Youth Ministry
- Faculty Profile - Michele Hershberger
 Michele
Hershberger
Chair, Bible Department
620-327-8292
micheleh@hesston.edu
Is the Youth Ministry program demanding academically?
The academics in the Bible Department as a whole are very strong. We, and really Hesston as a whole, put more of a focus on relational education, a kind of full-orbed education. So while it is challenging, it also feels very real and authentic.
What are the advantages Youth Ministry students find coming to a two-year college like Hesston?
One of the biggest advantages is they have greater opportunities to be a leader sooner. I talk to people from other colleges and they always say ‘wow, your Bible students are already doing those things’. Also, our students feel very free to explore, without pressure. They can explore their faith questions without worrying about the juniors and seniors thinking it’s stupid.
What are some of the things students and faculty in this program do together outside the classroom?
When we first went to war with Afghanistan, the students came to me and said ‘we want to do something’. I knew there was a need for blankets over there, and so together we made about 70 comforters. But that wasn’t enough for them. They wanted to experience what the people over there were experiencing, so for four Thursday nights during the month of November, we gathered outside late at night for an hour to worship, but we didn’t wear coats. We just wore blankets around us.
What do high school students need to know about Hesston’s learning environment?
There is an intentional atmosphere here that encourages real relationships and warmth. We talk about and hold each other accountable, about following Jesus, and that’s important to me. My role is to help students feel the freedom to ask really difficult questions and to face some of their false selves and to hold them in that chaos long enough that they don’t just revert back to their old self when an emergency comes, but they actually emerge as a new person. Hesston is a place where faith can be owned and where good hard questions can be asked.
What draws you to the field of Youth Ministry?
It's very much the idea of giving yourself up for the sake of others. I've had hours-long conversations with kids breaking down stereotypes, talking about really meaningful things with tears in our eyes-seeing how their minds open up right there in front of me, and how they expose me to some really wonderful perspectives-it's such a wonderful experience.
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