Many teens and young adults who are raised in God's church, stay in God's church. Being in God's church and staying in God's church is all about commitment and, as we are now seeing, you can become committed at a relatively young age - even as a teenager. Today, I will tell you the tale of three teenagers who, under very trying circumstances, became committed to a way of life that would lead to success while teens. Two of them are famous figures in the Bible and the other was the father of a member in God's church.

Steven Shafer

Elder, United Church of God

Steve Shafer was born and raised in Seattle. He graduated from Queen Anne High School in 1959 and later graduated from Ambassador College, Big Sandy, Texas in 1967, receiving a degree in Theology. He has been an ordained Elder of the Church of God for 34 years and has pastored congregations in Michigan and Washington State. He and his wife Evelyn have been married for over 48 years and have three children and ten grandchildren.