YOUTH MINISTRY

The Gathering Youth ages 7-12 Grade meet on the second Friday of each month at the church. We also have various activities and projects that are accomplished throughout the year. Please see below or check the calendar for details. For more information on how we view Youth Ministry and what our vision entails see below. 

Philosophy of Youth Ministry

With the Word of God as our authority (2 Timothy 3:16,17) we believe God reveals that two institutions ought to championed. The Church and the Home. While civil governments would be included as well, these two primary institutions are what God designed for the development of youth and children. The Bible reveals the primary influence of youth are their parents. (Duet. 6:7-9; 11:19; Eph. 6:1,4; Col. 3:20,21; 1 Thess. 2:11: 1 Tim. 3:4,12; Titus 1:6) Therefore any healthy youth ministry must in fact champion the home and Church as the place where true youth ministry takes place.

Traditionally over the last 50 years or so, the model has been to abdicate this role to “professionals” and this is where youth ministers got their start. Before this time the word “teenager” had not even been invented! The home has slowly lost its influence not to mention male and female roles being distorted beyond recognition and now we have a culture in which no parent stays home. This model has extreme flaws that are leading to the dropout ratio of our youth from the church after high school and the lack of discipleship taking place in young people’s lives.

The Church can better equip families in this long journey of transformation by having a renewed vision. 

Vision Statement

Our intention for Youth Ministry is to begin a journey that, by God’s grace, will reform how ministry is accomplished to our children and young people. To do so opportunities for youth to integrate, rather than segregate, into the culture of the church and its ministries is a must. Families must be strengthened and built up with tremendous support and resources developed for the purpose of life and culture change. 

A paradigm shift is in order in our society and we want to make a statement where we stand, on the Word of God. The youth as a group, need to still meet for the purpose of discipleship and support to each other as peers, however, the focus of the group should be Christ-centered with the purpose of pursuing Him and not “things to do”.  We believe our youth will stand out to a world that desperately needs Jesus when we put knowing and glorifying Christ and His Word as the primary focus.