My path to church residency has been anything but conventional. I didn’t grow up in a believing family, attend church regularly, or go to Christian camps or conferences. I was raised in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, with my mom, dad, and two brothers. Early on, life became complicated. My parents divorced, my dad remarried, and I had to adjust to a blended family. I struggled for a long time to accept this new normal. My brothers and I found it difficult to balance time between households.
Around the same time, I switched schools, moving from my suburban school to the inner city. I entered an environment that was very uncomfortable. Adjusting to my new school felt similar to adjusting to my new family—it was difficult and isolating. I struggled to connect with others, and even when I made friends, distance made it hard to build meaningful relationships.
By the time I reached high school, things only seemed to get worse. During my junior year, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hit the lowest point of my life. I was overwhelmed with anxiety about my future and weighed down by depression. I felt lost and without direction. One day, I reached a breaking point. I knew something had to change.
For the first time since elementary school, I began reading the Bible; starting in the Gospels every day. After my online classes, I would spend hours reading, and slowly, God began to change my heart. For the first time, I encountered the true Jesus, not just an idea, but a Savior who offered forgiveness, restoration, and joy. Alone in my bedroom, I made the decision to follow Jesus.
After I made that decision, it became clear that I needed people in my life who could help me grow in my faith, so I began researching Christian colleges. That’s when I discovered Liberty University. After visiting for a weekend with my mom and experiencing the spiritually vibrant environment, I knew it was where I needed to be. In the fall of 2021, I moved into my dorm, stepping into what would become one of the most impactful seasons of my life.
During my time at Liberty, I found deep community and grew spiritually. In my first semester, I attended a weekly Bible study on my hall. My leader consistently poured into me, and by the end of the year, he and other leaders encouraged me to step into leadership myself. At first, I hesitated. I made excuses like I wasn’t good enough or didn’t know enough, but through their persistence and God’s grace, I became a Bible study leader the following year.
My sophomore year was incredibly transformative. While leading a group of freshman guys, I grew deeper in my faith and began to experience the joy of discipling others. At the same time, I built strong friendships and met my wife. Walking alongside those guys and pointing them to Jesus sparked something in me, and I sensed that God calling me into full-time ministry.
As I began to discern that calling, I applied for several church internships in the spring of 2024. After multiple interviews, I was turned down by every church. It was discouraging, and I wasn’t sure what God was doing. My last opportunity was a position at a summer camp, where I was offered the role of overnight director. That summer changed everything.
While serving middle school students and teaching the Gospel, I felt a clear calling from God. That summer I knew youth ministry was what I wanted to give my life to. When I returned to school in the fall, I met Brandon and Justin and learned about the Mercy Hill Church Residency program. At the time, I was planning to stay in Lynchburg. I had a full-time job lined up, was preparing for marriage, and intended to continue my education at Liberty. Still, I prayed and told God that if He kept the door open for residency, I would step through it.
After several interviews and a visit to Mercy Hill with my fiancé, I was offered the position. After praying about it for a week we felt confident that God was leading us to Greensboro. We made the difficult decision to leave behind stable jobs, a church we loved, and close friends in order to follow where God was calling us.
We chose to step into the unknown because we believe that sharing the Gospel with students here mattered more than our comfort.
My prayer is that my story encourages others to take the step into residency. You don’t need to come from a Christian background or have a ministry degree. God simply asks for your willingness to trust Him. He can do more than you could ever imagine.
– Daylen McKay, Mercy Hill Students Resident