What Am I Committing To?

  • Consistent attendance at a program (we ask that you arrive at least 15 minutes early and stay at least 15 minutes late. These extra minutes become key relational times with students).
  • Relational ministry with students during the week (1/2 hour additional time commitment for follow-up with students through notes, phone calls, meetings, etc..)
  • Attendance at Sunday morning staff development/ planning meetings (8:45-9:15am most every Sunday morning)
  • Spiritual growth as a follower of Christ

****You must understand that it is NEVER about us

…how cool, friendly, giving or smart we are. We can never do Holy Spirit work. We will never be God! We must depend upon Him to change hearts. To that end, understand that how we do things around here is based on Jesus’ example that we find in the Bible. Follow HIS ministry priorities the way He lived them out, and you, as well as our student ministry, will become more effective, less tired, less frustrated and more vibrant as God’s spirit works in and through you.

  • Pray with passion
    • It’s our life blood to stay intimately connected to Him. Your goal should be to give to students from the overflow of what God is doing in you, never the reserve that is merely sustaining you.
  • Go deeper with Christ
    • How do you develop your relationship to Jesus? Go deeper into an intimate and passionate relationship with Jesus and live that relationship out by obeying Christ and reflecting His character to those around you (Mark 1:7-8)
  • Grow as a leader
    • Allow yourself to develop as a student ministry leader. Leaders are learners so continue to offer yourself up for training, seek knowledge and refine your skills in ministry to teens so that you are better equipped to reach and disciple students (Mark 1:16-20)
  • Disciple Students
    • How do you disciple students to develop spiritual passion and become spiritual influencers with their friends? Challenge them to move toward maturity in their relationship to Jesus through small group discipling relationships (Mark 3:13-15)
  • Penetrate the Culture
    • Plain and simple…go where students are by spending time in their culture, and equip them to reach their friends and their culture (Mark 1:40-42). Going to their world says, “I CARE ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH!” And it says it to them in capital letters. 10,20,30 minutes a week with students in their world will have more positive affect than any program or event we will EVER be able to do.
  • Create Outreach Opportunities
    • Once we follow Jesus pattern by staying connected to Him, going deeper in our relationship with Him, developing as a leader and developing others, teaching students and communicating that we care by going to where they are, then we will have created an atmosphere that is ripe to harvest this lost and dieing generation that are so far from God. The spiritual momentum God generates is attractional (Mark 4:1-2) so if we then provide students with events or opportunities to invite, bring, or drag friends to experiences that they can hear the life-changing message of Jesus, we should expect God to do what He did to the church back in Acts 2:47b “…and each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” 

Our goal is to help volunteer leaders move from a program-directed ministry (dependent on the program) to self-directed ministry (independent minister). A few keys to help you develop as a minister are:

  • Time: Be patient; feeling comfortable and connecting with students takes time. DON’T PUT UNDUE PRESSURE ON YOURSELF
  • Participation: Going on special events and TRIPS will help intensify and solidify your relationships with students.
  • Initiative: the more you invest, the more you will get out of it. Your relationships will grow deeper as you invest your time.