Student Ministry Updates
Hey Parents,
Now that school is in full swing for most of us, I just wanted to give you all a quick update on where we are headed over the next semester and into next year.
We want to help students take steps towards Jesus. We do this by trying to balance three things: connecting them to the church, giving them opportunities to connect with one another and equipping you with information, tools and resources.
So let me equip you with some information.
1. Sunday School.
Starting September 2nd, the Jr. Highers will shift from following the sermon series to working through a curriculum called The Gospel Project. We will start with Genesis and Job and each week I will post on this blog some things you could talk to your student about. The main thrust of this curriculum is pointing out how the Bible is centered around the Gospel message of Jesus.
2. boot
On Thursday, September 13th, we will be starting up a brand new mid-week service called boot for students in 6th- 12th grade. Doors will open at 6 pm but we will get things started around 6:15 pm. I am really excited for this program because it is designed for students to take leadership roles and encourage one another to take practical steps towards Jesus.
So we will come together and spend about 45 minutes playing some games, worshipping and having a teaching time where we will talk briefly about the book of John, focusing on the people that surround Jesus and how they react to Him. Then we will split into groups (based roughly around age and sex)- and this is what I am so pumped for.
Each group will receive a pile of cards that have different questions, Bible readings, games, prayer activities, etc. If you are passed a card, you lead that part of the group. So your card says, "Read John 1:1 Aloud." You can do that or you can decide to pick someone else to read. Each group will have an adult there to keep things in line, but most weeks they might not have to say anything. The students will get to practice leading in a very nonthreatening way.
If a student brings a friend, that friend is automatically in their group. And once a student is assigned to a group, they will stay in that group unless the group gets too large. Even then, they will stay with some of the same people. That applies as long as we do boot. So if we are still doing this same program in 7 years, they will still be in a group with some of the same people. So they won't have to meet ten new people every week and be expected to open up in front of them.
The first week students will be asked to identify themselves in their development of discipeship. We have identified five stages to becoming a disciple of Jesus in the gospels: The Observer, The Seeker, The Believer, The Worker, The Discipler. So once the student identifies, "I am a Seeker," they will pick up a Button and a Card that helps them think through some steps they can take to move to the Believer. The goal is not for them to associate any of these stages with failure, but to honestly assess where they are, so they can keep taking steps towards Jesus.
Throughout the program they will have the opportunity to change buttons when they feel like they have gone from questioning to believing or from believing to doing, etc.
One more note on this service, if your student wants to come, but you need help getting them there, just let me know and we will try to hook you up with some sort of carpool.
3. ICOM
On November 15-18, we will have the opportunity to attend the International Conference on Missions for free. This is a really cool event for students so we will be taking a group down for part of it. More details will be available as the event draws nearer.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns on any of this stuff, feel free to email me (eric@bridgetownchurch.com) or give me a call at the church.
Eric
Now that school is in full swing for most of us, I just wanted to give you all a quick update on where we are headed over the next semester and into next year.
We want to help students take steps towards Jesus. We do this by trying to balance three things: connecting them to the church, giving them opportunities to connect with one another and equipping you with information, tools and resources.
So let me equip you with some information.
1. Sunday School.
Starting September 2nd, the Jr. Highers will shift from following the sermon series to working through a curriculum called The Gospel Project. We will start with Genesis and Job and each week I will post on this blog some things you could talk to your student about. The main thrust of this curriculum is pointing out how the Bible is centered around the Gospel message of Jesus.
On Thursday, September 13th, we will be starting up a brand new mid-week service called boot for students in 6th- 12th grade. Doors will open at 6 pm but we will get things started around 6:15 pm. I am really excited for this program because it is designed for students to take leadership roles and encourage one another to take practical steps towards Jesus.
So we will come together and spend about 45 minutes playing some games, worshipping and having a teaching time where we will talk briefly about the book of John, focusing on the people that surround Jesus and how they react to Him. Then we will split into groups (based roughly around age and sex)- and this is what I am so pumped for.
Each group will receive a pile of cards that have different questions, Bible readings, games, prayer activities, etc. If you are passed a card, you lead that part of the group. So your card says, "Read John 1:1 Aloud." You can do that or you can decide to pick someone else to read. Each group will have an adult there to keep things in line, but most weeks they might not have to say anything. The students will get to practice leading in a very nonthreatening way.
If a student brings a friend, that friend is automatically in their group. And once a student is assigned to a group, they will stay in that group unless the group gets too large. Even then, they will stay with some of the same people. That applies as long as we do boot. So if we are still doing this same program in 7 years, they will still be in a group with some of the same people. So they won't have to meet ten new people every week and be expected to open up in front of them.
The first week students will be asked to identify themselves in their development of discipeship. We have identified five stages to becoming a disciple of Jesus in the gospels: The Observer, The Seeker, The Believer, The Worker, The Discipler. So once the student identifies, "I am a Seeker," they will pick up a Button and a Card that helps them think through some steps they can take to move to the Believer. The goal is not for them to associate any of these stages with failure, but to honestly assess where they are, so they can keep taking steps towards Jesus.
Throughout the program they will have the opportunity to change buttons when they feel like they have gone from questioning to believing or from believing to doing, etc.
One more note on this service, if your student wants to come, but you need help getting them there, just let me know and we will try to hook you up with some sort of carpool.
3. ICOM
On November 15-18, we will have the opportunity to attend the International Conference on Missions for free. This is a really cool event for students so we will be taking a group down for part of it. More details will be available as the event draws nearer.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns on any of this stuff, feel free to email me (eric@bridgetownchurch.com) or give me a call at the church.
Eric
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