Shepherd of the Valley Youth Program Mission Statement

Mission:

The mission of The Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church Youth Ministry is to build disciplined followers of Jesus Christ. The Shepherd of the Valley Youth Ministry uses education and programming in order to build in each student a solid biblical foundation, encourage disciplined growth, and ensure that his or her future includes remaining a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ.

 

Manner:

Given the nature of this mission statement, the Shepherd of the Valley Youth Ministry is necessarily intentional, not reactionary or trendy. Specifically, this means that while providing fun events, trips, diversion, (like sports), positive peer pressure, service projects, counseling, or even a group identity have their place, they cannot be the primary identifier of the Student Ministry. All of these things are easily available from youth organizations outside the church and change with the cultural climate or latest trend. Jesus Christ and His word are the only appropriate focus of a ministry to students. Therefore, the unchanging intent the Shepherd of the Valley Youth Ministry is to guide the students to a better understanding of The One in whom they believe, to know what they believe, and to know why they believe what they believe.

Means:

Given the mission and intentional manner by which it is carried out, the primary means for implementation is teaching. The Shepherd of the Valley Youth Ministry is a teaching ministry which emphasizes the deliberate and methodical acquisition of Truth. No shortcuts or enticements are used in this process. Rather, Students’ abilities will be respected by offering challenging content delivered in a manor designed to develop and encourage critical thought. Such a process is slow and necessarily requires discipline. For this reason, discipline (behavioral, academic, and spiritual) is also unapologetically emphasized and expected.