RUN THE RACE: Church Youth Pastor Cooking Up A New Show to Help Save Sex Slavery Victims

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - More and more people are watching shows on the Food Network these days, for entertainment and learning how to cook. Now, a group of church youth in Georgia are doing their own cooking competition show to raise money for a ministry and important cause that impacts people locally and around the world.

Justin Gaston, student ministries director at North Highland Church in Columbus and one of the organizers of this new cooking show, was a recent guest on our “Run the Race” podcast.

There will be 8 streaming episodes of STL Kitchen (Speed The Light Kitchen), coming our Tuesdays and Fridays via their YouTube and Facebook pages. It premiered on November 18 and the finale comes out on Tuesday, December 13. You can binge and watch on https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087561967498 and on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7RcZ_4Zx45s.

“When a group of kids go into elimination, whether they are the best or worst chef that week plus how much money they raised play roles,” Gaston told us on the podcast. “What a great way to partner with our students, show them these are real struggles and through your efforts, you can save lives.”

Their goal is to raise $100,000 for “Project Rescue” to help build a school that’s getting women and children out of sex slavery. Here’s how and where you can donate to that and these 10 young chefs supporting this cause: https://stlkitchen.org/.

We also talk on the podcast about Gaston’s passion for making videos that get people to smile, a way to tell stories like he does in sermons too. The videos can be serious or random and funny, like one that went viral several years ago called “Christmas in Columbus.” He says technology makes it easier for all of us to be storytellers! And he adds, it opens windows for him to talk about his church job and share the Lord with others.

Gaston is also a husband and a new dad to their son Zion, born last Spring, with ministry being a family affair and church loving on them - like they should everybody. How does he balance church and home life and running a video business? Listen to the podcast episode #133 to hear how he stays disciplined and organized with his busy calendar.

Wanting to be the best version of himself, Gaston also lost 30 pounds 3 years ago, when he was in his late 20s. What was his main motivations? How did he do it? Hint: it involved carbs and a personal trainer, which he highly recommends using. Since then, he’s been improved spiritually and physically.

Make sure to subscribe to the #RunTheRace podcast, share it with others, and write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info or to listen to any previous episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

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