To parents regarding this year’s changes to Sunday morning service:
With prayer and wise council from our team I have made the decision to launch discussion based elective classes on Sunday morning at 10:30 in place of our usual service. This change has been on my drawing board since the beginning of my time with the Jr. High and is being done to best serve the students you and I are called to shepherd.
The most un-churched generation is sadly those who are between the ages of 18-
27. We find that a majority of students nation wide leave the Church once they
graduate High School. Once many students graduate from student ministries
they feel they have graduated from everything ‘church’ that they currently know. I
believe we are all called to be a part of Christ’s Church (the body of believers) and
it is my heart students begin to experience that prior to graduating from student
ministries.
We currently have our large youth service Wednesdays at 7pm and Sundays
at 10:30am, a student leadership team, as well as small groups every
other Sunday throughout the school year. I find that small groups meet the needs
of students discussing life with other students in similar places to them. Allowing
them to engage with small group leaders who care for them and enlighten
students with scripture. Our large group gathering Wednesday provides students
with an opportunity to hear God’s word, have fellowship, and worship God. While
our Sunday morning service provides similar opportunities to Wednesday we
currently do not have structure for students who want to go deeper into
knowledge of God’s word and grow on an individualized level based on one’s
curiosity and need. I also feel that many students have questions that cannot
always be asked and discussed during a large group sermon.
I believe replacing Sunday morning service with classes will encourage students to attend family service, dive deeper into a particular topic, or serve. We will launch with two classes with the intention of moving up to three classes in the future, and eventually aiming to offer classes at the 12:00 service as well.
Every class will be co-led and discussion based aiming to guide students through specific topics in the bible that appeal to them. I believe many students will begin attending Church with their families and attend the classes that appeal to them when they are offered.
Pastor Jonathan is excited to welcome more Jr. High students into the audience. I believe there is no Jr. High version of the Holy Spirit that students surrender to the same God all of us do. In light of that I believe students can benefit from the sermons preached on Sunday morning, personally I write sermons that I could take to an adult congregation with very little tweaking. I
f you have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to what God has in store for this ministry.
-Jordy
