Living Word Ministries

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Welcome to Student Ministries

Michael Yannes, Student Ministries Director

Why We Do What We Do

At Living Word Ministries, we believe teens are at a very crucial stage in their lives. They are in the process of “becoming.” They are forming their identities and want to know who they are and why they are here. Teens are looking for something to believe in, and something to live for. What they are looking for is Jesus Christ. Jesus said to make disciples (Matthew 28:19).

We believe that because of where teens are in their development, they are the most open and receptive to the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Most people decide to follow Christ by the time they are 18. That is why it is critical to reach them now. Filled with youthful passion to reach this world for Jesus Christ, teens are the church of today that makes the way for the church of tomorrow.

Vision & Purpose

Our vision and purpose in youth ministry is to raise up teens to be committed followers of Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:14 teaches that we should “press on toward the goal.” Our goal in youth ministry is to see Christ-like character formed in the lives of teens. We will achieve this goal guiding teens through a process of discipleship that finds its origin in the four principles of love, connect, serve and reach, as presented by Pastor Vance. As teens learn to love God, connect with others, serve all, and reach their world, they will discover who they are in Christ and embrace their life mission to turn this world upside down with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:6).

The teen ministry process flows from the four priciples of our church – love, connect, serve, and reach. Students will interact with this process as follows:

•  LOVE

  • Students will be a part of a large service where they will be able to worship the Lord in a youthful and exuberant way, experiencing the presence of God. They will also receive relevant biblical teaching that will impact their lives to become committed followers of Jesus Christ.

•  CONNECT

  • Students will become part of a small group where they will be able to connect and get to know their fellow peers and the leadership of the student ministry. In these small groups, they will dig deeper into the Word of God and grow in their commitment to Jesus Christ.

•  SERVE

   

  • Within the student ministry, teens will have an opportunity to get involved and serve in various areas of ministry designed to help them discover the part they play in the Body of Christ.

•  REACH

   

  • Students need to know that as Christians they have a life mission, and that mission is to reach as many people as we can with the good news of Jesus Christ. Knowing this, various outreach opportunities will be provided for teens ranging from short-term mission trips that will be foreign and domestic, working in soup kitchens or with local organizations that help the needy in our community, and forming their own creative outreaches through the student ministry. All of these opportunities will exist to help expose teens to the reality of their life mission.