The Gathering

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17v20-21).

My name is Caleb. My wife, Whitley, and I moved to West Seattle this summer. We came here sensing God’s call to serve His Church here and to plant our lives in this city. When we arrived, we quickly realized what many leaders already know: youth ministry here is both filled with opportunity and full of challenges. Students are growing up in one of the most diverse and creative cities in the country, but also one of the most secular and fast-paced. Churches often carry that work alone, each doing their best, but often in isolation.

That is why The Gathering was so meaningful for me. Trinity West Seattle, West Side Presbyterian, Grace Church, All Souls, and Young Life partnered to create a space for students across the city. It was not about building one church’s platform. It was about creating a common table where students could experience the gospel.

That night, a student heard the good news of Jesus clearly for the first time and surrendered their life to Christ. The gospel is always the work of God, but it was no accident that it happened in the context of partnership. Students saw churches united, not competing. They saw leaders praying together and serving side by side. They saw the body of Christ as one.

As someone new to this city, I found that deeply encouraging. The Pacific Northwest is not an easy place for ministry. Individualism runs deep. Churches sometimes feel the pressure to protect their corner of the neighborhood. But the gospel calls us to something greater. Unity.

And so I want to extend an invitation. If you are a youth leader in Seattle, whether in a church or through a ministry like Young Life, you do not have to do this work alone. Join us. Come to the table. Let’s pray together, share resources, and build spaces where students can encounter Christ.

Whitley and I moved here to plant our lives in this community. And what gives me hope is not simply the possibility of large events, but the beauty of churches choosing to link arms for the sake of the next generation. That is a vision worth giving our lives to.