Justin Hastings

Director of Junior High Ministries

I was born in Key West, Florida and shortly after moved to the west coast. Sadly I wasn’t old enough to remember it. Chico became my hometown and Neighborhood became my home church. My family enrolled me in Chico Christian School for two years of Kindergarten and I continued on through the 6th grade. Even though I seemed to be walking with God at the time… I wasn’t. Life in Jr. high was hard and I started to spiral down. The next five years were filled with moments where I felt like I was wearing a mask, I was one person at school and a different person at church. It was in high school that I hit rock bottom. If I didn't have the youth leaders at this church pouring into my life at that time, I wouldn’t have decided to follow Jesus whole heartedly.

Once I graduated from High School my heart became increasingly sensitive to Jr. High students. My hearts desire was to guide them much in the same way my youth leaders did. I immediately began to volunteer at Neighborhood’s youth group. During that time I also was a custodian here on campus. After a couple years God moved me to Forest Home Camps for a summer where I was a camp councilor then I returned home and interned for year at the youth group. God then moved me down to Southern California for 3 1/2 years to serve as the Junior High Director at a church in Covina, Ca. There I met my fiance and I’m excited about getting to spend the rest of my life with her!

God has taken me on a crazy and wild ride! I now get the honor of being the director of Junior High Ministries at my home church and I have never been more excited in my life! My heart is for the youth of this city. It hurts when I see them hurting! John 15:12-13 says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” This is my goal, to love these students in a way that Christ would have. I’m so excited to be back in Chico and experience the crazy, awesome, God driven adventure that has been given to me!

Interesting Facts:

• I am a sucker for cat-related youtube videos, I think they are hilarious!
• I love to climb things, but am also afraid of heights...
• I love frisbee related sports such as frisbee golf, ultimate frisbee, and playing frisbee on the beach.
• I am a hiker, cyclist, artist, writer, coffee drinker, and slow pitch softball player
• I once had a job chasing bears...ask me about it.