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"Hang out with high school kids? Are you nuts? Never in a million years!"

Today Mark Schultz is eating his words.

It all began when he left his home state of Kansas for Nashville, Tennessee, hoping to become a singer/ songwriter. Eight months later, he was working as a hotel waiter — ready to give up and head back home.

"It had been a horrible eight months and nothing was happening with music," Mark says. "I kept thinking, If there's a God in heaven, please help me out of this one."

Shortly after that, Mark waited on a youth minister from Nashville. The guy thought Mark was gifted — to work with high school kids. Mark thought he was crazy.

The minister persisted. Three months later, Mark was his new youth director.

"I did it so he'd stop asking me," Mark says. "But I fell in love with the kids."

Mark's first assignment: Write a song for the youth group kick-off. The result? "I Am the Way," which made it on Mark's self-titled debut album (Myrrh) and became the first of his three hits on Christian radio last year.

He hadn't planned it that way.

"I didn't write these songs to make a record. I was just writing about my experiences and performing for my church as a way to say thanks for all they had done for me."

But as his church performances turned into capacity-crowd concerts, he slowly found his dream coming true.

"I fell in love with my job, and the next thing you know I'm writing songs about it," says Mark. "God jumped out in a huge way and put me where I needed to be."

Mark spent most of last year promoting his CD and touring. As a result, he hasn't been able to devote much time to being a youth director.

"I try to call kids from the road, but it's hard when you're not with them every day. But I'm trying to rearrange my schedule so I can spend more time at home."

He may be juggling two jobs, but Mark says he's right where God wants him.

"I think God works best when you take yourself out of your comfort zone," he said. "I did that, and took a chance like I'd never taken before. And the only way it was going to work out was if God showed up."

And God did.

Mark Schultz is just one of many musicians with a heart for students. Some others:

•Chris Rice led youth retreats as a speaker, teacher and singer long before he signed a record deal. He still does, even in the wake of his third CD, Smell the Color 9 (Rocketown). "My truest and most fruitful work is connecting with students," says Chris, who works retreats 48-50 weeks a year.

• Justin McRoberts and wife Amy were Young Life staffers until he turned to music full-time two years ago. Justin still works with students, leading worship services and substitute teaching in San Francisco high schools. The latest from this pop/rock musician is Father (5 Minute Walk).

• Four of the five guys in Big Face Grace have Masters of Divinity degrees and work extensively with high school and college students in various ministries in Southern California. Check out their latest CD, Cross-Eyed (True Tunes).

• Jason Carson recently left the Supertones to become a full-time youth pastor at a California church. "The Lord has called me to a new ministry," says Jason, who was the drummer for the ska/rock band, whose latest CD is Loud and Clear (BEC).

Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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