student ministries structure & leadership
“One of the most powerful influences on young people today is their need to belong—to fit in and to be accepted by those they consider to be their peers. Research shows that the need to belong is growing as our culture fragments into smaller and smaller pieces...Belonging can’t be bought, it can’t be forced, but it can be taught, nurtured and modeled.” - Mark Gregston. This teaching, nurturing, and modeling are exactly what we are striving for in Student Ministries at Calvary Church. We are striving not only to help teens find belonging with one another, but connect them to the larger theme of living life for God and finding our belonging in HIM.
With this heart for belonging, connection, and discipleship in mind I want to share the structure for our Student Ministries. It is our hope and prayer that you will embrace, support, and partner with us so that our teens will grow in their relationship with God.
YOUTH GROUP IDENTITIES
High School students use the name Reliant Student Ministries, teaching the mission to Love God, Love Others, and Make Disciples. They meet from 7.00-8.00pm on Sunday nights. Most of their events, meetings, leaders, and studies will be high school specific.
Middle School students use the name Connect Student Ministries, with the mission to Connect students With God, With Others, Through Discipleship. They meet from 5.30-6.30pm on Sunday evenings. Their events, meetings, leaders, and studies will also most often be middle school specific.
events
COMMUNITY EVENTS: We want to introduce Calvary to students who don't typically attend church. No “come to Jesus moments”.....just fellowship. We will be asking teens to come up with these events, so they feel comfortable inviting their friends to it.
CROWD EVENTS: This is the event students will bring their friends to hear about God. The purpose of the Crowd Event is to connect with students who are investigating God and the church. It’s where fun meets the gospel. We will have high energy events with an invitation to respond to the gospel, a church invite, or more conversations.
CONGREGATION EVENTS: The Congregation Event will be better known as 'youth group.' This event will be for students who are in a relationship with Christ and other Christians. Worship in song, worship through the proclamation of Scripture, worship through “connect”edness and “reliance” on God. Connect Ministries meet on Sunday evenings from 5:30-6:30p and Reliant Ministries meet on Sunday nights from 7:00-8:00p.
COMMITTED EVENTS: Our Covenant Teen Groups (CTG) are aimed at students who are looking to mature spiritually through discipleship and are growing in Christ. Focused around prayer, Bible study, and “big step” spiritual growth, CTG’s will meet 2-3 times a month in leaders' homes. Teens must sign up ahead of time to be included in a group, and groups will be “closed” for 6 month time spans. They will be age and gender specific with the following breakdowns: 11th-12th grade guys, 11th-12th grade girls, 9th-10th grade guys, 9th-10th grade girls, 7th-8th grade guys, & 7th-8th grade girls.
CORE EVENTS: The Core is where students come and mature in their walk with God by serving. Events in this area will focus around service, growth, and disciple-making done by students. We will look at teens in this area as leaders and will use them to help invent Community and Crowd Events. Students who are at this level realize spiritual growth isn’t just about receiving, but also includes serving. The possibilities for this are endless, but to start we will be involving teens in the current ministries of the church. The vision is for this to develop into teens serving and inventing service opportunities in their area of giftedness and passion.
Questions? Pastor Joe.
Apply to be a part of the student ministries leadership team here.
