YOUTH

Why Youth Ministry?

RPCYouth is a ministry to 6th-12th graders that seeks to bring the gospel to bear on their lives as an extension of the church’s mission to reach and equip. RPCYouth is not a separate ministry from the ministry of the church. Instead, it is an integral and vital part of our church’s overall ministry to not only the student, but to the family as well. Sixth-12th grade students are to be viewed as FULL MEMBERS of the church, and we prayerfully expect that God is working in their lives. At the same time, these students are at a stage of particular growth, change, and transition (spiritually, physically and emotionally) and RPCYouth seeks to partner with families to assist during this time in their teen’s life.

At Sunday Night Large Group, we are looking to reach our students— with the gospel, with friendship, with spiritually healthy adult leaders who are walking with Jesus. We do this through fellowship + fun, teaching from the Bible, and spending a good amount of time together in Small Groups.

During the Sunday School hour, we are looking to equip— this is a more theologically-heavy deep dive into scripture. Through teaching and Table Group discussion, we’ll look at specific books of the Bible together throughout the semester.

While RPCYouth offers much, it cannot replace the role of the family in the life of a student. Deuteronomy 6:7 instructs us that we are to take the commandments that God gives us and “impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” New scholarship and data have shown that the greatest predictors of young adults having strong faith commitments is “parents talking with their teenage children about religious matters at home during the week.” (from Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation) We’re here to help you do just that!

Purpose of RPCYouth

1. To move students towards Christ as they move towards adulthood—Our aim is to prayerfully press the gospel into students’ minds and hearts through consistent and faithful relationships. We are committed to walk alongside them as they move through this stage of life.

2. To invite students into the mission of the church now as they prepare for lifetime membership in the Body of Christ—We aim to equip students to serve Christ, one another, and the world right now, and we are committed to providing opportunities for them to serve alongside leaders. Through this, we aim to equip them for future participation in the church and in God’s worldwide mission.