On a Sunday morning at EastLake Church in San Diego, the front rows fill quickly. Youth stream in, greeting one another with cheers, grabbing welcome signs, and leading the way in worship. Adults who have attended EastLake for decades glance toward the front with surprise and delight. “Wow, the youth are so encouraging, and it’s awesome to see it,” one longtime member told a pastor.

From Siloed to Integrated

This visible shift is new—and it’s transforming the entire church. Just a year ago, EastLake’s young people were largely isolated from the rest of the congregation. Youth met in their own programs, often on Sunday nights, while the rest of the church gathered in separate services. Many youth attended one or the other, but rarely both. Parents sometimes resisted driving back and forth, and the divide between generations deepened.

Enter the TENx10 Cohort with Youth Cartel. Through guided reflection, training, and shared learning, EastLake’s youth pastors—Kristian, Judy, and Leon—began to reimagine what it would look like for youth to be fully integrated into the life of their church. Grounded in the early principles of the Faith Formation Framework, these leaders prioritized relational discipleship, helping the entire church see youth not as a separate program but as vital participants in the body of Christ. The results have been nothing short of contagious.

Kristian, EastLake’s High School Pastor, recalls the turning point: “One of the things we did in the cohort was extract our ministry values. That’s when we realized our ministry was siloed. Students felt like Sunday nights were their only church. We needed to change that.”

Judy, Associate Student Pastor, agrees. She grew up at EastLake herself. “Even when I was a student, youth was just for youth. The only time we went to adult service was Christmas Eve or Easter. Sadly, that was the culture. Now we’re seeing a huge shift.”

A Church-Wide  Shift in Posture

What began with a few youth pastors soon grew into a church-wide movement—but not because of new programs or flashy events. The turning point was a shift in posture. 

EastLake’s leaders began to recognize that lasting change would come only if youth discipleship was woven into the fabric of the entire church.

Instead of treating youth ministry as a separate part of the church, staff and lay leaders reimagined it as a shared responsibility. Leadership was invited into the vision—and once they caught it, everything began to change. 

Small Steps with Big Impact

The shift began with small, strategic steps. In the spring, the youth pastoral team invited children’s pastors into a student gathering. Rather than talking about partnership, they practiced it: leaders mingled with students, spotted their gifts, and recruited them to serve. Soon, more youth were leading in children’s rooms, on worship teams, and involved in other ministries. Kristian explains: “There were multiple youth in each of the kids’ rooms—and they’re leading, not just standing by.

Another step was a shift in Sunday service. The leaders recognized that students needed to see themselves as part of the whole, and the whole church needed to know they had young people. To show youth the services was a place of belonging for them, the pastoral team created a “student section” right in front. Now, more than 50 youth gather weekly in those front rows, bringing energy, joy, and visible faith to the whole congregation. To support the transition, high school ministry was moved from Sunday nights to Wednesday nights. This cleared space for Sundays to become a day of worship and service with the whole church. 

The payoff has been profound. Today, other leaders are speaking into young people’s lives, naming and confirming their God-given gifts. When encouragement comes not just from a youth pastor, but also from a worship leader, children’s pastor, or elder, those words carry weight. More voices affirming a young person’s identity in Christ deepens relational discipleship—and gives youth the confidence to live out their faith.

Young People Leading the Way

Kristian smiles as he describes the change: “We’re hearing every week how youth are changing worship and bringing energy. It’s doing something not just to young people but to our church. It’s contagious.”

Judy has seen the ripple effect: “Parents who come with their youth now see their children worshiping. They meet us, connect, and catch a glimpse of what their young people experience. It’s been so cool to hear from parents. Even our worship team is encouraged—the youth bring an energy adults can’t always bring.”

Leon, Student Ministry Pastor, points to another fruit, “As youth have gotten more involved, parents are noticing a change. One parent  noticed and said, ‘We should do this as a family.’ Now the whole family serves together. The dad is helping in high school ministry. They’re at every service, volunteering, sitting in the student section. It’s transformed their entire family.”

Stories of Transformation

The changes have also unleashed individual youth. Judy shares the story of Mari, a high school girl who now leads a middle school small group: “She leaves encouraged by the middle schoolers. She told me they teach her as much as she teaches them. It breaks the stigma that younger kids are ‘weird.’ And middle schoolers now want to be in those services because high schoolers are investing in them.”

Kristian points to Ryan, a youth whose leadership potential was obvious. “He’s a quarterback, highly energetic—the kind of kid who is bouncing off the walls. But we saw leadership in him. He serves in 4th–6th grade ministry now. The children’s pastor has started calling out the same gifts we have seen. When Ryan was baptized, his parents and ministry leaders were there to celebrate. He’s hearing the same encouragement from multiple voices.” 

Ryan’s story illustrates what EastLake is learning through the Faith Formation Framework: when youth are integrated into the full life of the church, discipleship happens not in isolation but through a chorus of voices who see and call out God’s work in them.

And when young people serve, they don’t just grow individually; they ignite faith in their peers, their parents, and the wider church. “Life change is contagious,” Kristian says. “Young people are hungry for the real thing—for real impact. That’s what happens when you love Christ and love his church.” That’s what happens when an entire church leans into relational discipleship.

Of course, none of this happened without challenges. Integrating youth into the life of the church required vision casting, late nights, and plenty of prayer. “It was worth the effort,” Leon admits. “We knew the importance. It was worth the extra work to make it a reality.”

The Cohort’s Role

Through the process, the TENx10 Cohort has been a steady source of encouragement. “We feel so empowered now,” Judy says. “We run ideas by each other, ask for opinions, and adapt together. Our cohort has the same mindset—it’s ongoing adaptability. We feel seen and supported.”

Kristian adds: “It’s inspired us. We’re learning from other leaders. One leader from Colorado said, ‘If it's a church event, then it’s a youth event.’ That inspired us to ask, ‘What does that look like in our Eastlake context?’”

Worth the Effort

Looking ahead, Eastlake’s team has big hopes. “I want a young person on every team,” Kristian says. “Not just kids ministry—we want them everywhere, even on the prayer team or helping with parking. Young people aren’t just next gen; they’re happening now.”

For churches watching EastLake’s story, the message is clear: integrating youth isn’t just good for young people. It revitalizes the whole body. Adults are encouraged. Families are strengthened. Worship is enlivened. The next generation isn’t waiting their turn—they’re shaping the church today.

Leon puts it simply: “It’s worth the effort. The extra time, the stressful nights—it’s worth it to see what God can do when young people are part of the church, not apart from it.”

At EastLake, that effort is already bearing fruit. The front rows on Sunday mornings are proof: youth leading the way, and a congregation catching the joy. The church isn’t just growing in numbers—it’s growing together.