Overview BEFC's Youth Ministries

I love a movie with intense action that combines the thrill of life-threatening circumstances with the intrigue of solving a mystery, and one of my favorites is National Treasure.  Here's why.  They risked their reputation, even faced ridicule, to accomplish a mission by staying focused on the clues.

As a ministry to youth, we have a mission, too...

Our mission is to foster environments where teens are encouraged by godly adults and their peers to live a life of surrender, devotion, and service to Jesus.

The clues we continuously evaluate to see if we're on course come from the heart of Jesus Himself:

Great Commandment - Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandent in the Law?

Jesus replied:  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Great Commission - Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Taking these clues from Jesus, here's how we feel led to fulfill our mission:

Celebrate life in Jesus Christ...
Whether it’s completing a homework assignment, competing on the field/court, chatting with friends, or deciding what to wear, all that we do is to be done for the honor and glory of Jesus (Romans 12:1). While this is ultimately about our entire lives, we spend focused time celebrating this life in Jesus through...

Sunday Morning Worship - 10 am at the Becker Primary School
Our youth ministry is one part of a bigger body - we need each other. Our church’s worship services are relevant and engaging for today’s teens.

Wednesday nights at Elevate - 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Becker Intermediate School
Teens are guaranteed a time of celebration as our youth worship team engages our attention on Jesus through music.

Link with pre-believing students...
Jesus didn’t just make a suggestion for us to tell others about His life and what He did for them, He commanded us to (Matthew 28:19). While we agree that people need to hear the truth about Jesus, we believe that kids need to experience some interaction with people whose lives have been transformed by this truth. With the constant bombardment of media that teens face daily, we believe that we need to earn the right to be heard. We link with pre-believing students through…

Friend2Friend
This ministry of Youth for Christ-St. Cloud challenges students to implement the 3-story method of evangelism with their peers (my story, your story, God’s story). Students are challenged to pray for at least one peer throughout the year, trained and equipped to build bridges with this friend, and are encouraged weekly to engage in conversation about the three stories.

Monthly Events
Everything has a purpose…even if it involves eating an onion or laying in a pool of leeches, worms and minnows. Not all of our events are that disturbing, but they are fun, usually clean, and safe enough that parents let their kids come back. Events have included: Video Scavenger Hunts, Progressive Parties, Bowling, Night Games and Bonfires, Christmas Parties, Retreats like “Winter Games Ski Retreat” and “August B.L.A.S.T. – AMAZING gRACE,” Concerts, and Guys’ & Girls’ Nights Out. .

Introduce them to other Christ-followers who encourage them...
Students need relationships with caring adults who will make sure that they are known, cared for, held accountable and encouraged in their spiritual walk. They also need a group of teens who will support them in their quest to know their life’s purpose. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 says it best: “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (NIV). We do this through…

Elevate - Wednesdays from 7 – 9 pm at the Becker Intermediate School
*fun and laughs
*energy in worship and games
*spiritual challenge in teaching
*connection and care in small groups

For more information on Elevate click here.

FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) – 1st & 3rd Sundays of month from 5 – 7 pm at the Fieldhouse (visit www.fca.org for more information on this organization)

Mature in their faith...
Being a disciple of Jesus is not a one-time event or just an experience limited to the teenage years. However, a lot of growth can happen at this juncture of life. This is about preparing our teens for life; equipping them to stand strong after they graduate from our ministry and leave their homes. This is about building them up in their relationship with Jesus…a vital and captivating relationship with the living God. Jesus commands us to teach others to obey what He’s taught us (Matthew 28:20), therefore, an integral part of this process is learning God’s Word and allowing it transform our hearts. We do this through…

DISCIPLE U – Sundays at 9:00 am at the Becker Primary School
We currently have a class for Middle School and a class for High School. For details on what we’re studying, what’s expected, and who’s teaching, click here.

Leadership Quest

If you've heard students refer to "LQ," then you've probably seen a laser of excitement beam from their eyes as they shared about Leadership Quest.  This is a full week of training that challenges students to mesh their dreams with God's plan in order to capture a God-driven vision for their life.  Leadership skills are honed, discipleship habits developed, and relationship-building tools are sharpened, preparing students to leave a mark on their generation and their spheres of influence.  And all of this is done in the splendor of God's great outdoors.  You'll discover that bucket showers really are refreshing and that tenting is even...well...pretty cool.

For more information on Leadership Quest, click here.

Bring their commitment to serve...
We believe that each student has something to BRING to the field when it comes to living out God’s purposes for their lives. Each student is created uniquely, and most wonder what MASTERPIECE lies beneath their insecurities and uncertainties that just needs to be uncovered. So we provide opportunities for them to “bring their commitment to serve” and impact the lives of others. We do this through…

Local Service Projects – once a quarter
We team up with Faith In Action to help meet some immediate needs of people in our community. For more information on Faith In Action, visit www.fiavolunteers.org.

Missions

Each summer we provide an opportunity for our students to engage in a setting that extracts them from their comfort zone and places them in situations to trust Jesus.  These experiences focus on meeting real needs in service and providing others with hope by sharing the message of God's love and His gift of salvation.

Middle School – a 5-day trip to the upper Midwest is offered. This trip is generally through Youthworks (www.youthworks.com for more information), but occassionally we'll plan our own week of outreach to people in our community.
High School – While in high school, students will have at least one opportunity to venture into the mystery of another culture, generally with Youth With A Mission (www.missionadventures.net).