The Student Ministry at West Haven

Drawn to Christ, Conformed to Christ, and Committed to Serving Christ

Developing Leaders of the Faith

In our student ministry, we seek to develop gospel maturity in our 7th to 12 grade students, by seeing them drawn to Christ, conformed to Christ, and committed to serving Christ. We seek transformation in the lives of parents, leaders, and students through the power of the gospel and the Holy Spirit.

On a weekly basis, our students gather together to learn and study God’s Word and to foster biblical community at a young age. Each week, we play games, sing songs, study in groups, and pray. It looks a little different week by week, but what we seek to accomplish is the same.

Belong

A place where students can be real and honest with one another.

Grow

A place where students can grow spiritually and relationally.

Lead

A place where students can learn to effectively lead others.

Gatherings

Sunday Morning

Our primary gathering is on Sunday mornings with the full gathering of our church family for worship, prayer, and the proclamation of the word. In addition to this gathering, we encourage students to attend the student ministry Bible Fellowship class.

Wednesday Night

Join us at 6:30pm for our weekly student ministry gatherings. We play games, sing songs, study scripture, and pray together. Throughout the Summer of 2022, we will be looking at the topic of Apologetics!

In Unity With The Church

These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. -Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Scripture is clear: parents are the primary disciple-makers in the lives of their children. But scripture also teaches that discipleship is not an individualistic task. Instead, it’s about being a part of a body, a local church, and together making disciples. It is our goal to partner with parents in their pursuit of raising disciples of Jesus. We do this in many ways, but it’s recognized primarily through the unity of our fellowship with the church.

Student Ministry Imperatives (defined)

To cultivate a gospel-centered community of parents, leaders, and students that are drawn near to, conformed to, and committed to serving Christ.

Drawn To Christ

The gospel is the good news. And in order for there to be good news, there is bad news. The bad news is that we have sinned against a holy, and perfect God, who in his perfect holiness cannot allow sin to go unpunished. The good news, in light of the cross of Jesus Christ, is that we can relate to God based on what Jesus has done for us. Because of the cross, we can stand before God holy and blameless (Col. 1:22, Eph. 1:4). Our weary souls long to be satisfied by the good news of Jesus Christ.

The goal of our Student Ministry to proclaim the good news of Jesus so clearly and consistently that student’s develop an understanding and awe-ness of Jesus’s full saving work. We seek to communicate the Gospel in a way that is possible to the skeptic and life-changing for the believer.

Conformed To Christ

To be conformed into the image of Christ is God’s goal for all who trust in Christ (Rom 8:29). That should be our goal also. Furthermore, this act of being conformed into the image of Christ, our sanctification, is not an instantaneous act, but rather a journey upon which all Christians are called to navigate.

The aim of our student ministry is to lead students by living lives that abide in Christ. To call out sin for what it is, vile and ugly. And to encourage students to join and do likewise: to begin the long and difficult task of killing sin, to learn how to preach the good news to oneself, relying on the spirit, and waging war against the flesh. And we pray. We pray that every student would become more holy than they were when they first put their faith in Jesus Christ.

Committed To Serving Christ

First, the good news heals (Drawn to Christ, Conformed to Christ). Then, the good news empowers. Rather than simply following a bunch of rules, it makes us eager to serve God and our neighbors. And to prevent any misunderstanding, we do have a duty to actually obey and serve God. However, it’s a higher duty. One that comes from being loved, and in love.

As such, we desire to show students what it means to joyfully serve Christ, in both our actions and words. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). Yes, we are friends of Christ. But we are so much more than that. We are the bride of Christ; sons and daughters of God the Father. It’s as we discover and wonder over this beautiful truth that we’re able to joyfully serve our neighbors, friends, complete strangers, and one another.