Hey Friends and family! It’s Tanner Huizenga here! After almost seven years of serving in youth and children’s ministries at Beechwood Church, It is with gratitude, humility, and excitement that I share about this new season of ministry. Back in May, I joined a youth ministry called PLSM!

PLSM, which stands for Power, Love, and Sound Mind, is based on a verse from 2 Timothy 1:7 that says: "For God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of power, of love, and of sound mind." Through the guiding mission of 2 Timothy 1:7, the founder, and my mentor, Keith Reynolds has shepherded high school students for many years with a specific emphasis on instilling a sense of resilient power, abiding love of Christ, and fostering wisdom through critical thinking.

In its current form, PLSM provides space for local high school students to grow in their relationship with God, and to engage their world in richer and more meaningful ways. Throughout the school year, PLSM meets bi-monthly to facilitate a space in which intentional dialogue fosters a sense of power to make a positive difference, a deeper love of Christ, and a sound mind to navigate life with wisdom. With my role, we are excited to be more creative in the ways that we expand our engagement with our local community of students.

More specifically, my role will be to help shepherd the group as we transition into being a youth ministry of a Church that will be planted in the spring of 2026. Keith Reynolds, the founder of PLSM and pastor of the upcoming Church plant, will be leading alongside me.

For students, there is a profound need for an authentic and inclusive Christian community that fosters a deep love for Jesus, as well as a sense of belonging with one another. This need is being addressed by many faithful organizations in Holland. PLSM seeks to address this need primarily for a specific demographic of students who, by virtue of their cultural identity and socio-economic status, may not feel as though they can fully participate, belong, and be understood in other religious spaces. Simply put, we want to help cultivate a youth group without walls. In doing so, we want to be mindful of the financial and cultural barriers that exclude students from full participation in a community.

Prioritizing the belonging of this particular demographic of students and their families could take a variety of forms, such as; offering transportation to youth events, subsidizing retreats and trips, and being mindful of days/times that we meet. Although we are in the process of exactly how we will go about this, please know that we greatly value the belonging of all students.

In essence, I am being hired to do what I love to do most; to be a pastoral presence with students. I am beyond excited to be able to focus my time and heart on this again. I have missed it dearly.

Similarly to other para-church ministries, I will be raising my own salary for the first year, until June 2026. Your financial support creates space for me to engage our local students in a heartfelt and genuine way.

You are welcome to give a one time gift. My goal is to raise about $23,000. Currently, I’ve raised a little over $15,500. Every little bit helps in a big way!

PLSM is a 501 (c) (3) organization, and donations and tax deductible.

Thank you all so much for your love, prayers, and support. God is good and I’m excited!

Much love,

Tanner Huizenga