You should hire Jessi Trigger.

Normally, when a chaplain brings me to his college campus, I speak in a chapel service about the ministry of Compassion International. Then, that evening, I play a concert for a handful of students who remember hearing “Welcome Home” in the minivan with mom on the ride to middle school years ago. In the hours between chapel and concert I catch up on e-mails, phone calls, maybe even sneak in a nap.

But not at Bryan.

Jessi Trigger, who works in the Spiritual Formation Office at Bryan College, believes in making the most of time and people. That includes visitors like me.

Tyrus and I ate spaghetti with chapel worship leaders, talked about what worship is and how to do it together and alone. I spoke to singer songwriters about the craft and business of music. I lead a discussion in an Intro To Ministry class about the individual’s and local church’s role in caring for the poor – scanning the bible together from Moses to Paul. We had lunch with inspiring students who lead mission teams in the community, around the country and the world. I explained social media to a communications class, how I use it to keep a career and ministry going without a record label, how we use it at Compassion Bloggers to connect the first world to the third.

One and a half days on the Bryan College campus left me feeling energized, useful, hopeful about the next generation of American church leaders. And I left a big fan of Jessi Trigger.

Tyrus and I both couldn’t stop talking about her when we finally drove away. “She’s gonna be missed here,” he said.

Jessi’s husband is headed to grad school in Orlando so Jessi will be leaving Bryan soon. I asked what her dream job there would be and she said she’d love to lead worship at a small church where she can also disciple youth.

I don’t know her official title at Bryan College these days but I know she’s the leader of worship leaders there and also teaches discipleship while actually doing it. She disciples students with the aim that they’ll then go and make disciples too. From what I witnessed at Bryan I think she’s been successful: I’ve never been to a school where the students I met were so consistently spiritually (and otherwise) mature.

Jessi is that rare individual who is highly organized while still being warm, magnetic even, and not coming across as the least bit high strung. She’s managed to be an educated minister without misplacing her love for God and people in a textbook somewhere. She’s tender-hearted, self-motivated, humble, joyful, an encourager, a worshipful listener and skilled communicator. She was life to us this week, can you tell?

If you’re in Orlando and have a job opening that fits Jessi’s dream, I highly recommend hiring her. I’m not giving out her contact info here, but get in touch with me and I’ll connect the two of you if it seems like a potentially good fit. Deal?

Now, I’m curious. What’s your dream job?