- Share the boundless love of God in Christ with people, showing them the wide open horizons of hope and freedom found in the grace of Jesus.
- Reach people who are beyond the boundaries of church culture through relationships and transparency.
- Cultivate disciples who understand the love of Christ so deeply that it can't help but overflow into the lives of those around them.
- Expand understanding of scripture in ways that will challenge assumptions about who God is and how he relates to us.
- Prepare student leaders who can carry the vision of Christ's love into the world around them in ways that the world can understand.
- Develop adult leaders who can share Christ's heart and pour the love of Jesus out into the students within their reach.
Ministry Philosophy
General
- Christianity is about the completed work of Jesus, our relationship with him and our relationships with others.
- Relationship is often the most effective context for ministry.
- Grace, love and mercy are the key elements of any Christ-focused ministry.
- Incarnational ministry was the method of Jesus and something we should practice.
- Spiritual growth is not a humanly measurable phenomena. It is a result of the cultivation of relationship between the person and God by the Holy Spirit.
- Prayer is an integral part of ministry, not because it change's God's plans, but because it changes us and engages us with him.
- The focus of youth/student ministry is building relationships with young people and students, entering their lives and sharing the hope of Jesus through relationship, attitudes and actions.
- More is not necessarily better. Young people's lives are inundated with activities and events. Generally speaking, the church cannot compete in this area. We must make events and weekly gatherings of student ministries valuable to students by gearing them around relationship building, encouragement and the hope of Christ.
- Youth/Student ministries must develop student leaders. Student-to-Student ministry is equally valuable to adult-to-student ministry. Ministry opportunities must be designed and made available to all students.
- Youth Ministry is a mission field. We must enter/engage their culture to engage them, then challenge them to transform their culture as the love and grace of Christ flows out of them.
- The most valuable thing we have to offer young people is the absolutely unconditional love of Christ, including the boundless grace, freedom and hope that comes with it. This message must be communicated in everything we do.
- Adult leaders/sponsors are ministers. A youth/student ministry must encourage and equip adults to lead, love and engage students.