Youth Pastor Candidate Wants to Lead By Example

During a recent youth event at his church in Brooklyn, the Rev. Daryl Lobban didn’t lose his cool when the caterer at the event became angry and “got loud.” A youth who watched the 6’4” Lobban respond calmly told Lobban that his calm response made the youth want to grow closer to God, so he could exhibit such self-control too. 

Lobban, who is a candidate for the youth pastor position at Bethel, told about 50 Bethel children, teens, and adults that he wants to lead by example.  The 24-year-old Lobban was a guest preacher at a youth service on Sept. 23 at Bethel. He also delivered the sermon on Youth Sunday on Sept. 30.

Bethel Children’s Ministry volunteers, who will work closely with the new youth pastor, listened to Lobban deliver a message at the Sept. 23 youth service. They also heard Lobban’s answers to questions from youths and adults, which prompted Lobban to relay the story about the caterer. Questions ranged from why he focuses his ministry on the youth, to what kinds of programs he would organize for the children of Bethel.

Lobban’s message on Sept. 23 was based on 1 Peter 2:9 and encouraged the youths to see themselves as God sees them: as “chosen,” as “holy,” as “special,” and as part of “a royal priesthood.” In delivering the message he asked the youths how they see themselves, how their friends see them, and how they thought God sees them.  Youths and adults answered his questions, and he used the scripture and an example from his youth to describe how God sees them.

Lobban is from New York and majored in theology at Nyack College in New York. He is a master of divinity student at Alliance Theological Seminary in New York City, which . He is the youth pastor at the Crown Heights Church of God of Prophecy in Brooklyn, where his father was the pastor.

Lobban’s sermon during Youth Sunday was titled “There’s a Praise in Our Problem,” and was based on Mark 6:45-53. He told the audience that the passage in Mark illustrates how God orchestrates our problems for our growth.

In addition to being Youth Sunday, Sept. 30 marked the school year’s first session of the Children’s Ministry Sunday worship service.