Paul Sanders gave up the job of his dreams to train for youth and children’s ministry at Youthworks College in Sydney. But despite the sacrifice, he has no regrets and says he is totally dedicated to ministry.

It is often said, ‘Once a surfer, always a surfer’. But, these days, Paul Sanders is focusing more on human souls than huge swells.

The 23-year-old is on a mission to reach young people with the news that Jesus saves. News that turned his life around just five years ago.

After leaving school in Year 10, Paul took on his dream job, landscape gardening along Sydney’s northern beaches. Being outdoors – and not far from the surf – was, for him, the ideal way to spend his days.

But while he was enjoying his dream lifestyle, Paul began wondering about the big questions of life. He started going to church with his brother and spending time on the water with Christian Surfers. It was through one of those surfers that Paul came to understand Jesus’ sacrifice, his death and resurrection, and accepted God’s grace.

Paul knew a lot of the local kids from surfing and wanted to keep in contact with them during the week in an environment where he could share his faith. So he volunteered to teach scripture at Balgowlah Boys’ High School. He admits it was a challenge but says it was an incredible opportunity to tell them about Jesus.

Paul was also preparing and saving for a big trip. He was planning to travel around Australia in a troop carrier that he’d bought especially for the adventure. But his life took a U-turn. Instead, Paul went down a road that would lead him to full-time ministry to young people. Enrolling in Youthworks College, he sold his four-wheel drive to pay for tuition, and embarked on a very different kind of adventure. “The fact that I gave up something I loved (landscape gardening) to go to College, shows you how important it was,” Paul says.

And does he have any regrets? No. “God’s plan is perfect.”

When Paul drove onto the college grounds at Loftus, on the southern edge of Sydney, to start his studying he had already committed fully to giving ministry a go. Although, the Youthworks College’s setting, on 38 hectares of bushland, was a big pull.

He describes the location as ‘awesome’. With creek frontage and an outdoor chapel, it is a unique place to study and grow. “It’s a great environment to learn,” says Paul. “Not only from the lectures, but also the other students, sharing.”

For two years, Paul was pushed to think about Christian issues and ministering to young people in a new light. And, when the academic reqirements were a challenge, he was supported and encouraged by lecturers who make it a priority to spend time with their students.

With the Diploma of Theology having just two days a week of face-to-face time on the college campus, Paul was able to continue his Scripture teaching at Balgowlah and also work part time with kids at St Matthew’s, Manly.

Alongside learning how to minister to young people, Youthworks College also introduced Paul to one of the biggest direction changers in his life. Her name is Melinda Hood.

Melinda was the cook at Youthworks College when Paul was studying there. He says he ‘checked her out’ for eight months before asking her out. And now they’re engaged to be married in September this year.

By the time Paul finished College at the end of last year, he says he didn’t particularly want a job and he certainly wasn’t looking. But, ministers started calling him and offering him work, knowing that he was finishing the respected Youthworks College course.

Paul was still hankering to get back to the creativity of landscape gardening, but, at his parents’ encouraging, he decided to put his education at the College into practice full-time, accepting a position as youth minister at St Mark’s, West Wollongong in January this year. Although Paul has no regrets about going into full-time ministry to youth, he does admit he misses ‘building things’.

These days, Paul is ministering directly to about 20 kids and 15 university students at the church, along with any other young people who are willing to listen to him share the good news of Jesus. “I’m confident this is where God wants me to go and he’s given me the gifts to go about it,” he says.

Already, 2003 has been a big year for Paul. He’s moved out of home for the first time, started full-time ministry and is getting married.  But he’s looking forward to even bigger things to come. He says he’s totally dedicated to ministry, particularly to young people, in whatever form that may take – whether it be overseas or on home soil.