MOULTRIE — T.J. Emma came to Moultrie in August and brought his passion for ministering to youth with him from Florida.

Emma, the youth pastor at Heritage Church, moved to Moultrie and began working as the youth pastor Aug. 1. He and his wife of eight years, Leah, came here from Gulf Breeze, Fla., the first time either one of them had moved from their hometown.

The chance to come to Moultrie first began when Emma was told about Moultrie by some of his best friends, Britt and Marie Young, who opened the Chick-fil-A restaurant here in April, he said. The Youngs told the Emmas about Moultrie and how Heritage Church was looking for a new youth pastor after Eric Foster-Whiddon left to become the church’s pastor of Spiritual Community.

Emma said he was initially against the move and leaving his hometown, but the Youngs encouraged him to come to Moultrie and see the church a couple of months later. When he came to Moultrie, he felt Heritage was a unique place for everyone, including youth, he said.

“It really just kind of drew us in,” Emma said.

While serving for 24 days in Honduras over the summer, Emma said he was contacted by the church about continuing the interview process. After coming back two other times, he “fell in love with the place” and became the new youth pastor at Heritage and came to Moultrie with his wife and two children, Caden, 4, and Landen, 2. Leah was also about to get a job at Colquitt County High School as an 11th grade English teacher.

Since coming to Moultrie, Emma said he has enjoyed being in what he called a “laid back and friendly town.” Coming from the Florida Gulf Coast, he loves to surf and fish but also likes being able to hunt here.

It was through his wife’s job that he began to get involved within the community so soon after moving to Moultrie, Emma said. Leah met many of the football coaches during her orientation, and he met with new head football coach Rush Propst about working with the football team.

The meeting allowed Emma the chance to work with the football team as a chaplain, as he said Propst was friends with a coach at Gulf Breeze High School, who Emma had worked with for five years. He will also be coaching pole vaulting at the high school this spring, which he coached as a volunteer for nine years.

“I do that because it’s how you build relationships with kids,” Emma said.

In addition to serving as a coach, Emma said he mentors four guys at Willie J. Williams Middle School and is on the executive board for the Boys and Girls Club. His passion is for the youth of this community, and his goal is to teach the youth to be the example God has called them to be, calling it “the journey,” he said. He hopes youth will get involved with others to share the journey rather than go through life alone.

Emma said he did not initially set out to have a career in youth ministry. He served as a paid and volunteer firefighter for 11 years, attending Pensacola Junior College for EMT training and Florida State College to complete fire academy training. He also served on the Fort Walton Beach Fire Commission, becoming the youngest member of the five-member panel.

While serving as a firefighter, however, Emma said he ruptured a disk in his back that required surgery. He had been working at a church part time while a firefighter, and he turned to the ministry full-time after the injury and has no regrets.

“I have been in ministry for 13 years and I’m still loving it,” Emma said. “I’m passionate about inspiring students to make a difference and to be the change in the community.”

Emma said being at Heritage has given him opportunities few other churches would be able to offer. The church encourages everyone to take risks and to accomplish the mission Jesus set to His followers to love God and to love others.