Youth Ministry

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At Greater,

we have a 5-fold mission for youth:

Introduce Youth to the Christian Faith

Becoming a disciple of Christ is more than taking an oath. Becoming a disciple takes a journey. It takes a willingness to sacrifice, walk through some fire, and struggle. Many youth have yet to give themselves over to this sort of commitment to faith. But one goal of our youth ministry is to introduce them to what it means to follow Christ--to introduce them to Christ's radical, boundary-breaking way of peace and justice. To help them be, in a sense, interns for Christ. In this way, we are perhaps preparing teens to become the disciple they will be later in life.

Awaken Youth to God's Presence

Many youth have lived so long with the idea that God lives "up there" or "out there" that they find it difficult to figure out where God is in their lives. Our Youth ministry can help attune youth to the God-saturated world we live in by introducing them to a variety of Christian spiritual practices that can help to awaken our sensitivity to God's presence.

Be Spiritual Companions to Youth

Let's face it. Being a youth is tough. Not many of us would relive those days even if we could. Youth struggle with issues of self-worth, confusion about identity, and worries about fitting in. Our Youth ministry programs offer youth the mentorship of faithful adults who will love them just as they are, walk with them on their spiritual journey, and help them navigate the challenges of adolescence.

Help Youth Uncover their Spiritual Gifts

Youth are bombarded with messages that tell them that their self-worth will ultimately be tied to the size of their paycheck and their ability to consume within our capitalist economy. We endeavor to help our youth see that they have God-given gifts that cannot be measured in dollars and cents. These gifts could include, among others, mission, prayer, teaching, healing, and hospitality.

Help Youth Build Community

The Christian faith is built upon community. It is built upon compassionate relationships that recognize all as beloved of God. The goal with our youth ministry is to help youth learn what it means to live in radically open and loving community. We want to offer opportunties for youth to experiment with what this sort of community might look like. It should provide youth a glimpse of what it means to be loved unconditionally. It should help youth struggle with loving others even when it is difficult.