How Paul, Salem Baptist Church engage the next generation
Kristy Hardesty, a teacher and mother of two, recently moved to Oglethorpe County and quickly found Wednesday nights to be a vital part of her family’s weekly rhythm. Hardesty said the tradition eased their transition, creating a sense of belonging and a place they now call “home.”
“Wednesday night is probably the reason we joined the church just recently,” Hardesty said.
Wednesday evenings are intentionally designed to create this sense of connection, especially when it comes to youth.
Children typically maintain their attention for about 15 minutes, said Andy Paul, youth minister at Salem Baptist Church. That’s why, on Wednesday evenings, he takes a different approach, engaging with them through the language they know best: social media trends and interactive games.
“Part of (keeping youth engaged) is being invested in the community,” Paul said. “Part of it is understanding students.”
Each Wednesday, Salem Baptist Church in Lexington hosts a night of fellowship. It begins at 6 p.m. with a dinner provided by the church's meal ministry, followed by simultaneous sessions of adult Bible study, youth group and children’s ministry.
“Wednesday night is our biggest outreach event,” Paul said.
The weekly meal simplifies Hardesty’s Wednesday schedule, and the evening provides activities for the entire family.
“There’s not many events that my whole entire family can do together because of the huge age gap and then the kids always seem to get separated,” Hardesty said. “But everybody in the house has something, like we all have somewhere to go on Wednesday together.”
Not just fun, games
Paul juggles his role as a youth minister with a full-time job at Georgia EMC, dedicating 20 hours weekly to crafting lessons that inspire students.
“It’s having some type of game to engage them to start,” Paul said. “And then I have learned a lot of our students appreciate actual theology in the messages, not just a generic surface level, but like, let’s go deep into what Scripture says and how we apply that.”
Wednesday nights draw an average of 30-35 youth, ranging from grades six through 12, and are supported by volunteers, many of whom are teachers.
“They’re teachers, they’re exhausted, they come in and they serve with purpose, and there’s not a kid that leaves here not knowing that they’re loved,” Paul said. “And I think that intentionality behind it is the coolest part of Salem.”
Hardesty’s 11-year-old daughter, Annabelle, has also felt a renewed excitement for church.
“She hasn't always been like that,” Hardesty said. “But now she’s excited about church, so I can definitely see that change. You can definitely tell, she's like, ‘Oh, today is Wednesday night, we got to get ready for church.’ So I love seeing that excitement come back again for the lord.”
Keeping it social
To keep students engaged, Paul has embraced social media, using Instagram to share updates and event highlights that tie into popular trends. A recent reel featuring the “raise your yaw, yaw, yaw” TikTok trend garnered over 2,000 views.
“(I) try and just do updates on what we’re doing, but we’re turning it more over to our students to handle that with ideas, because I understand, I will never be cool,” Paul said.
The church also collaborates with other local congregations for events like The Mix and kickball tournaments, strengthening community ties and offering youth additional opportunities to connect.
Despite the program’s successes, challenges persist. Sports, clubs and other extracurriculars often compete for students’ time and attention. However, Oglethorpe County’s quieter lifestyle helps mitigate these distractions.
“They all live 10 minutes away, and there’s no traffic unless you’re behind a chicken truck,” Paul said. “And so it’s a little bit easier, because we’re not competing with movie theaters on Wednesday nights, we’re not competing with bowling alleys, like it’s come here.”
The church’s collective efforts have consistently strengthened youth engagement, even as attendance fluctuates. Middle school boys make up the Wednesday night group’s largest demographic, a shift from earlier years when participation dwindled.
“As long as we are sprinting towards the feet of Jesus, I am totally OK,” Paul said.