Purpose of Student Ministry

My hope for every student is to be a fully developing disciple of Christ with the commitment to positively affect the world around them for the glory of God. It is my hope that every student coming out of our student ministry would have several core values. These values are charaterized by the following six things:

A student leaving our ministry would…

Profess Christ (Colossians 1:13-14)

• It is my hope that students would have a relationship with Christ. The most important step in a journey is often the first one. The key to a life of faith must always be grounded in the understanding that Christ is the way, the truth, and the only path to everlasting life.

Penetrate the Culture (Jeremiah 29:5-6)

• It is my hope that students would not be afraid to live in the world. Despite the things that culture has to offer that drives us away from God, we should not completely abandon the people in the midst of the culture. Because of this, we have a responsibility to live in the world and make a difference, not by adapting and compromising, but by engaging and reshaping the culture.

Practice a Missional Lifestyle (Jeremiah 29:7)

• It is my hope that students would live in a way that exhibits a missional lifestyle. Being “On-Mission” does not happen only when we plan a trip, but it happens every day by the way we live our lives.

Pursue an Intimate Relationship with God (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

• It is my hope that students would earnestly seek the Lord with everything they have. We often quote Jeremiah 29:11 as a promise God has for all of us, but when we read more closely, we see that the promise is made with the understanding that we are going to seek after God with every ounce of our being and that God will hear us and we will find Him.

Pursue Wisdom through the Word (Colossians 1:9)

• It is my hope that students would love the Word. It is the key to a biblical worldview as opposed to a secular worldview. Pursuing the wisdom found in the Word allows students to begin to build a foundation in which to gauge life decisions and the knowledge to articulate biblical truths.

Practice the Integration of Their Faith and Life (Colossians 1:10)

• It is my hope that students would be able to integrate the biblical knowledge and wisdom they have with their every day normal living. The evidence of this is found in the bearing of fruit.