I can’t thank you enough for the incredible blessing you’ve been to our church community. The process, and the point were fantastic. And, the place you’ve taken our youth pastor to is great. What a contribution you’ve made to the Kingdom!

–Steve Osborne, Senior Pastor of Sierra Bible Church, Sonora, CA

“Ken McCoy comes from the era where all youth work was done by pioneering. There were no trails, no maps, no training or tools, and few older experienced explorers in Youth Ministry to point out the shortcuts and potential bogs. Youthworkers from this era had to invent it all themselves. With small budgets, jerry-rigged programming, and a lot of trial and error, the successful ones rose to the top (except in the way of salaries, which always hovered around Janitorial level) and became the guides to generations of up coming youth workers.

Lovingly known as ‘KennyMac’, Ken is one of those pioneers. What he brings—via JumpStart—to a local church struggling to create an effective youth ministry is something that cannot be found in books or schooling: experience. He knows the landscape of both church life and the youth world. He intuitively sees what will work and what won’t work in a given context, and has the skill to explain that nuance to others. He has what people in youth ministry often call ‘The Smell’ – that is, he is a natural with kids, he knows their world, and in spite of his graying hair is both welcomed and comfortable in it.

While Ken has education credentials that appease those in the adult world, what he brings to a church looking to start or rev up their youth ministry is decades of experience.”

Rick Bundschuh, Kauai Christian Fellowship, Poipu, HI 

Our consulting session on Thursday was very helpful to our team. We plan on implementing some changes in the summer and fall. And as a speaker, you knocked it out of the park. Our students came home saying it was the best weekend Advance they had ever been to. The weekend was fabulous from top to bottom!

—Larry Gallas, Grace Community Church, Arlington, TX

“Ken and I have been friends through serving together as ministers for a very large successful church near San Diego over sixteen years. As Head Pastor and Preacher, I was impressed when Ken served for a transitional year directing our High School and College Youth programs between Youth Pastors. His wisdom about the difficult youthful years and family dynamics is valuable to churches. He is an up to date, aware of modern culture kind of Christian leader. Ken appreciates that families, broader society, schools, and local churches are all part of the influence in teen lives, so youth leaders and church volunteers need to remain tuned in. I highly recommend Ken to church leaders trying to engage youth in Christian faith.”

Rev. Dr. Bruce Humphrey, Presbyterian Congregation of Middletown, PA

“Ken McCoy and JumpStart Ministries provided us with valuable coaching for our youth ministries. Ken is both competent and caring. He uses a very relational approach as it provides ministry tools, ideas for work with youth, and general skills training.”

Rev. Dr. Bill Gillis, Valley Evangelical Free Church, Hemet, CA

Keys and cell phone in hand, I loaded my book bag, lunch, and self into the car, put the keys in the ignition, turned the key – and nothing, not even an annoying click, click, click sound. I sat despondent, frozen, despairing. I live on 60 acres just north of the middle of nowhere. What to do? Fortunately, we have a trusty farm truck that has pulled many a tractor out of the bog. When paired alongside and connected to my ailing vehicle, that truck revved life into an engine that had lost its spark. I didn’t need a new engine or even a new battery, I needed a jumpstart.

This is the beauty of what KennyMac brings to the table, with his aptly named JumpStart Ministries. He comes alongside, and with his decades of hard won experience and insightful expertise, he revs spark, relevance, and purpose into seemingly despondent, frozen, and despairing youth ministries. He connects with what is to envision what could be and bring it to life.

— Mary Wilson Peed, Fort Valley UMC, Fort Valley, GA

Author of Deal with It: A Twelve Week Study on Teenage Girl’s Anger

“Ken McCoy is a master at starting ministries from scratch. His experience in small and large churches has majored in training leaders for youth ministries.”

Rev. Dr. Dennis Baker, The Goehner Group, Cypress, CA