Roots

The Roots youth group is a ministry for students in grades 7–12 and emphasizes Biblical teaching, small group discipleship, service, and fun! Meetings are on Friday nights at the church from 7–9:30 p.m. and consist of an expository Bible lesson, small groups, worship, prayer, and a game. The group serves together in the church and community, and has special times of recreation as well.

The desire of the servants in this ministry is to evangelize the lost and disciple young believers to greater spiritual maturity. We do this not as an isolated ministry, but in partnership with their families and the rest of the church.

If you have any questions about the youth ministry please let us know!

Audio

October 6, 2023
Philippians 1:18b-26 (pt. 1)
In this section we meet one of the NT's most famous passages: "To live is Christ, and to die is gain" (1:21). And because this verse is so essential (both in Philippians and in the Christian life), we're going to look closely at this verse. And here's an essential idea that drove Paul's ministry...Paul could live for Christ BECAUSE DYING WAS GAIN. Here's how we'll look at this. Firstly, Paul said death is gain, but isn't death actually loss? Yes! And that's the only way the world can look at death. And yet we have organized all of society to ignore death. Secondly, we need to admit the truth; that we cannot ignore death. And when we look at death it is quite frightening, because death redefines our lives' importance, value, and purpose. Finally, we'll address that Paul's surprisingly joyful tone (even when addressing death) is because Paul knew that in Christ, death is gain. It reminds us that it is Christ who gives importance, value, and purpose to our lives (cf. 1 Cor. 15, Rom. 8:38).
September 29, 2023
Philippians 1:15-18a
Paul's main point: Paul wants to point to his own motives rather than these difficult Christians. All he cares about is Christ being proclaimed, rather than his own reputation being respected. He knows that drawing concern to him will distract from Christ, therefore he stops his critique of them short. We must learn something similar...we care SO MUCH about our own reputations, and it distracts from the gospel!
September 15, 2023
Philippians 1:12-14
Paul is going to explain what the Philippians have been waiting for, which is a report on how he is doing personally, and if the gospel mission has failed. Yet Paul doesn't just give them details, but a whole theology on how to view our circumstances when they don't turn out as planned (cf. Gen. 50:20). Paul's imprisonment might have seemed hopeless for the gospel to go out...but it hasn't! Instead, Paul has been able to evangelize Roman elites (v. 13), and encourage other believers by his joyful and faithful example (v. 14). The point for us is that we need to have a gospel perspective in our circumstances. When we care about the gospel more than ourselves, we get to see all the ways God wants to use us in our daily lives. Only then can the Christian life be fully participated in, and real abiding joy can be found!
September 8, 2023
Philippians 1:9-11
If the gospel is so important, how can I become a the kind of person who would represent it well? That's Philippians 1:9-11. In this single sentence (3 verses) Paul explains 3 things. First, he explains how we should grow; we should be people which a mature and God-centered love. Second, the 'why' we should is because we want our lives to have been honorable to Christ when he returns. Third, Christ himself has promised this growth. The same righteousness credited to us in salvation is promised to come from us in sanctification. What a blessing! Im so excited to get into this text with you all!
September 1, 2023
Philippians 1:3-8
We're getting into the text of Philippians tonight with this thought: you can't just force yourself to be joyful (#nike). Joy is an attitude, not a feeling; but even attitudes need to be cultivated and grown. That's how Paul thinks of joy; as an attitude that naturally arises from considering the gospel. Specifically, consider 2 joys of the gospel: gospel partnership and gospel assurance (in Christ).
August 25, 2023
Philippians
Too often, both believers and non-believers assume that Christian's live guilt-ridden, non-exciting, pleasure-denying lives...that's why I'm excited to start getting into the book of Philippians with you all! Because Paul explains the truth that, even in difficult circumstances and situations, the gospel of Christ guarantees a life of joy: because it guarantees life in Jesus himself!
July 30, 2023
Eph. 6:11-12; Luke 4
When it comes to spiritual Warfare, we need to know our enemy. If we are going to stand against the Devil and His schemes, then we need to be aware of what He is like, and prepared for His plans against us
May 27, 2022
March 25, 2022
Colossians 3:12-14