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Danny Rangel serves as young adults pastor at BT Church in McAllen, ministering to 18-29-year-olds during a critical stage of their lives. Prior to that, he served for seven years as the church’s student pastor. Rangel, who will be among the speakers at this year’s Collegiate Roundup conference, recently spoke with the Texan about what it takes to reach the next generation for Christ and how they aren’t just the future of the church, but, as he calls them, the “right now of the church.”
What is it about ministering to the younger generations that compels you to pour your life into this ministry?
Danny Rangel: I think they’re obviously the future of the church, but they’re also the right now of the church. Young adults are in this season of life where they’re trying to figure out a lot about who they are, what they actually believe in. I came to know Jesus when I was 17 years old, so right before that young adult stage, I was really exploring a lot about faith. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, which is already an anxiety-driven question. So, when I get to pour into Next Gen, whether it’s youth or the collegiate space or the young adult space, it just feels like I’m pouring into the person that I was as I was growing up and trying to figure out my life and my faith.
When you say young adults are not only the future of the church, but the “now” of the church, what do you mean?
DR: I’ve heard people say that when you believe in Jesus, the younger generation is not given a JV version of the Holy Spirit. They get the same Holy Spirit that an adult gets. [Related to] that is one of my passions—I don’t see young adult ministry as a church within a church. They are a part of the whole church.
So how can we provide young adults with very tangible opportunities to use the gifts and talents God has given them though the Holy Spirit to serve the church right now? Not just in areas that a lot of times young adults are thrown into because they’re available or because they’re energetic, but how can we put them in places that provide ownership of the larger aspect of church on Sunday mornings, whether that’s leading worship or teaching or overseeing teams?
Our church is called BT Church. Our ministry is called BT Young Adults, and I always tell them, “BT Young Adults is a ministry of BT Church, so you guys are a part of BT Church as a whole.” We meet weekly on Tuesday nights, and I always tell them that if this is their only church time, I would rather them come on Sunday mornings than on Tuesday nights because on Sunday mornings, we have a diverse group of young kids, young families, older families, older married couples, and I want them to be a part of that diverse room—not just a part of people who are in their same season of life.
What kinds of ministry opportunities do you see based on what young adults are talking about or what they’re concerned about in this season of life?
DR: I think a big aspect they’re worried about is obviously mental health. Mental health is just a really big reality of this generation right now. Avoiding that conversation is not going to help them.
We try to tackle tough questions within [the church] because they’re getting answers from outside the church. If we can be a young adult ministry that responds to those big cultural questions and issues, then I think the church becomes a place they can trust to seek answers.
One of our practices when we want to tackle cultural moments is we do “Pastor and a Microphone” time and allow them to ask questions. We want to try to create that safe space to get answers to questions they’re wrestling with about calling or purpose or whatever. For us, a big cultural moment that happened not long ago was the assassination of Charlie Kirk. It was big for our young adults because he was such a prominent figure on social media. So that evening, we just passed around a microphone and said, “What questions do you guys have?” Right now, we’re doing a series on relationships and dating. They have a lot of questions about that. How can you be faithful to Jesus when you’re pursuing a relationship?
We allow them to bring those questions here. We’re going to answer them as best as we can through different channels of communication, whether it’s a Tuesday night sermon, a social media post, or a podcast, something like that.
How do you know when next gen ministry is actually working? What are some of your personal measures or mile-markers?
DR: Obviously, salvations and baptisms are always incredible. One thing we say a lot to our young adults is, “We want to journey with you.” Alongside that phrase, we have three pillars that define our ministry: follow Jesus, find purpose, make friends. Everything we do, whether it’s a Tuesday night worship service, a conference we’re hosting, a retreat we’ll lead—whatever—we try to decide how the things we do in our ministry fulfill one of those aspects. How is it helping young adults follow Jesus? How is it helping young adults find their purpose? How is helping them make friends? That keeps us laser-focused on our mission.
I would also add, when young adults are showing up Sunday morning—that, to me, is a big marker of success. And not just showing up Sunday morning, but serving. The other day, our main church Instagram page posted a picture promoting Sunday morning and the picture grabbed my attention. It was two greeters at the door standing side by side smiling. One of them was one of our senior adults who’s been a greeter for decades at this church, and right next to him was one of our young adults. I just thought that picture was incredible because it’s showing a faithful servant of BT for decades alongside a young adult person who just started serving. That, to me, is what the church is all about. It’s generations coming together. So, the more we can see young adults serving, showing up Sunday morning, I just think is a powerful thing. To me, that’s a marker.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given, heard, or read regarding ministering to the next generation that you’re applying to your own ministry?
DR: As a student pastor for about seven years and now as a young adult minister for three years or so, I think it’s been the understanding that Gen Z really prioritizes authenticity. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve been given is don’t try to be someone you’re not. I think Gen Z can really sniff out fake. Just be your genuine self. You don’t have to dress like them or look like them or talk like them. Just be yourself. I think that’s going to be the best way you’re going to reach the next generation.
