Jr. Sr. High
Our Jr. and Sr. High program is the final stage in the youth program before they reach adulthood. It is our goal to see students enter this program with the faith of their parents, and leave with a faith of their own. In saying that, we want students to follow God because it is something they are committed to, rather than something that is mandatory for being a part of their family. Studies show that a large number of high school graduates leave their faith in their first year of college. This begs the question, what can we do in our ministry that would prevent that from happening? We feel that this reality is a result of students leaving home without a faith of their own. So as a result of leaving their parents for college, they too leave their parent’s faith behind leaving them with no faith at all. That is why our effort goes into these young people while they live at home, existing under their family’s love for God.
Our Jr./Sr high youth program is one of our most diverse ministries. We provide opportunities for students in several different settings. Our Goal is the same as that of the younger ministries, but the programming is much different. One thing we focus on in our Jr./Sr. high ministry is availability. Students are busier now than they ever have been before. There are things going on in their lives seven days a week. That is why we provide a separate small group setting, Wednesday evenings, for both Boys and Girls while Sunday morning and evening we are all together. If students can attend all of the programming that is fantastic, but if not we probably have one or the other that works for them.
With so many different teaching opportunities we try to mix things up for the different settings. If we are teaching through a book of the Bible in Sunday school, we might work through a topical study on Sunday night. Then on Wednesday night we might do something different yet, like a video series. Junior and Senior high students, like you and I, learn differently. Some do well hearing the lesson, while others do better seeing it. It is our intention to provide not only different times for teaching Jr./Sr. high students, but also different styles.
Our Sunday night program is our main weekly event for Jr./Sr. high. We call it “The Bridge.” The idea behind this name is that the gathering of students creates a bridge between their friends at school and Jesus Christ. It is the individual’s responsibility to reach out to their friends based on the great commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. It is exciting to see this principle lived out in the lives of Jr./Sr. high youth in this community.
Our Sunday morning Sunday school class meets in the garage during cowboy church. This is an opportunity for students to dig into the Word first thing in the morning. It is a sacrifice for them to wake up early on their Sunday morning, but something they do willingly. We occasionally split the Jr. high and Sr. high students in the Sunday school class setting. This provides an environment to specialize in the teaching of both groups.
Our Wednesday night programming has developed into two completely different identities. The girls meet at the church parsonage for GBS or Girls Bible Study. This is an awesome time for Jr. and Sr. high girls to come to an all girl study and experience the love of God through each other and the study of the Bible. The men meet in the garage at the church or, when the weather is good, at the basketball court across the street. This is a fairly athletic bunch so any opportunity for a game of football, or basketball is always welcome. When all the blood, sweat, and tears have reached the appropriate level we head for the garage for our Bible Study. This makes for a great opportunity for boys to be boys, and experience teaching from the Bible, all in the same setting.
Much of what sets the tone for our Jr./Sr. high ministry are the special events and off campus activities. The big one is CIY Move conference. This is a conference held at multiple locations, throughout the summer. It’s a week where God works in students more evidently than anything else we do. I have seen students come to CIY with no intention to experience God but when it was all said and done they made changes in their life and committed to following God no matter what the cost. It is a high intensity, week long, church experience built for High school students. CIY Move conferences have about one thousand students in attendance so you can imagine how cool it is when all of them are engaged in worshipping God!
For our Jr. High students we offer a week during the summer at King Solomon Christian Camp. The church camp experience is a great time for students to go meet new people, and grow in their relationship with Christ, all while having the time of their lives! Jr. high camp focuses on connecting with Jr. high students in their own unique way. It is a great opportunity for these students to connect with God differently, than they would anywhere else.
During the school year there are a few special weekend conferences that the students attend as well. Oasis is a big hit in the month of November for Jr. and Sr. high students. At this time of year it is vital for students to have something to remind them of the decisions and commitments they made the previous summer at CIY Move and Jr. High Camp. This conference, held at Manhattan Christian College, creates such an atmosphere. It is also usually a great bonding experience for our students. The sleeping arrangements are usually tight, uncomfortable, and let’s be honest, with Jr. and Sr. High students it is very smelly!!! This closeness usually forms camaraderie that will last years. The conference provides an opportunity for students to get away and experience God while getting a taste of the life on a Christian College campus.
Another weekend conference we attend during the school year is Revolve Tour. This is an all girl conference that usually takes place in Kansas City at Kemper Arena. At this conference, girls have an opportunity to experience God with thousands of girls their age. This is a conference where the girls stay in a hotel and experience what it is like to be a daughter of God. The teaching is focused on respecting yourself and others, and declares God’s presence in a world where God seems absent.
Twice each year we try to provide an outreach event for students to invite their friends. This happens at the start of each semester. In the fall we usually hit Worlds of Fun or a Royals game. In January or February we take the kids skiing at Snow Creek Ski Resort just north of Kansas City. These events provide an easy opportunity for students to invite their friends and to do there part in introducing non-Christians to a Christian community. For each of these events we normally bring about 50 students and have a blast. This setting provides great opportunities for the church community to bond together.
Overall the Jr./Sr. high program exists for the same reason that our other youth programs exist. It is our desire to see young people find a relationship with Jesus Christ and live according to the teaching found in the Bible. It is exciting to see all of the things God is doing in the lives of these Jr. and Sr. high students. This summer alone we took around 60 Jr. and Sr. High students to CIY Move and Jr. High Camp!!! The Jr. and Sr. high students of Circleville Christian Church are defiantly committed to making a change in their school and community for Christ.
