Vision for First Free Youth Group

We desire to KNOW and MAKE KNOWN the cosmic King of the universe! What does this look like? Let's take a look at an early church transformational community as seen in Acts 2.42-47:

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came
upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the
apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in
common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and
distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day,
attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they
received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and
having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by
day those who were being saved.

Seeing this Transformational Community should awaken an excitement within our soul for seeing the Spirit of God work in our midst. There are nine observations I have taken from this passage, that I have turned into "Ministry Aims," which should guide our youth ministry:

1. We will seek to know God through gospel-saturated expository teaching (v42)
2. We will seek to cultivate hearts broken and dependent upon the Lord through prayer (v42)
3. We will seek to grow in authentic fellowship: grace and truth filled relationships (v44, 46)
4. We will seek to worship God with our whole selves: heart, soul, mind, affections and actions (v43)
5. We will seek to unify under the banner of Christ crucified: committed to dissolve disunity preemptively (v44)
6. We will seek to serve one another, the church and our world in the name of Christ (v45)
7. We will seek to engage one another consistently and faithfully (v46)
8. We will seek to build life-long firendships outside of "church" activities (v46)
9. We will seek to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost (v47)

It may have crossed your mind that all this seems quite impossible, for truly it is! Without the grace of God to extend and infuse the work of the Spirit into our weekly rituals nothing we do will be of any good! Join me in pleading with the Father to do a mighty work for His glory and renown.

For Christ's Renown,

Grant Sather