- Parents, not the youth staff, are ultimately responsible for the discipleship and spiritual maturity of their children. (Deut. 4:9-10, 6:1-9; Prov. 22:6, 29:17; Eph. 6:4.)

- Youth leaders should work in conjunction with parents to reinforce the truths of Christ-likeness already being taught in the home. This is done with the common goal of spiritual maturity.

- Youth leaders should offer support to parental authority that is biblical in nature seeking to "turn the heart of the children to their fathers" (Mal. 4:6).

- Youth leaders should seek to maintain strong, open lines of communication to parents and vice-versa, in order for information and concerns to be shared freely and openly.

- Intentional, regular meetings should be scheduled between the youth leaders and parents in order to foster an environment of open communication, keep parents informed on issues that youth are facing, offer encouragement, and reiterate youth philosophy.

This list is by no means exhaustive but it does set a frame work for our ministry. Successful youth ministry can only take place with the cooperation of both youth leaders and parents.

Our Sunday morning meeting is for grades 7th-12th. During this time, we worship God together through music, prayer, and studying His Word in a meaningful and practical way. A variety of topics are covered that equip teens to function Biblically in this present world.

Our Wednesday night meeting is for grades 6th-12th. During this time we employ a unique approach that encourages broad growth within our teens. Each Wednesday night session involves a different focus, and these sessions are as follows:

*Reasons Night - Equips teens to know the reasons for their faith

*Discipleship Night - Separates teens into small, sponsor-led groups to encourage deeper discussion and greater personal connections

*Activity Night - Offers teens a time of fun and fellowship, including a brief challenge from God's word

*Life Questions Night - Allows teens to ask practical, spiritual, or personal questions that are pertinent to their lives

*Testimony Night - Provides teens with opportunities to share personal testimonies about God and His work

*Split Session Night - Divides teens into guys/girls to discuss gender-specific issues

Upcoming Events:

October 20-22 - Fall Retreat

November 10-11 - Underground Church

November 18 - Thanksgiving Outreach

December 9 - Christmas Outing

Breakaway is our summer-long teen program. Teens are divided up into table groups led by an upperclassman from the youth group. Each week, these table groups meet for a set time period to discuss a predetermined passage of Scripture. After the group time a youth sponsor will present a devotional that goes along with the selected passage. Each summer, we pick out a new book of the Bible or topic to study together. Teens are also divided up into two teams for outdoor competition during these weeks.

Our table leaders meet together once a month during Sunday School for what we call "Next Step." During this time, these leaders discuss the passage after they have put work in themselves to study the passage.

Endurance is a Wednesday night team based competition beginning in September and ending before Thanksgiving. Teens are assigned to teams and gain points for these teams each week as well as individually. Points are awarded in categories such as Scripture memory, church attendance, daily devotions, and bringing friends to church. The goal of Endurance is to encourage teens to be a part of something bigger than themselves, be faithful to God's Word and to reach out to the community around them. We begin the Endurance program with 6 teams and end with only 2 still left in the competition! If a team is eliminated, teens will join a new team, chosen at random.

During our spring semester, we employ different methods of teaching. Book studies, split guys/girls sessions, and small groups are some of what we do during the spring. We also practice a teen choir number each week in preparation for singing as a group on a Sunday night.