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Student Ministries

Trevor Williamson, Youth Director 

Ron and Crystal Coulter, SingleVision Directors 

A character study of youths in the Bible reveals that the teen years are typically either when decisions are made to live faithfully for God, or corruption is born for a life of sin. Ecclesiastes 12:1 says, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." God wants young people to develop a heart for Him from their youth, and the Student Ministry of the church is one of the keys to helping this process happen.

Many people enter Student Ministry because they want to have fun, they want to be accepted by the younger crowd, they want to recapture some youthful memories, or they want to tell others of their youthful mistakes. While Student Ministry ought to be enjoyable and memorable, these motives will not produce an effective ministry.

Effective Student Ministry involves hard work, personal sacrifice, detailed organization, Spirit-filled Bible teaching and preaching, leadership ability, spiritual maturity, pastor "watch-care," discernment, and an understanding of the pastor's heart for the whole church.

A Student Ministry must have a purpose. Consider with us our purpose:

The Student Ministry of Central Baptist Church is one of purpose, carried out with sensible plans, demonstrating a unique balance. In Student Ministry there is the tendency to lose the big picture and to focus on one area at the expense of another.

The Student Ministry at Central Baptist Church is defined by three groups of young people, each with different needs, different activities, different classes, and different workers.

Junior High

6-8 grade boys and girls led by the Junior High Youth Director and a team of volunteer youth workers. This group focuses on early faith building and helping young people transition from childhood into teen years, preparing for the spiritual battles ahead.

Senior High

9-12 grades led by the Senior High Youth Director as well as several volunteer couples. This group focuses on issues of spiritual maturity and spiritual battles that are at their greatest intensity during these years, preparing the teen for adulthood and for the critical decision that must be made at the end of high school.

SingleVision

includes all students within the first five years out of high school. This group provides an identity for those young people who stay local for college, career, or both, and focuses on helping them survive the "testing of their faith" that is so prevalent during these years. It is a bridge into adulthood that keeps these young lives connected to their "group" rather than disconnected right after high school. This group is led by the Student Ministry Singles Director and is intentionally staffed with lay leaders/teachers (role models) who work in the secular work place.