Authentic, Communal Partnership

Today’s blog post is written by Derek Stienmetz. Currently, Derek serves as the Director of Genesis Teens & Digital Ministry at Grace Lutheran Church in LaGrange, IL. They attended Mountain T.O.P. as a youth, served on summer staff for three years, and now brings their youth group from Grace Lutheran!

My name is Derek Stienmetz, and I’ve had the privilege of being connected to Mountain T.O.P. since 2012. Over the years, I’ve experienced the joy of serving on summer staff and now have the honor of bringing my congregation to partner with Mountain T.O.P. annually. There are countless reasons that keep me coming back: their mission, theological perspective, and commitment to affirming and inclusive ministry practices.

Mountain T.O.P.’s mission, “Through Christian community and faith-based relationships, we help meet the physical, spiritual, social, and emotional needs of all the people we encounter,” speaks deeply to me and my work as a teen ministry leader. For teens, it’s often easier to grasp how they can help meet a physical need. However, many of my teens initially struggled to understand how they could address the spiritual, social, and emotional needs of the families they partnered with. Through opportunities like minor home repair and day camp leadership, they’ve learned to engage more deeply—holding the full realities of the individuals and communities they partner with. They’ve gone beyond just addressing immediate needs to exploring the systemic challenges that perpetuate issues like food insecurity, substandard housing, and isolation.

As a queer leader in the church, it’s vital to me that my LGBTQ+ teens are not only safe but also fully supported and accommodated so they can participate meaningfully. This includes inclusive housing policies and theologically thoughtful worships that allows every person to witness and celebrate God’s work on the mountain and in the valleys below.

I am profoundly grateful that Mountain T.O.P. creates a space where all are welcomed and called into authentic, communal partnership. This work helps shape the next generation of Christian leaders—leaders who are equipped and inspired to share in the liberating, transformative work of Jesus Christ.

Participants from Grace Lutheran Church pose in front of the Sewanee Cross.