student

Ministries


Westgate students is the ministry of Westgate Chapel to students 6th through 12th grade. Our mission is to lead students into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Our mission as a student ministry is the same mission as our church. This is intentional. We want to connect students into our church body. We don’t see students as a separate entity of subset of Westgate Chapel but as a vital and core component of the church. Our goal is to have students see themselves as part of the church, not just a youth ministry.

Leadership Team

Steve F.

Student Ministries Pastor / High School Pastor

stevef@westgatechapel.org

Dan R.

Middle School Pastor

danr@westgatechapel.org

Rebeca L.

Student Ministries Assistant

rebecal@westgatechapel.org

Sundays

If you spent any amount of time as a kid growing up in church, you were probably taught the story of Adam and Eve, Noah’s ark, Samson, parables of Jesus, and many more. And rightfully so! These are important parts of the Bible to know. However, our understanding of the Bible needs to deepen and grow as we mature, so that we would have a durable faith that can be put into action.

As student transition out of elementary school and into middle school and high school we want to mature a student’s understanding of scripture. We want students to be able to know God deeply through the Bible, being able to wrestle with robust theology and ideas found throughout. We are committed to teaching students the Bible in its complexity and difficulty and its truth and wisdom.

With this in mind, we selected 18 books throughout the Bible that we walk each student at Westgate Chapel Student Ministry through, from 6th grade to 12th grade. Every year we work completely through at least one Old Testament book and one New Testament book. Our classes are interactive, giving students time to ask questions, share their ideas, and hear their classmates’ opinions.

The Bible has profound and relevant truth for today’s generations. We equip students with this truth, supporting and encouraging them as they live it out.

Middle School

meets during the first service on most Sundays throughout the year. See our calendar below. Students meet in the Middle School Room (also known as Choir Room) which is on the second floor. Students meet in room 310 (also know as the Middle School Room) which is on the second floor. So, if you show up to Sunday school and no one is there, check the sanctuary balcony for a crowd of middle schoolers! After worship (typically 9:20) we head back to the middle school room and begin our lesson. This time is meant to teach students scripture and how it applies to their life. We end at 10:15am, the same time as the main church service. We encourage any 6-8th grade student to come join the crew as we learn more about what God has for us!

High School

meets during first service on most Sundays throughout the years. See our current calendar below. Students gather in the atrium outside Refinery. At 9:10 students are brought into the Refinery where they sit around tables. Throughout the lesson, students are given questions to answer around their table. We want student to be able to share their opinions and to wrestle with topics brought up in the Bible. We meet till 10:15, the same time that the main church service gets out. There is no sign-up or commitment. Any student in 9-12th grade is welcomed to join us.

Mondays

What’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Knowledge is about facts and information. Wisdom is taking those facts and information and actually apply it. On Monday nights we help students take knowledge they learn from the Bible and apply it to their lives. Just knowing you should love your neighbor as yourself isn't enough. We need to figure out how to do it and then go and do it.

During the school year, we meet on Mondays from 7-9pm. See our current calendar below. We work through series of different topics talking about questions like: "What does healthy friendship look like?" "Why is there evil in the world?", and "Who am I and why was I created?". We hope to give students a solid foundation of truth that they can build their life on.

We also want to give space for students to know each other and be known. To do this, we need to move from large group teaching into smaller spaces where students can be individually heard and process with one another. We spend intentional time each week in "Life Groups." These are small groups of students, split up by age and sex, that spend time talking about the lesson. This is one way we help students to process and apply each night’s teaching at a more personal and relational level.

Wherever you are in your faith journey, you are welcome to come to Westgate student ministry on Monday night and learn about the truth and wonder of God.

Middle School

Students meet in the Atrium at 7:00pm to check-in. Our night begins with time to hang out, talk to new and old friends and play games. From there we head to a time of worship with the high schoolers led by a mix of high/middle school students. After worship we head to the Gym for snacks, hangout and high energy games. We then transition to the Middle School Room where students will be challenged by God’s Word and take part in an interactive lesson that gets them engaged and thinking about God’s calling for their lives. Following the lesson, our students will break off into their "Life Groups" where they can dig deeper into what they have just heard. There, they can talk through how to live these challenges out and apply them to their everyday lives. This Life Group time is so important because it gives our students the opportunity to talk through everything that is going through their head and hearts with trusted leaders. We are so excited to see what God has in store for our students, and can't wait for an unforgettable year! Let’s Do This Thing!

High School

Students meet in the Atrium at 7:00pm to check-in. Our night begins with time to hang out, talk to new and old friends and play games. From there we head to a time of worship with high schoolers and middle schoolers leading our student ministry band. After a time of musical worship, high school students will be taught an engaging, practical truth anchored in the Bible. This is done in a casual setting that allows students to ask questions and participate. Students will end the night in "Life Groups", where they will have snacks and talk about what was presented, their thoughts on the message and feedback on how they would live it out. Consistent adult leaders help facilitate our Life Groups and play a key role in helping students grow in their faith.

Calendar

Fall 2024