Helpful Resources
FOLLOW
INTERNET FILTERS
BOOKS
(Available through the church bookstore)
The Dark Side of the Internet by Rand Hummel A helpful book on protecting your family from the dangers of the internet.
Alone With God by Jason Janz
Great insight and tips on establishing a vibrant, personal, devotional walk with God.
Changed Into His Image by Jim Berg
A great book on spiritual growth. Chapter 12 is especially beneficial to parents.
Winning The Inner War by Erwin Lutzer
Great biblical insight on why we struggle with sin and how we can enjoy and maintain victory over it.
Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay
This book deals with the “whys” and “how to’s” of witnessing right on a teen’s level. Includes an appendix that poses and then answers popular objections to the gospel.
Harmony in the Home by Tim Fisher
Answers tough questions about music. A great resource that can help parents be prepared to talk to their teens about music.
Age of Opportunity by Ted Tripp
This book helps parents refocus on what parenting teens is really all about.
Fear Not
Lest You Fall
Turn Away Wrath by Rand Hummel
All three books help teens learn how to meditate on Scripture for victory over specific sins.
Colossians. Philippians. James. I Peter. Jonah. II & III John
Six Week Bible Studies by Rand Hummel.
These are the best devotional books I have found for teens struggling with their devotional walk. Each book helps teens dig deeply into the word and then apply it to their lives.
Biblical Leadership by Ken Collier & Matt Williams Simply written, scripturally sound book that teaches teens & parents what true leadership and success is all about.
Dangerous Parenting Detours by Walt Brock
Great warning to parents. Gives 10 things Christian parents especially need to watch out for in the home.
MUSIC
CAMPS
COLLEGES
Ambassador Baptist Bible College
Maranatha Baptist Bible College
Parents,
God has given you a tremendous gift and responsibility called “children.” Deuteronomy 6 makes it clear that parents have the primary responsibility of shaping the character and convictions of their children. As Youth Pastor, I want to assist you in every way possible in helping you be the parent God has called you to be. Simply put, I want to help you be a parenting success!
There are three main ways I will try to accomplish this. First, I will assist you by interceding for your family. I pray for you and your teen several times a month by name. I know that your family is facing intense spiritual battles in this wicked world that can only be won by God’s power. Second, I will assist you by giving clear instruction from God’s Word. I strive each week to carefully prepare messages and challenges from God’s Word that build your teen up in Christ and turn his heart to you and the Lord. Preaching is a priority in my youth ministry! Third, I will assist you as I interact with your teen. I do not have many hours in the week to be with your teen, but I try to make the time I do have count. The best I can, I encourage your teen to walk with Christ and honor your parental authority.
It is my prayer that as we minister together, our children will give us their hearts as Proverbs 23:26 says, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”
Yours for youth,
Pastor Mike & Jen Thomas
Our Philosophy
There is a core set of beliefs behind everything in our Youth Group from the messages to the activities. We never do anything just because it is fun or has always been done that way. Simply put, we do what we do for the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31 commands us to, “do all to the glory of God.” That means our Youth Group is first and foremost not about teens and their parents, but God. What He wants and likes will always take precedence over what our teens and even their Youth Pastor wants and likes. If our Youth Group fails to rightly reflect the greatness and goodness of God, it is a failure, no matter how great the preaching or fun activity. So...
The purpose of Community Baptist Church Youth Group
is to uphold the glory of God while co-laboring with
parents in producing young people dedicated to a life
time of ministry for Jesus Christ as vibrant witnesses in
the world and workers in His church.
Therefore, we will always strive to provide an atmosphere that encourages outreach, spiritual growth, and service. Any lesser goal misses the mark of what God has called us to do! We believe that God is never glorified by worldly or fleshly methods of evangelism or edification, no matter how popular or productive they may be.
Wednesday Night Youth Group // 7:00 - 8:15pm
Youth Group meets Wednesday nights in the chapel (the old auditorium). This is the rally night for our entire youth group where 7th-12th graders drop all their “school banners” and meet for a time of fellowship, fun, singing, and preaching. We usually have a different emphasis night each week like: game night, outreach night, food night, missionary night, prayer night, singing and testimony night. However, no matter what the special emphasis may be, the preaching of God’s Word is always the priority. Every Youth Group night, Pastor Mike, or one of the youth staff men, will proclaim the unchanging truths of God’s Word to the next generation. Our goal is to “show the generation to come the praises of the Lord...” (Psalm 78:4). Sometimes we preach our way through books of the Bible and other times we deal with teen-related topics.
Sunday School // 9:30 - 10:15am
Sunday school meets on Sunday mornings. It’s a special time for our Youth Group to break up into smaller groups to study the Word of God. This affords a great opportunity to ask questions, give input, and grow deeper in God’s will and ways. The first Sunday of every month Pastor Mike teaches the entire group. The rest of the month the group is split up into six different classes by age and gender taught by our caring and qualified youth staff. We always meet in Room 114 & 116 for opening announcements and singing before splitting up into the smaller classes.
Activities
Activities have a special place in our youth ministry. They are vitally important because they provide a great opportunity for outreach, social and spiritual development, and positive relationship-building interaction between our youth staff and teens. Outreach is the main purpose for our activities. Unsaved teens are more likely to come to paintball or hayride activity than to church. A gospel challenge will always be shared at some time during every activity. Some of the activities you might find on the calendar are: ski days, Cedar Point, winter retreats, work trips, paint ball, hay rides, bowling, roller skating, Farm Fest, and road rallies. Every activity is well supervised by the youth pastor and youth staff. Teens are always expected to ride on the bus with the group to and from an activity, unless parents have notified Pastor Mike otherwise. Activities are always announced months in advance, and info is sent home at least two weeks in advance.
F.I.T.’S
F.I.T. stands for “Fellowship Involving Teens”. These are held in the home of a teen on Sunday nights after church until 9:00 pm. The purpose of a F.I.T. is to provide godly fellowship for our teens. Once we reach the home, we usually eat and fellowship before finishing the night out with testimonies and singing. There is always a short challenge from the Bible. The home hosting the F.I.T. provides the food and drinks and each teen brings one dollar to help with the cost. There is usually one F.I.T. a month, either JH or SH.
Summer Camp
Each summer we take our teens to a Christian camp. The JH goes to Northland Christian Camp in Dunbar, WI., and the SH goes to The Wilds Christian Camp in Brevard, NC. Camp is one of the most important events on our youth calendar each year. It is where teens will make many life-changing, spiritual decisions. He will be away from the pressures and routines of everyday life and be exposed frequently to the preaching of God’s Word in a wholesome, fun environment.
Mission Trips
Each summer we take qualified Juniors and Seniors on a mission trip. We alternate every other year between foreign and state side trips. In the past we have gone to places like Mexico, Arizona, Peru, Wyoming, and Quebec. Our mission trips are not about site-seeing, they are about providing an opportunity for growing teens with a good testimony to see the mission field and serve the Lord! Our desire is that God would call teens out of our Youth Group to the mission field.
Teen Outreach
We want our teens to be soul conscious and adept at sharing the gospel with the lost! Our Youth Group usually meets once a month for a scheduled time of outreach. We use this time to follow up on teen visits and seek to invite new teens to our services. We desire to see unsaved teens at our youth meetings and activities so they can hear the gospel and be saved. That will only happen as teens take the time to go out and invite them and share Christ with them. Teens always go out in groups and are always well chaperoned.
Contacting Pastor Mike
I am available for you whenever you or your teen has a need. If you have a question, concern, suggestion or simply want to share a prayer burden, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me at the church at 574.291.1884 or by email.
Parent Meetings – “T.I.P. TIME”
We have quarterly parent meetings on Sunday nights after church called “T.I.P. Time”. T.I.P. stands for “The Informed Parent”. These parent meetings are only a half-hour long; they are normally over by 7:45pm. We meet in room 114 while the teens play in the gym and the younger children meet in room 110 under youth staff supervision. At these meetings, Pastor Mike hands out and discusses the activities calendar for the next quarter and then teaches a short lesson dealing with parenting issues. Please make sure at least one parent is in attendance for these important meetings.
Communication
Youth activities are well communicated. The dates and times are all on the quarterly activities calendar that is passed out at the ”T.I.P. Time”. There is also a more detailed information sheet that is made available to your teen at Wednesday Night Youth Group at least two weeks in advance of the activity. The information sheet will answer most, if not all of your questions about the activity regarding who, what, where, when, how much, and what to wear and bring. The information sheets and activities calendar are posted on this site as well. Teen activities also appear in the weekly church bulletin and are usually announced from the pulpit.
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
574.291.1884 // 5715 Miami Street, South Bend, Indiana 46614
© 2010 Community Baptist Church | All Rights Reserved.