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Messiah Student Ministries Mission: 

Develop spiritual maturity in students; leading students to lead; bringing glory to God in all we do.

 

Middle School Programs (6-8th Grade)

 

Head-2-Heart (confirmation)

Head-2-Heart is our Wednesday evening Confirmation class (September-May) designed to help junior high students commit and grow in their faith by exploring Luther’s Small Catechism and other Biblical truths that are important to their literacy of God’s Word.  As Pastor Kurt often says, no one is an expert but each of us will be confident with prayer, the Bible, and talking about God. Student believers will begin to develop a confident relationship with God by learning how to love God with all their mind, heart, and strength. 

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During the summer months the Junior High combines with the High School for Ignite on Wednesdays from 6:30 - 8:30

Ignite UR Passion for Jesus this summer!

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Yes we are flexible with students sports and extra curricular activities.  Help us shape the relationship between your student’s church family and other after school/weekend activities.

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2023-24 School year

Sample Daily Schedule:

6:00-6:15 Welcome and unwind

6:20-6:40 Activity, Challenge or Trivia

6:45-7:15 Teaching time

7:20-7:59 Small group time

<5 Min. Gaps are transition time and JIC we go over>

 

Welcome:

Have refreshments and music or music videos playing. Interact with the students finding out how their day/week is going. Doors open @ 5:30PM Students are welcome to hang out till 8:15 or so!

                                       

Activity, Challenge & Trivia:

Play a game or give a cool object lesson.  Remember these guys have been cooped up in school most of the day, they need to burn some energy.

 

Teaching:

Yes, we will teach Luther’s Catechism but, more than that, teach how to “Live the Life”.  Pastor Kurt, PD2, and our faith guide team will share the teaching time and look forward to becoming a familiar part of your student's life. 

 

Small Groups:

Each group will have 2 leaders called faith guides.  Your students will meet with the same group each night.  Small groups will not just spend time in discussing the lesson and doing memory work but will also spend quality time in prayer with and for each other. A healthy guideline would be to spend 10 minutes on each part of being a small group. Not all students will be ready to pray out loud, but now is the perfect time to teach them. Prayer is the tool that moves God’s hand!.

 

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S.M.B.S. (Sunday morning bible study) 

During all of 2023 6th-8th grade & 9th-12th grade at 9:30 am

A quick 1 hr. Wake up and smell the coffee (or hot cocoa) Dealing with the issues that matter to high school students in their day to day lives. Come before or after one of our Sunday Worship Services at 8am (Traditional), or 11am (Family Praise and worship.)

  

If a student comes to MSM for the first time, they will leave learning some biblical truth about Jesus, and will have an opportunity to respond to what they have heard. In addition to applying Biblical truths into their everyday life, regular attending students are encouraged to invite their friends.

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The Importance of Student Ministry

 

Why should I go?

" The Bible studies are for teenagers, usually for high schoolers up to college freshmen, and some middle schoolers join us too, on occasion. The lesson usually involves issues that teenagers can relate to. It’s a good way for us to get more involved with the church and just have a good place to hang out."

 ~Matt (written as a high school Jr.) – Now a Pastor

 

"My answer is more personal . It’s a Bible study for the high school youth. It’s the place where, for me, I get closer to my youth group. Where I can open up and know I’m not being judged left and right. It’s the only place I can sit and pray for a half hour about things that are important to everyone in the room. And mostly its the place where I get my answers, the message is always magically about what I’ve been struggling with. It’s our God time "

~Courtney (written as a high school sophomore) – Became a “Faith Guide”

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Youth Group Vs. Student Ministry​

 

Messiah Student Ministries is focused on building programs that are purpose-filled and aimed at the right targets, which is philosophically different from a "Youth Group" mentality. The Youth Group mentality says, "Keep things the same," "Let's just do something fun." There is no deeper intention, no permanent change in either students or leadership. A Student Ministry is completely different in that the mind-set is geared towards strategic programming and intentional, planned outcomes; such as developing Christ-like character in both students and adults. Here is the difference:

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Building a Student Ministry* 

• Purpose-driven

• Clear Vision

• Outward focus/seeks out lost (while meeting the needs of existing students)

• Consistent growth

• Worship and prayer

• Asks ‘Why?” & “Is it working?”

• Focused on Kingdom work

• Empowers volunteers to do ministry

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Maintaining a Youth Group*

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• Activity-driven

• Unclear vision

• Inward focus/content w/cliques

• No heart for the lost

• Minimum growth

• Songs and games

• Busy in the world

• Relies on the “paid” youth worker

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*(Bosher, Bo. (1997). Student ministry for the 21st century: transforming your youth group into a vital student ministry. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI. p. 81)

 

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