What is the purpose of the student ministry?
The purpose of the student ministry is to help teens become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23-27).
What is the goal of the student ministry?
The goal is for teens to experience God in such a way that it completely transforms their lives into that which God wants (Romans 12:1-2).
What is the student ministry?
The student ministry is a place where teens can come and learn about God (evangelism) and then grow in their relationship with Him (discipleship).
This is accomplished in three areas:
1. The student ministry is a place where teens can learn about God and the justification that comes with salvation (Romans 3:21-26).
2. The student ministry is a place where teens can learn to use the Bible, the Word of God, to sanctify their lives and become set apart from this world (1 Thessalonians 4:3; John 17:14-19).
3. The student ministry is a place where teens can learn to become witnesses and servants to others around them in the home, school, work...etc and by that fulfill the will of God for their lives (Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:3-8).
Our Challenge and Goal
At Topeka Baptist Student Ministries, we feel that there is too much at stake, life is too short and teens are too valuable to merely share our life experiences with them. We realize that God is the only One who can change lives and that He accomplishes this through the reading of His Word, the application of it and by using people to impact people. It is because of this that we have stated the following three goals:
1. We are going to share God’s truth with teens and challenge them to live their lives according to that Truth.
2. We will provide opportunities for teens to develop, and own, their personal faith in Jesus Christ. By this we mean, we do not want teens to get wrapped up in a religious process. Rather we want them to have a relationship with Christ that is real and personal to them.
3. We will give every teen chances to get involved in ministry so that they can see God’s desire to use them to change the world; starting in Topeka.
In order to accomplish these goals, we are going to:
1. Use teaching methods that relate to today’s teenagers, but do not compromise God’s Truth.
2. Offer Discipleship curriculum and Bible studies that will allow teens to track what the Bible says about the foundations of our faith and be relevant to the everyday life of our students.
3. Offer ministry teams (Praise Band, Prayer Team, etc.) and outreach events that will allow students to get a taste for ministry and see that God wants to use them to turn the world upside down for Him.
4. Offer different major retreats (Winter, Spring, or Fall retreat, & Summer camp) and monthly activities (Corn Maze, Super Bowl Party, All-Nighters, etc.) that provide an opportunity for teens to invite their lost friends to church. We can’t expect lost students to attend Bible Studies, so we will provide an atmosphere that is inviting to them, and then we will seize opportunities to share the Gospel.
5. Have a Youth Staff ranging from married couples to single adults who know how to relate to, and encourage teenagers.
Night Student Service (Wednesday 6:30pm)
Purpose– Evangelism, Worship, Ministry, and Fellowship
This is a mass gathering of teens once a week. We teach on different topics such as Holiness, Respect, Evangelism, Leadership, Fruits of the Spirit, etc.
Student Sunday School (Sunday 9:30am)
Purpose – Discipleship, Worship, Fellowship, Accountability,
This is the time we challenge our teens to study and apply God’s word. The four elements that take place in Student Sunday School are:
1. Study- More than a Sunday School lesson, the study should be practical and useable by that group.
2. Prayer- The emphasis is on prayer for each other in the group.
3. Sharing- Members have a time to share what is going on in their life and what they may be struggling with spiritually or emotionally.
4. Accountability- Groups are encouraged to hold each other accountable for their life style choices, actions, and attitudes.
Student Activities
Purpose – Fellowship, Evangelism
A big student activity is planned at least once a month such as Skiing, Camping, Winter Retreats, Sports Games, All Nighters, Corn Mazes, Costume Parties, etc. This is just a fun time where teens are encouraged to invite their friends. A devotion is always given sometime during the activity to witness to the unchurched and challenge the churched.
Summer Camp
Purpose – Evangelism, Worship, Ministry, Discipleship, and Fellowship
This is the highlight of the year where teens get away from home for a week. It is a structured environment that encourages a closer walk with God through special music, culturally relevant speakers, fun activities, and personal devotion times.
Discipleship
Purpose- Discipleship, Accountability, and Ministry
The four goals of Discipleship
1. Taking part in the local church.
2. Grounded in the Word of God.
3. Involved in ministry.
4. Fellowship with other Christians.
Whether you were recently saved or have been for some time, these lessons are designed to help your Christian life and walk with Jesus Christ. They are to help you understand what your relationship to God is, how to communicate with him, how to apply basic principles to your life, and how your life can be an influential witness and testimony of God’s grace. The Discipleship program operates on a one on one or a small group basis.
Small Group Bible Studies
Purpose- Discipleship, Fellowship, Accountability
Small group Bible studies allow another chance for teens to get into the word of God. Being in a smaller environment encourages teens to open up about what God is doing in their lives, it also encourages them to apply what is being taught to their lives and lastly it creates great accountability with the other teens in the group. This is truly another chance to take the teens to the next level in their walk with Christ.
Mission Outreach
Purpose – Evangelism, Ministry, and Fellowship
Once a year students will be provided with an opportunity to participate in a foreign or domestic missions trip. The purpose of the trip will be to help missionaries or church plants that Topeka Baptist Church supports. This may include, but not limited to one or all of the following: help with buildings, evangelistic work, working in children’s vacation Bible school, distributing medical supplies or any other assistance the missionary may need. The students will also be involved with different mission projects around the Topeka area.