Ryan McCallum is the new youth pastor at Great Bend’s First Assembly of God Church. He comes to Great Bend from Nixa, Mo.
“Pastor Ryan,” who recently graduated from James River Leadership College in Ozark, Mo., says he felt the call to ministry since he was 19 years old. He has worked with youths over the past three years and has a heart for the middle school to college age students.
McCallum graduated from Timberline High School in Boise, Idaho, and attended Boise State University. He later transferred to James River Leadership College graduating with an Associate of Arts degree in Leadership. Currently, he is enrolled and pursing a Bachelor of Science degree in Church Ministries at Evangel University in Springfield, Mo., and expects to graduate in the summer of 2015.  McCallum also serves in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Kara Jones, his fiancé, comes from Arnold, Mo.  She graduated from Fox Senior High School in 2011 and moved to Ozark, Mo., in 2012 to attend James River Leadership College, where she and McCallum met.  Jones has been actively involved in ministry for over two years and says she also loves to serve in youth ministry. She has felt the Lord call her into ministry since she was she 19 years old while she was interning with a church in Denver, Colo., during the summer of 2013.  Since then, she has pursued her heart and passion for reaching lost and broken women, as well as serving alongside McCallum in youth ministry. They are planning to marry May 10 at St. Louis, Mo.  
Pastor Ryan and Kara are excited to be in Great Bend and will be working with youth and young adults, pastoring SALT Youth Ministries on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. They may be reached at First Assembly of God, 601 Patton Road, or by calling the church office, 620-792-5211.