Third generation Yorkie Justus Coppinger will graduate at the end of April with a
couple of degrees behind his name, a bachelor鈥檚 in vocal performance and another in
biblical studies. His plate is full this semester with voice and piano lessons, classes
in Old Testament and Greek, running indoor and outdoor track, a church internship
in Lincoln, preparing for his senior recital this spring, and鈥� or maybe it really
should be AND鈥攑lanning his summer wedding! Coppinger鈥檚 plate has always been full, but we鈥檒l get
to that a little later.
On Thursday, he鈥檚 going to hit pause on all his YC responsibilities and board a plane to the west coast for an all-expenses paid stay on world renowned Malibu beach. Well, almost. Before you get too jealous, he鈥檒l actually be on the campus of Pepperdine University that overlooks the beach. And instead of soaking in the sun and enjoying the scenic landscape, Justus will be going through an intense two-day coaching/training workshop to enhance future sermons he might give. Sound fun?
鈥婲ext Gen Preacher Search (NGPS) is a unique outreach to young Christian students in high schools and colleges across the country who have an interest in preaching and teaching. Designed to encourage and inspire young people towards the ministry of God's word, it is an open invitation for students to submit a 5-minute video of their speaking for review and critique.
At the encouragement of Dr. Terry Seufferlein, professor of Bible and Tom N. Schultz chair for mission studies at York College, Coppinger submitted a sermon clip.
鈥淛ustus has a gift for communicating the biblical text in a way that impacts lives,鈥� said Dr. Seufferlein. 鈥淗e had just completed an assignment for one of my classes in which he gave a quality sermon on the ten lepers cleansed by Jesus and the gratefulness of the one who was a Samaritan. It would be a challenge to condense it down to five minutes, but I told him he should enter it into the Preacher Search competition.鈥�
Coppinger reflected, 鈥淢y initial thought was, that鈥檚 really cool! There鈥檚 no way I鈥檒l get it, but I鈥檒l try. It was empowering to me that he thought I had the talent to make it.鈥� The added gesture of the Bible department and York Campus Ministries offering to pay for his flight if he was chosen sealed the deal.
To his surprise, of the hundred-plus entries, Coppinger鈥檚 made the cut. He was invited to the weekend workshop, February 11-12, training alongside a team of experienced preachers including Eric Wilson, Mike Cope, and Taylor Walling.
Jeff Walling, who hosts NGPS, wrote, 鈥淐ongratulations! You have been selected as one of the semi-finalists for the 2022 Next Gen Preacher Search! The choices were tough but our team felt you have a special talent that we want to help you develop.鈥� A few of the critique comments on his video submission were, 鈥淛ustus I loved your passion. This theme is clearly important to you. Thanks for showing that passion, it really came through in your presentation.鈥� Another comment said, 鈥淲ell done! 5 minute messages are hard to preach. You honored the text well and applied it.鈥�
At the conclusion of the event, the students will be filmed giving a lesson inside Pepperdine鈥檚 Stauffer Chapel, also known as The Little Chapel on the Hill. From these recordings, four will be chosen as finalists who will have the opportunity to present their lessons before over 25,000 Christians at gatherings across the country including venues like the North American Christian Convention and Harbor: Pepperdine Bible Lectures.
Challenge accepted.
On Thursday, he鈥檚 going to hit pause on all his YC responsibilities and board a plane to the west coast for an all-expenses paid stay on world renowned Malibu beach. Well, almost. Before you get too jealous, he鈥檒l actually be on the campus of Pepperdine University that overlooks the beach. And instead of soaking in the sun and enjoying the scenic landscape, Justus will be going through an intense two-day coaching/training workshop to enhance future sermons he might give. Sound fun?
鈥婲ext Gen Preacher Search (NGPS) is a unique outreach to young Christian students in high schools and colleges across the country who have an interest in preaching and teaching. Designed to encourage and inspire young people towards the ministry of God's word, it is an open invitation for students to submit a 5-minute video of their speaking for review and critique.
At the encouragement of Dr. Terry Seufferlein, professor of Bible and Tom N. Schultz chair for mission studies at York College, Coppinger submitted a sermon clip.
鈥淛ustus has a gift for communicating the biblical text in a way that impacts lives,鈥� said Dr. Seufferlein. 鈥淗e had just completed an assignment for one of my classes in which he gave a quality sermon on the ten lepers cleansed by Jesus and the gratefulness of the one who was a Samaritan. It would be a challenge to condense it down to five minutes, but I told him he should enter it into the Preacher Search competition.鈥�
Coppinger reflected, 鈥淢y initial thought was, that鈥檚 really cool! There鈥檚 no way I鈥檒l get it, but I鈥檒l try. It was empowering to me that he thought I had the talent to make it.鈥� The added gesture of the Bible department and York Campus Ministries offering to pay for his flight if he was chosen sealed the deal.
To his surprise, of the hundred-plus entries, Coppinger鈥檚 made the cut. He was invited to the weekend workshop, February 11-12, training alongside a team of experienced preachers including Eric Wilson, Mike Cope, and Taylor Walling.
Jeff Walling, who hosts NGPS, wrote, 鈥淐ongratulations! You have been selected as one of the semi-finalists for the 2022 Next Gen Preacher Search! The choices were tough but our team felt you have a special talent that we want to help you develop.鈥� A few of the critique comments on his video submission were, 鈥淛ustus I loved your passion. This theme is clearly important to you. Thanks for showing that passion, it really came through in your presentation.鈥� Another comment said, 鈥淲ell done! 5 minute messages are hard to preach. You honored the text well and applied it.鈥�
At the conclusion of the event, the students will be filmed giving a lesson inside Pepperdine鈥檚 Stauffer Chapel, also known as The Little Chapel on the Hill. From these recordings, four will be chosen as finalists who will have the opportunity to present their lessons before over 25,000 Christians at gatherings across the country including venues like the North American Christian Convention and Harbor: Pepperdine Bible Lectures.
Challenge accepted.
Someway, somehow Coppinger knew that as busy as he was going to be in his final semester
of his senior year, the opportunity to receive one-on-one coaching from legends in
ministry was too good to pass up. After all, what鈥檚 new? His plate has always been
full. Along with carrying a double major, he has served two years as president of
his social club Sigma Tau, hosted Songfest twice and emceed one year, took the stage
multiple times in the YC One Acts, played soccer his freshman year, ran cross country
the last two and is currently on the indoor track team, served as a junior representative
in student government, and is a four-year member of Concert Choir and Celebration
Singers鈥� and all while consistently making the Dean鈥檚 List with a cumulative GPA of
3.96.
Coppinger decided to add biblical studies as a major after interning a summer with Ricky Pruitt '93, Youth and Family Minister at the Kerrville Church of Christ in Texas. Through Pruitt鈥檚 friendship, how he mentored his role to Justus, and the appeal of working with kids, Coppinger decided, 鈥淚 think I want to pursue doing something like this.鈥�
His junior year went as he hoped, splitting his time between the music and Bible departments, and he signed up with Pruitt for a second summer internship in 2021.
鈥淪erving alongside Justus for two summers was an incredible privilege,鈥� commented Ricky. 鈥淗is willingness to learn from any situation or conversation magnified his credibility in the eyes of those he served as well as those on staff. He grew immensely in his ability to lead a class through experiences, discussion, Bible exploration, and application. His interpersonal skills allowed him to connect with teens and adults, relating to different generations naturally. He was excellent at forming relationships and using that connection to encourage those around him.鈥�
Coppinger decided to add biblical studies as a major after interning a summer with Ricky Pruitt '93, Youth and Family Minister at the Kerrville Church of Christ in Texas. Through Pruitt鈥檚 friendship, how he mentored his role to Justus, and the appeal of working with kids, Coppinger decided, 鈥淚 think I want to pursue doing something like this.鈥�
His junior year went as he hoped, splitting his time between the music and Bible departments, and he signed up with Pruitt for a second summer internship in 2021.
鈥淪erving alongside Justus for two summers was an incredible privilege,鈥� commented Ricky. 鈥淗is willingness to learn from any situation or conversation magnified his credibility in the eyes of those he served as well as those on staff. He grew immensely in his ability to lead a class through experiences, discussion, Bible exploration, and application. His interpersonal skills allowed him to connect with teens and adults, relating to different generations naturally. He was excellent at forming relationships and using that connection to encourage those around him.鈥�
When asked about the takeaways he gleaned from his internships, Coppinger said, 鈥淢inistry
takes a lot of patience, particularly with youth ministry and getting to know these
kids. It takes a lot of smaller conversations that lead up to some bigger things.
I had some really awesome experiences and conversations, but that鈥檚 at the end of
two summers of getting to know these kids. It wasn鈥檛 like come in and change everybody鈥檚
lives real quick and head out.鈥�
One of Coppinger鈥檚 recognizable gifts is of course singing, whether he鈥檚 leading worship on campus, church services, or being part of a praise team. His time at Kerrville was life-changing in that regard.
鈥淚 think for the first time I experienced 鈥渃hurch鈥� in general on a different level,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause I had a role and tried to be as intentional as possible in that role, I remember every Sunday coming away from a church service being so filled myself. Not because I was there to fill myself necessarily, but I think it was because my mindset changed from what is this service going to do for me鈥攖o how can I invest, what can I bring this morning.鈥�
Coppinger was asked how he hoped to benefit from the NGPS experience and said that being young, he doesn鈥檛 receive a lot of feedback aside from 鈥淕ood job,鈥� or 鈥淭hank you so much for speaking.鈥� He鈥檚 very appreciative of that encouragement but is looking forward to growing his gift. 鈥淚 would like to be able to refine what I do and receive constructive criticism from people who are experts in that field,鈥� he said.
One of Coppinger鈥檚 recognizable gifts is of course singing, whether he鈥檚 leading worship on campus, church services, or being part of a praise team. His time at Kerrville was life-changing in that regard.
鈥淚 think for the first time I experienced 鈥渃hurch鈥� in general on a different level,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause I had a role and tried to be as intentional as possible in that role, I remember every Sunday coming away from a church service being so filled myself. Not because I was there to fill myself necessarily, but I think it was because my mindset changed from what is this service going to do for me鈥攖o how can I invest, what can I bring this morning.鈥�
Coppinger was asked how he hoped to benefit from the NGPS experience and said that being young, he doesn鈥檛 receive a lot of feedback aside from 鈥淕ood job,鈥� or 鈥淭hank you so much for speaking.鈥� He鈥檚 very appreciative of that encouragement but is looking forward to growing his gift. 鈥淚 would like to be able to refine what I do and receive constructive criticism from people who are experts in that field,鈥� he said.
鈥� Justus鈥� great grandfather Joe K. Alley had a 14-year tenure at York College (1963-1976)
serving as a Bible professor, vice president, and interim president at YC. His grandparents
John and *Bettye Jo (Alley) Hamm (鈥�69) were at York when it was just a two-year school,
and his parents Matthew (鈥�96) and Laura (Hamm 鈥�95) Coppinger were students during
the transition to a four-year college. Now he and his fianc茅 Kelsey Beck (whose parents
John 鈥�98 and Nicole (Roitsch 鈥�94) Beck were at YC with Matt and Laura) are students
during the transition to 菠萝视频. Justus said, "Yeah, I know. It's crazy!"
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*deceased
*deceased