Our task to make disciples who make disciples is beyond our ability. None of us were made right with God by our own efforts. No one else will be made right with God by their efforts nor by ours. And yet, Jesus instructs us to go and make disciples who will make disciples. This forms the core of where we must aim in all our ministries. Not the least of these is student ministry.

Desperate churches and parents have sought for decades to capture the imaginations of young people through bells and whistles, games and activities. For some this worked. But many learned that better entertainment was available elsewhere and they walked away from the church. Many who stayed learned a watered down message that reduced the Christian faith to this: “Church should make me feel good and I should try to be good but God’s pretty much okay with whatever I do.” It sounds good, but it’s not good, because it’s a lie. The real gospel tells the truth:  Everyone is separated from God because of sin, but Jesus came to suffer in our place. We can be forgiven and made clean before God when we trust Jesus’ death on the cross to pay for our sin. That is good news!

For at least two years, the elders have prayed and wrestled with how we could pursue student ministry in a more gospel centered way. We don’t have it all figured out, but we have a vision and new direction to share with the church. We’d like to see if you affirm that we are on the right track. It’s not a 100% solution, but it represents a fresh vision and structure that supports the work of parents, leaders and students in discipling young people already here and reaching their peers with the gospel. We want to discuss that with you in a Town Hall meeting Sunday afternoon at 4:30.

Actually, this is a huge weekend for our student ministry.

Saturday night our students are presenting a Variety Show with dinner served to help fund their camp at Ridgecrest later this month. They have worked hard to raise money doing yard work. I’m praying Saturday night we can help them raise the rest. These events are always entertaining and there are always fun surprises.

Sunday morning we recognize recent high school and college graduates in the morning service. There are eight of them.

Then Sunday afternoon is the Town Hall where we’ll discuss the new vision and structure for the Student Ministry. It’s important for the students and their families to see and know that the whole church is concerned about this work. If you read last week’s email to the church body from one of our college freshman, you were reminded that Satan is ruthlessly pursuing our young people. There’s nothing new under the sun, but this generation faces difficulties most adults did not face. We must understand that we and they are in a spiritual war. The consequences are eternal. We must operate as a church with a wartime mentality, where everyone is on the job. We need everyone in the church involved in student and children’s ministry, not just the parents of those children and students. Not everyone can or should try to lead a Bible study or chaperone a camp, but the needs for various kinds of mentoring and logistical support will call on the gifts of everyone in the church body. And we need everyone praying without ceasing.

Sunday morning the message series, What is Best For Us continues with a message called: Anger Issues? Why Grace is Our Only Hope from Ephesians 6:1-4. These messages have stirred up a good bit of conversation. You can catch up on the ones you missed or listen to them again here.

-Gene Cornett