In the Triangle, many students toil at crafting the perfect resume to send to prospective colleges. (I know because I was one of them.) In the life of discipleship to Christ, one’s use of time is a crucial consideration (Eph 5:16). We want to help students cultivate lives that properly balance rest and work, contemplation and action. If you have tried to disciple someone, or deliberately sought to grow in Christ yourself, then you know margin is essential. Furthermore, the church should afford the saints unscheduled time in which they can do "the work of ministry" (Eph 4:12). Believing students should be involved in this work just as much as believing parents.
Our program scheduling aims to avoid cluttering students' (and parents') schedules.
We endeavor to keep our programs to one major event per week at which the whole youth group gathers. That event could be our Wednesday Bible study, a retreat, a fellowship event, or a church-wide event. (Sunday school will continue on a weekly basis.) In general, this commitment is reflected in our semesterly calendars.
Fun is an integral element of youth discipleship.
Fun and play support the teaching of God’s word by deepening students’ friendships with one another, creating a welcoming, approachable environment, and building relationships of trust and love. Nonetheless, they should never supplant the work of discipleship (or evangelism).
