We at University Parkway believe that small groups are a necessary aspect of growing in our relationship with Christ. Our 180 Student Ministry Small groups are designed to be a time of fun, fellowship, and Bible study that allow students to actively apply God’s Word to their life. Our Small Groups begin with games then food is served as students break up into their groups. Students are divided up based on their grade.

 

In our small groups, we take a story from the Bible and learn to apply it to our lives. Our small group discussion is broken up into three primary topics. First, we approach the HEAD knowledge of the story. This section is designed for students to understand what is happening in the story, who is involved in the story, and what the story meant to the original hearers of the story. After we have an understanding of the story, we then approach the HEART impact of the story. This section is designed for students to apply the story to their own life, understand how the story relates to them, and discover the heart change that can occur in their life by the impact of the story. For our final section of discussion, we approach the HANDS activity of the story. Not only is it important to understand what is going on in the story, and understand how it applies to to our lives, we should also actively seek how we can use this to reach others. The hands sections focuses on discussion that allows students to discover how this story can impact those around them.

 

Our small groups are designed to be a safe environment for students to discuss God’s Word, and things they are facing in school. This is a time for a student who may be a spiritual mature follower of Christ, or someone who is just checking the whole “Jesus-thing” can come together and openly discuss God’s Word without pressure of being made fun of or looked down upon. We have three rules to ensure a safe environment for our students:

 

1. No Cross-Talk- It is important to allow others to speak without interruption, or feeling the need to “fix” them.

2. Us “I” and “Me” Statements: Part of applying God’s Word is understanding how it affects us personally, rather than generalizing statements.

3. What is said in small group stays in small group. Students should feel comfortable sharing without having to worry that what they shared is going to spread around like a rumor.

We take all of our rules very seriously, so we can ensure students feel safe and comfortable in small groups.

 

6th-7th Grade: Whitney Cloyd

10th-12th Grade: Stephen & Sarah Crandell