Student Ministry

The purpose of our ministry is to partner with parents as we each seek to make disciples of 7th to 12th grade students in Oxford by teaching the Bible, engaging the community, and preparing for life after high school. Our youth ministry at Grace Bible Church emphasizes the following foundations (borrowed from Rooted Ministries), all of which help cultivate sustainable faith for young people: (1) gospel centrality – faithfully proclaiming the good news of God’s unconditional love for sinners through Christ; (2) theological depth through expository, biblical teaching – equipping students with a biblical worldview; (3) relational discipleship – pursuing all facets of ministry in the context of caring relationships with students; (4) partnership with parents – educating, equipping, and collaborating with parents in the discipleship of their kids; and (5) intergenerational integration – including students among all the generations of the church.

The page below offers a snapshot of all that we have to offer as a student ministry.

Meet Our Student Ministry Staff

Youth Worship

The student ministry gathers weekly during the school semesters for worship and Bible study on Sunday nights from 5:30 PM to 7:20 PM. The Sunday night student meetings are geared towards teaching the students the word of God, contextualized and applied to this season of their lives. The meetings usually follow this schedule:

• 5:30 to 6:00 – Fellowship, food, and games
• 6:00 to 6:45 – Worship service, including music, prayer, and a talk from a book of the Bible (New Testament in the fall; Old Testament in the spring)
• 6:45 to 7:20 – Small group meetings

Core Seminar

The core seminar for our student ministry is geared towards training our students to grow in Christ. The seminar is conversational in nature and is led by our youth interns or other adult members. The material we use is more doctrinally focused and is aided by questions that seek to apply various aspects of Christian doctrine to the student’s lives.

Gospel Class

On Wednesday nights every fall, J.D. and Skyler meet with all 9th-grade students who have indicated a desire to develop or grow in their personal relationship with the Lord. For six weeks, we go over the basics of the gospel (who God is, what sin is, what Jesus has done, and how we must respond), the basics of the Bible, and what it means to be a member of a church. For those students who are ready, we’ll have a conversation with them at the end of the six weeks where they will go over their testimony and, if they wish, prepare to be baptized and join Grace Bible Church as a member.

Events and Retreats

Winter Retreat: Every December, we take a weekend to retreat at a nearby camp. Over the weekend, we will eat good food, enjoy fellowship, engage in fun activities and study a different topic each year that is normally led by staff members at Grace. We ask the students and leaders to disconnect from electronics for the weekend as we seek to truly retreat from our hectic everyday lives and into the Bible.

Monthly Events: Throughout the year, we try to have an event each month where we do something as a group. This is either service-oriented or an event designed to simply have fun. These are often planned only a month or two in advance, so please refer to the bulletin, newsletter, or weekly e-mail to parents for information. If you would like to learn more about how to get those things, reach out to Skyler.

Summer Scheduling and Camp: Towards the end of the spring, we send out a full summer schedule with our Bible study times and events. We also take a trip to a weeklong camp to spend extended time in God's Word with other churches.

Youth Family Fellowship Nights: Twice a semester, we aim to gather the youth students and their families for a night of fellowship. This is a non-programmed night where we just eat and converse with one another. It is our hope that this will allow more connection between students and the broader ministry of Grace Bible Church, between the parents of students, and serve as an encouragement to all who serve in our ministry.

Safety Documents

The following safety documents are meant to inform the students and the parents of all of the steps we take at Grace Bible Church to ensure that this is a safe environment for students. It is our belief that maintaining rigorous policies that pursue safety and accountability is necessary for the continued spiritual, physical, and mental health of the students and their families. Please review these documents and feel free to contact us with any questions you might have. 

View Documents