“Joining ATK Ministry made me realize I wanted my faith for myself. My faith is the center of my life.” - Derrick Martin Jr.

Derrick Martin Jr., a 2023 graduate of Milwaukee Lutheran High School, grew up in a home where his parents cultivated and supported his love of music from a young age by involving him in music at church. Music was an early passion of his and the reason he came to Milwaukee Lutheran. Similarly, faith was always a part of Derrick’s life, but going into his freshman year, Derrick reflects that he was a “lukewarm Christian.” As he entered Milwaukee Lutheran for the first time, he was nervous but immediately got involved in football, choir, and Joyful Noise, a choir at the school. As Derrick became more invested in Joyful Noise, he began to recognize God’s presence in his life and became more invested in his faith.

In Derrick’s junior year, Mr. Josh Atkinson started ATK Ministry, a non-profit after-school program with the mission to share Jesus through music and the arts founded at Milwaukee Lutheran. Mr. Atkinson’s heart for sharing the love of God with the students in a way that’s engaging for them is evident in the vision for ATK Ministry. Last year, when ATK Ministry began, Derrick was one of six students. Today, they’ve grown to six staff and 28 students involved in four areas of creative ministry – music, beat-making, dance, and media.

Mr. Atkinson tried to recruit Derrick multiple times before he agreed to give up football to join the after-school program. Derrick says, “At first, we weren’t even focusing on songs... On the first day, ATK (Mr. Atkinson) asked us about our relationships with God because we can’t make Gospel music if we don’t mean what we say.” So, for the first two weeks of the program, Mr. Atkinson set music aside and laid the foundation for what the program is all about – focusing on students’ relationship with Jesus. They would study God’s Word, share what they learned from a particular passage, then have the opportunity to write a song hook based on what they learned. That’s how Derrick wrote his first hit song, G.O.D. (See lyrics below.) Derrick said about Mr. Atkinson, “Having someone besides family tell me the stuff that family usually tells me made me realize he believes in me. And having someone believe in me made me believe in myself.” After rooting students in the Word, Josh allows them to create freely and supports them through encouragement, honest critiques, meeting each student where they’re at, and investing in each one.

Derrick remembers Mr. Atkinson saying, “All I ever wanted was for your relationships with God to continuously grow, whether that’s through making music, dancing, or making beats.” Derrick reflects that joining ATK Ministry made him realize he wanted faith to be central to his life – he didn’t want to be a lukewarm Christian anymore.

Today, God is the center of Derrick’s life. Before, he didn’t have an answer for why he believed in God, but today his love for the Lord is evident, and he knows that his faith will always be central to his life. He is proud to be a light to his peers, to talk about God with them, and to be someone others seek out as a safe person when they have struggles or questions.

Reflecting on his four years at Milwaukee Lutheran, it’s hard for Derrick to leave. Some of the most impactful aspects of high school were choir, ATK Ministry, and the teachers. The teachers felt like family to Derrick; he knows they love and care about him, and that’s an experience he deeply appreciates and will miss as he begins college. After being involved in ATK Ministry, Derrick plans to pursue music post-graduation at Milwaukee Area Technical College and, hopefully, attend Berklee College of Music in the future.

G.O.D.

Music & Lyrics by Derrick Martin

G.O.D. parted my life like it’s the red sea.

G.O.D. promise a future I can’t even see.

G.O.D. doing miracles – it’s hard to believe.

G.O.D. trying to work on my life.

God is controlling me, yeah.

I serve the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, follow the Trinity.