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“Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your life, your faith and your purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
At McIvor Church we host a youth gathering Wednesdays from 7-9 pm for all middle school and high school kids. A regular evening at Youth will usually include a lesson within the series we are going through, small group time which allows students intentional time to connect with each other, a variety of games which change week to week and a snack.
Since we restarted the youth program near the end of the pandemic, we have continued to grow in numbers. One of my favourite experiences when I attended Youth myself, was being in a smaller sized group. Although we are growing, the program remains a size that the leaders can spend time chatting with each student.
Our belief at McIvor is that Youth Group is a place for students with big personalities and also for those who are more shy. We recognize that Christ welcomes all types of people into His church and ministry.
When it comes to the types of lesson plans we do, I like to consider the other youth leader’s thoughts and ideas, also mixing in topics and themes that the kids find interesting. Some examples of our lesson plans have been going through books of the Bible (Romans, Psalms, etc.), looking at parables and their meanings, a series on how God can use unlikely people for His extraordinary plans and others.
A theme that I commonly come back to in different ways revolves around asking big questions:
- Why should we read the Bible?
- Why do we suffer?
- Why is it important to have a relationship with Christ?
- How can we hear God speak?
Growing up in a Christian home taught me to believe many things. Although I still believe most of these teachings today, it was a journey as I asked why I believed what I did. By asking these big and tough questions, I was able to learn the reasoning behind these beliefs. And by having a better understanding of why these questions were important, I was able to strengthen and grow my relationship with God.
We welcome questions. We have done a series that has compiled anonymous questions from the youth and as leaders we have answered them (while understanding that there is also so much beyond our comprehension that only God knows). My hope when allowing students to ask difficult questions is that they will feel comfortable at McIvor and know that they have a place in our church family.
We look forward to meeting you!
Mikayla
Youth Pastor