A Faithful Steward
Embedded Files
Ireland Hayes
Team Cobb
Chris Fusco is on a mission to ensure the “kiddos” of Union, Missouri, know they are loved and have a purpose on this earth.
Landing them a spot in heaven would be great, too.
For over 20 years, Fusco has served as the youth pastor at First Baptist Church of Union, juggling about half a dozen programs focused on young people and education, squeezing in substitute teaching shifts in the public school system when he can. In a church that averages about 100 attendees on Sunday mornings, the youth group is chaotic and lively. At its peak, it serves about 50 kids between the ages of 11-18 on Wednesday nights.
His teenage children participate in the youth group and wife, Chelayne, volunteers with the children’s ministry, but the late nights and long hours can make it difficult to spend quality time with his family.
“It’s a balancing act,” he said. “It’s a constant work in progress trying to make time.”
Fusco describes himself as a once “rebellious teen” who found God and purpose at age 16. He said he knew God’s plan for him was to shepherd others through that pivotal life stage.
“I don’t want to waste my one life, I want to do good for others and share the truth of God,” he said. “It’s not just a job. You have to have a genuine care for people — whether they believe or not.”
Chris Fusco, center, looks at students gathered for the national See You at the Pole event as they pray on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at Union High School. Chris, a youth pastor at First Baptist Church and his wife, Chelayne, brought a van filled with kids from his youth group to the event after feeding them breakfast at Hardee’s.
Chris greets a student in his classroom at Prairie Dell Elementary School, where he is substitute teaching. Fusco knows many of the kids from church and through years of substitute teaching.
Chris finishes his sermon for the youth group at First Baptist Church. The sermon focused on the Bible’s call for mankind to be faithful stewards of Earth and care for God’s creations.
Chris surveys the selection of cakes and cupcakes at Schnucks. Each month, he buys cake and ice cream to celebrate any birthdays in the group. He said some of his students come from broken homes or difficult backgrounds, and this may be one of the few treats those students get.
Chris and his wife, Chelayne, talk to each other across the parking lot at First Baptist Church. The pair say they divide and conquer at the end of Wednesday nights and drive the kids home in opposite directions. They usually reunite at Taco Bell with the other ministry crew at the end of the night.
A member of First Baptist Church boards the church bus in Union. Chris starts his bus route around 4:45 p.m. to make sure he has time to pick up all of the kids around town before youth group starts at 6 p.m.
Chris drives Kaylee, a middle school student, and other students to youth group in Union. Kaylee struggled with her test this week and is confiding in Fusco, who his students call "Mr. Clean."
Chris writes notes in the margins of his ministry book on a podium in front of the youth fellowship hall. Chris said it is important to him to encourage his students to have faith, but also to think critically. “I don’t want them to believe anything just because I told them to,” said Chris. “I don’t want to indoctrinate, I want them to think for themselves.”
Chris listens as a student recites a Bible verse. When the kids have a verse memorized, Fusco puts a check mark on their paper and they move on to the next verse on the list.
Chris stands at a frisbee golf course in Washington, Mo. Fusco said it can be hard to make time for family in between everyone’s busy schedules, but he tries to plan activities with them on a regular basis.
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