Jay Ridenour ('95)
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Sudbury, Mass.
Jay Ridenour has a passion for discipleship.
Each year, Ridenour recruits four to eight interns to help with his church鈥檚 summer outreach programs. These interns will spend the next 10 weeks working in various aspects of church ministry from pastoral ministry to communication and worship.
As these interns serve Christ in the church and community, the church pours into them as well.
Interns spend the first two hours of their day in purposeful discipleship. They have a quiet time, an in-depth pastoral session where they study a book of the Bible together and a time of prayer.
鈥淚t's wonderful because we're not just talking about Jesus,鈥� Ridenour says. 鈥淲e're applying Jesus and we're praying to Jesus. And it's huge.鈥�
Ridenour thrives on this discipleship. 鈥淚t鈥檚 rocket fuel,鈥� he says.
He sees the gospel seeds being planted in the community because of the work done through the interns, and he knows the value of also planting gospel seeds in their lives.
鈥淭he call to disciple happens in the context of these relationships,鈥� he says. As a result of these relationships, First Baptist Church Sudbury is able to reach its community with the added people power, and interns gain valuable spiritual training.
After graduating from Union in 1995, Ridenour attended Beeson Divinity School and returned to Union as the director of discipleship ministry. After spending four years in that role, he and his wife moved to New England. They eventually settled at a church outside of Boston in the area of Sudbury.
Ridenour became the part-time youth minister and eventually the senior pastor.
During his time as pastor, he has led First Baptist Church Sudbury to build the internship program to help ministry students 鈥渆ncounter Christ through the Word, prayer, readings and relationships while gaining leadership skills and experience through local church ministry.鈥�
A few years ago, the search for interns became challenging, so Ridenour sought the assistance of his Union contacts. Ray Van Neste, Julie Bradfield and Justin Wainscott helped him on his mission to find summer interns.
For three years, he has returned to Union to hold interviews with those interested in the internship.
His contacts at Union often ask, 鈥淗ow can we serve you?鈥� That question is like water to dry soil, for Ridenour. It鈥檚 life-giving. In a place like New England where the spiritual soil can feel unplowed, having willing partners is the encouragement pastors like Ridenour need.
鈥淚t is a great blessing. I'm super grateful for the Union community that connects with the local church,鈥� Ridenour says. 鈥淭hose local churches are creating partnerships, so Union has become the bridge for their students.鈥�
This bridge has allowed Ridenour to connect Union students to gospel-driven ministry at a church that wants to reach its community for Christ.
Although Ridenour is still searching for a few more summer interns, First Baptist Church Sudbury is hosting its first GO Trip this spring. Union students are spending the week engaging with local churches through corporate worship, campus ministry and urban ministry and explore what it means to live on mission.
With passionate alumni like Ridenour, Union students continue to find places to minister and grow in their faith. His commitment to discipleship not only strengthens his church and community but also equips the next generation of leaders to serve Christ wherever he calls them.
Through these ongoing partnerships, Union remains a bridge between students and gospel-driven ministry opportunities, shaping lives for kingdom impact.