Josh Del Rosario has worked at TEMC as digital coordinator since 2016. He began working as our youth ministry coordinator in January of 2024. He is a champion team player, always working to help others on the staff to do our work better. We talked about his older work with us, his newer youth work, and his life and faith.
Tell us about yourself, Josh.
I grew up here in a Filipino household. We came to Canada as a family in 1994. We’ve found a home here.
I went to school at Guelph-Humber University to study digital communications. I did a little graphic design, video, and web work. I always wanted to work for a charity or non-profit organization. They always need digital support. I’m thankful to be able to put that into practice at a place like TEMC. And I've been married to my wife Hannah for two years! (I also love Bubble Tea!)
Why a non-profit as opposed to, say, a business?
My principles and values are my motivators. Any cause I’m able to align with, I’ll pour myself into it. If my motivator were purely financial, I feel that would fizzle out quickly. But a deeper purpose for the work is something that has always been more attractive to me.
What gifts for ministry do you bring from Filipino culture?
There’s something about the community and the culture in the Philippines. It’s really family-oriented. That carries through into the churches. When I visit a Filipino church there, I stand out in the sense that I don’t know how to speak the language perfectly. They know I’m not from there, but even so, they make you feel right at home. Even if you’re not necessarily from here, we want to make you feel at home.
The Philippines is known for being a hospitable country. It helps that English is a prominent language. But apart from that, they desire to share some warmth (and not just weather!). So if you ever get the chance to go, do it.
How did you find your own way to Christian faith?
I grew up in a Christian household, but it wasn’t until university that I started to sink my teeth into it. I had a Paul-like moment when things turned around for me, and I started to really experience and understand God for myself. Growing up, it was more of a second-hand faith I got from my parents. I eventually knew the answers in my head without them sinking into my heart. At my conversion, I understood what faith was about. It was personal, so much so that I wanted to share it with other people, especially with youth and children.
You’ve worked for us as our digital content manager for years. Are there any similarities between that role and your newer one with youth ministry?
On paper, they’re very different! But there are similarities. On the technological side, my job is to help spread the message of the church, to get the gospel out there. With the youth, I also want to let them know what the gospel is about.
How do you stay so calm when others (like me!) are tempted to panic at a technological glitch?
It doesn’t help if people are feeling anxiety to respond in the same way. I don’t want to overwhelm anyone, and I don’t want to feel overwhelmed either. So I take a step-by-step, tactical approach: this is the issue, what are the options, what are the steps to address it? That’s what’s going in my mind. Then we start taking the steps. If one doesn’t work, go on to the next one. I try to stay calm so everyone feels at ease.
Everything we’re doing, including on the tech side, is ministry. I want to solve the problem and do our best because it is ministry. So to stay even-keel is a calling. To do the job with excellence serves a bigger purpose.
But working with youth is not so linear as that, is it?
It’s true! But that’s ok: it stretches the imagination and calls forth ways to be creative. Someone’s faith journey isn’t linear either. There’s not one formula.
What do you hope for for our youth ministry?
That it would look like a home: a safe place for youth to feel like they belong and are loved. I hope they’ll have no hesitation to be there and no one forcing them to be there, that they’re looking forward to coming every week and fostering lifelong friendships. I hope that whoever walks into TEMC will be able to feel the same and develop such relationships, but most of all their own personal relationship with God.
My kids say you’re a particularly scrappy basketball player.
That’s a Filipino thing too.
Tell us about your wife, Hannah?
We got married two years ago. We met at church. We went from planning youth camp to planning a wedding. We’re learning to grow together. Hannah loves climbing, has a great sense of humor, and loves food.
What’s the best Filipino place to eat in the GTA?
You have to go to Little Manila, near Bathurst and Wilson. You’ll get a glimpse of the Philippines there.