Riptiders and Parents of Riptiders IMPORTANT LIFE GROUP UPCOMING NEWS
These next three weeks of Life Groups we are going to gather into separate Large Guy/Girl specific groups to walk through the importance of who God created us to be. Each week we focused on a different topic all revolving around claiming God as a young Man or Woman.
FEB 6th— WEEK 1 “Very Good” The Image of God in Us
FEB 13th— WEEK 2 “Learned Wisdom” Becoming a Man/Woman of God
FEB 20th— WEEK 3 “You Asked It” Q&A Regarding who we are as a Man/Woman, Dating, Relationship, and where God fits in to all of this crazy life stage of Junior High
This is a unique thing that happens in our Riptide Life Groups. We hope to experience a great response from our students, increasing their maturity and understanding of Life with God. We want you as parents and as students to know what your students will be learning and experiencing. This is something that we have done in past seasons, which turned out to be incredibly helpful and critical for student growth and understanding their self-worth.
FEB 6th— WEEK 1 “Very Good” The Image of God in Us
The first week we will spend time learning about the Image of God, and how God formed us. In the beginning when God created the heavens, earth, light, dark, animals, land, the moon and the stars, he said that it was “Good.” However, when God created human beings, he made us in his likeness, and called us “Very Good.”
We will talk about how being made in his image doesn’t just apply for the way that we look, but to the characteristics we hold, and qualities we have. The way we think, create, love, show compassion, feel, are all examples of our Imago Dei.
However most often, especially in our teenage years, when we look in the mirror we rarely think to ourselves that we are “Very Good.” Typically, when we think about ourselves, we are trapped with insecurities and pressures of what we are supposed to be, look like, and act like.
We will spend time dialoging about those insecurities and stereotypes, as well as spend time in the scriptures reminding ourselves who we are in Jesus and who we were created to be.
FEB 13th— WEEK 2 “Learned Wisdom” Becoming a Man/Woman of God
The second week we will hear wisdom from a panel of our life group leaders. Leaders will respond to questions such as, “What is something that you learned that you wished someone taught you, or walked you through?” “What is something that you wish someone told you as you were going through Junior High?” “Are there any stories that you have experienced, that shaped you into becoming a man or a woman of God.
Our guess is that our leader’s answers and stories will covered a gamut of concepts ranging from peer-pressure, being brave and trying new things, learning how and when to let go, reasons why not to chase the opposite gender at a young age, trying to fit in, what makes a real friend, the importance of mentors, the power of prayer, signs of maturity, etc.
Often in Riptide we will say there are two ways to learn something… “The hard way, or from someone who learned it the hard way.” Our hope as leaders, is to guide students to learn not what to think, but how to think.
FEB 20th— WEEK 3 “You Asked It” Q&A Regarding who we are as a Man/Woman, Dating, Relationship, and where God fits in to all of this crazy life stage of Junior High
The last week we will set up the night reminding students who they were created to be by recapping things we had learned about the Image of God in us and transformation into a Man or a Woman of God.
In our Guy/Girl specific groups, we will hand out 3×5 cards to every student and allow them time to write questions regarding who we are as a Man/Woman, Dating, Relationship, and where God fits in to all of this crazy life stage of Junior High, etc. (Every student will required to turn in a card, even if they didn’t write a question, as a way to create safety)
From our understanding of our Riptide culture, we hope that the students will proved themselves to be brave, curious, attentive, and honestly mature for their age as we walk through the questions.
We will be able to unpack as many questions as time will allow. We hope to answer how our ultimate worth and values comes from God and how the importance of multiple people in our lives outweighs being in a relationship with a single person. We hope to talk through reasoning for not dating in Junior High, questions about anatomy, the trap and lure involving our minds in inappropriate ways, unhealthy and healthy patterns, and the importance of seeking God, parents, friends, and mentors first in big decisions as well as to focus on what it means to stay pure and walk in the light.
Our hope is that they will learn to preface their decision making with, “Can I follow God into this?” And on the flip side to ask, “Can I follow God out of this?”
NEXT
We are excited to see what new conversations this opens up in our Life Groups and hope that this really gives good framework for the students to be reminded of the transformation that can happen in a Junior Higher when they pursue a life connected to God.
Thanks so much for taking a chance with us here in Riptide and believing alongside us that Junior Highers can change the world!
-Jarred
