Welcome to AFGF Youth!

The youth in our nation are facing amazing challenges. Christian youth are among those who are facing the greatest challenges in our country. What are the 10 Biggest Challenges Christian Youth Face Today?

  1. Personalizing and living out their faith.
  2. Living in an anti-Christian culture.
  3. Sexual purity in a society where pressure and temptation exists.
  4. Personal identity and self-image issues.
  5. Divorce and family issues.
  6. Busyness (Always involved in something).
  7. Absence of father figure.
  8. Negative media influence.
  9. Lack of discipline.
  10. Materialism.

As you view this list, what is your response? How would you compare it to your observations relative to the challenges Christian youth are facing today?  Ask the youth in your home. Knowing the challenges is not enough; it is a starting place. We must prayerfully work on finding practical and biblical solutions. Spend some time asking young people what they think are possible solutions.

Christian youth of today must not only be taught God’s word, they must be mentored in ways to apply the word to their lives. They must be inspired to live more like Christ, remembering Jesus is the model (Luke 2:48-52). Training youth in what it means to be excellent will equip and inspire them to be excellent leaders in the future.

Christian youth must be taught HOW to be DOERS OF THE WORD (James 1:21-26); not just how to come and sit an audit the Bible classes and training sessions. Youth need to be taught how to set and reach meaningful spiritual goals. Ernest Hemingway wrote, The error of youth is to believe that intelligence is a substitute for experience, while the error of age is to believe experience is a substitute for intelligence.

Here at The Lighthouse, we work together to ensure that young people know that they matter, they belong, and they can pursue Jesus. The youth are the future of the world and of the church. If you have a young person in your family and would love to them part of the youth experience, please contact the church for more information.

13 Ways Children’s Ministry Benefits Kids

  1. It promotes their eternal happiness. I want my kids to find indestructible joy in Christ. 
  2. It helps them make sense out of life. Only understanding who made the world, what went wrong and God’s plan to fix it can explain this world we all experience. 
  3. It’s their best chance to accept Christ. Research has proven that kids tend to be more receptive to the Gospel than any other age group. I want my children to have every opportunity to believe in Jesus. 
  4. It helps avoid some negative outcomes of sin. Only God’s grace can change our hearts, but knowing the consequences of disobeying God is often a wake up call. When children understand the great price that Jesus paid for their salvation, they are more likely to stay on the way of the righteous.
  5. It can help counter balance worldly influences. Everyone knows the harmful influences present in our society. Kids need positive influences to tip the scale.
    It can help them learn to love others. The 2nd greatest commandment is to love your neighbor. We must teach this as a way of life, because it doesn’t comes naturally.
  6. It is something fun to do. Do you know who invented fun? God did. Do you know why? For his own glory. While entertainment and fun seeking can become an idol, we should not think God is against fun.
  7. It helps kids want to come to church. There is nothing wrong with having a program that appeals to the interests of children, especially when it brings more children to hear the Gospel.
  8. It helps them make new friends. Some of the best ones children will ever make is in the church.
  9. It helps discover and intervene in abusive home situations. This is something we rarely address. But the church is often one of the few safe places on Earth for abused children.
  10. It helps children get to know their pastors. One of the best ways for ministers to connect with younger families is by working in the children’s programs.
  11. It gives kids meaningful keepsakes. Those VBS and Sunday school crafts often become prized possessions. The Bible verses on their keepsakes will remind them of what they have learned for years to come.
  12. It gives children special memories. Think back to when you were a child in Sunday school. Can you remember a special teacher or event?
  13. It allows them to make friends with adult volunteers in safe context. In our culture child safety is a constant concern, and rightly so. But there is still great value in kids finding adult mentors in the church.

Meeting Time – 6:30 to 7:30 pm

  • Pre – K through 6th grade
  • 7th through 12th grade