this age group with the addition of the Loft, a two thousand square foot area, open every day. The Loft provides a place for members of the youth group to come and interact with each other and members of the Youth ministry team in a Christian setting.

Since 1987 approximately 580 young men and women have been affiliated with the Walnut Street Church of Christ youth group.