From Canvasser to Calling: How Youth Rush Shaped a Future Pastor
By Ezrica Bennett
At 16, Joshua Roman joined Youth Rush as a shy teenager. Today, he serves as the San Diego program head and is spending his eighth summer with the organization. He is also pursuing a theology degree at Southern Adventist University. For Roman, Youth Rush was more than just a summer job; it was a catalyst for transformation.
Youth Rush is a summer literature evangelism program for young adults that equips students with meaningful skills and ministry experience. Each day begins with optional morning devotionals, followed by practical chores such as food preparation, inventory, or accounting. After breakfast and a mandatory worship session, students receive training on how to engage with the public safely and effectively. From 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., they canvas neighborhoods and parking lots, offering books on health and spirituality on a donation basis. Students keep a portion of what they collect, while the remainder supports the program’s operational costs, such as transportation and housing.
Like Roman, many students enter Youth Rush with little experience in social interaction or evangelism. Over time, they develop essential communication skills that strengthen their confidence and character which extend beyond their time in the program.
“Youth Rush helped me break out of my shell,” Roman shares. “I used to be terrified of talking to people. After facing rejection day after day, I stopped being afraid. I gained confidence, learned how to make friends, and how to reach people’s hearts.”
Students often experience moments where they see their faith come to life. Roman recalled one student who had been praying for an “angel experience.” One day, while canvassing, people kept glancing over his shoulder, and someone gave him two water bottles—one for him and one “for his friend.” The student was alone. When he shared what happened, a leader suggested, “Maybe that was your angel.” The student was overjoyed; his prayer had been answered.
The process of engaging their faith through service makes this a life-changing experience for many. It certainly was for Roman. Though he once planned to follow his family into medicine or the military, he now sees ministry as his calling.
“Youth Rush changed my path and my heart,” he says. A journey that began with a simple yes continues to shape his purpose and the stories of other young adults, one summer at a time.