Young Professionals Changing Lives

Special Report by Scott Gray

A CBMC Young Professional (YP) Team is a peer advisory group made up of believing brothers ages 25-40 connected for the purpose of accelerating their personal, professional, and spiritual growth. Each group is led by a trained CBMC Coach with a seasoned business background and solid spiritual maturity.

Austin Shenk has already packed a lot of living into 31 years. By the time he was 12, he had decided that he would serve God by being a missionary pilot. He says that at the time, his mindset was all about “doing good” to please God. Only later would he learn to check his plans at the door to God’s house and become more willing (and able) to discern what the Lord had planned for his life.

In 2020, just as the CBMC YP ministry started in Maryland, Austin met Ken Wirtz. Ken invited Austin to participate online in the group’s regular meetings during the pandemic. Eventually, Austin and his wife Diane began to meet in person with Ken and his wife Kristen.

Austin says he grew in faith and maturity from the mentoring, feedback, and accountability that the Young Professionals online meetings offered. The fellowship he experienced in their in-person activities provided encouragement. He described how YP’s online meetings give young men a chance to share the challenges they are facing with in a safe, confidential environment. Through participating in YP, Austin received valuable insight and advice on how to keep God first in his professional and personal life. 

Having men like Ken Wirtz and his other “YP guys” speak encouragement into his life provided Austin with an invaluable part of his spiritual maturity process. YP has been an important source of fellowship, encouragement, and spiritual growth for him in 2023. 

What would you teach your younger self?

Would you join us in praying for the next generation? Pray and ask if God is calling you or an emerging leader you may know, to join a YP team.

If you know a young man who would benefit by being involved with a band of brothers, or if you would be interested in becoming a YP team leader, please contact us.

Learn more about CBMC Maryland’s YP initiatives at: https://md.cbmc.com/md-yppag