Toby Lee

Hey! I'm Toby, and I'm excited to serve with Kairos this upcoming year! I grew up attending SVAC (Milpitas), where God cultivated my heart to lead and serve during high school. He's refined that heart through many struggles during my college years, where I experienced firsthand a community of enduring/sacrificial love and support for one another that I hope to bring to Kairos. I started attending LGCC since last summer, and after graduating from Northwestern University in Spring 2016 (and beginning my career at a digital advertising agency in San Francisco), I'm thrilled to be back to serve and encourage the youth in their relationships with both God and one another in a Christ-centered community. In my spare time, I enjoy eating, discovering new food places, nerding out to the latest developments in advertising, cooking, attempting to play guitar, and spending meaningful time (online and offline) with friends.

Written in 2018:

Hey there! I'm Toby, and I joined Kairos in the summer of 2016 after graduating from college when Uncle Craig reached out to me to fill an urgent need in teaching Middle School students, where I quickly grew to love the enthusiasm, energy, and authenticity that they brought to the table. I grew up and was baptized at SVAC (Milpitas), but after meeting many friends from LGCC at BAAYF every summer, I eventually joined the LGCC family.

God cultivated my heart to serve with youth during my high school years, when I noticed opportunities and gaps in my own youth group. He's refined that heart through many personal struggles during my college years, and I was blessed with a college fellowship that manifested an enduring, sacrificial love and support for one another - my goal is to bring that same community of care and love to Kairos. I'd love to see students supporting one another with the love of Christ, and for us as counselors to exemplify God's love by affirming their unique characteristics, while pushing our students to grow closer to God first and foremost. The Kingdom of God is filled with diverse gifts and talents, and I believe every individual has something to bring - our role as counselors is to encourage students to identify that gift, and use it to minister to others as well.

The most rewarding part about serving with youth is watching them grow in their relationship with God and discovering how they can contribute to a Christ-centered community through developing introspection of their own life. Furthermore, forming relationships with the youth and being their cheerleaders give them much-needed hope and encouragement, particularly when our students are surrounded by the high pressured culture of growing up in Silicon Valley. Moreover, in an increasingly polarized society where Christians are seen negatively as roadblocks to progress, I believe it's important to show students that it is not mutually exclusive to be both Christian and have a heart for the marginalized and oppressed. In fact, that is a part of the gospel, and a love for God should be our motivation in being all the more loving, compassionate, and kind towards others.

I encourage you to serve and invest in our youth, because as cliche as this sounds, they truly represent where our church, community, and world will go, and we want to ensure they as best equipped to lead in the years to come.