The Cherokee Vine
Train Up a Child
The pastor of the Sixes United Methodist Church wants children to grow into adults who remain committed to and engaged in the church.
For 13 years, Jim Buckman was a youth minister. He loved his job, and figured he’d be doing that for the rest of his life. Over the years, he began to notice a trend that disturbed him, one that changed those plans. “I saw youth not returning to the church after they went to college," Buckman said. "They weren’t connecting with the church. And that’s when I sensed God was leading me in a different direction.” He decided that he wanted to become a pastor who leads his church in engaging the members, and helping everyone make a connection. With one degree complete—a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministries from Asbury University in Kentucky—Buckman enrolled in Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He graduated with a master’s of …
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