Grace Church

Volunteer Ministry Policies

1. Understand the purpose and values of the Student Ministry.

To properly minister to the Jr. High and Sr. High students of Grace Church of Arvada one must understand the ministries purpose and mission.

Our Mission Statement :

The AWAKENING seeks to share the good news of salvation, while growing deeper in our commitment to Christ and intimate relationships based on God’s Word.

Our two purposes :

1. The Great Commandment: Mathew 22:37-40
Matthew 22:37-40 (NCV)

Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' [38] This is the first and most important command. [39] And the second command is like the first: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' [40] All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands."

2. The Great Commission: Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

2. Commit to your role in the ministry

For a leader to be effective in any setting they must be committed to their role and position. If this commitment does not exist true leadership is not present.

Following are a list of expectations for anyone who is seeking to be a volunteer leader in the Student Ministry department at Grace Church of Arvada.

Weekly:

Arrive 35 minutes prior to the beginning of the mid-week service. This is necessary for you to establish a relationship with the new students and cultivate deeper relationships with the students you already know. This also shows the students you care about them and you display an act of responsibility by being early.
Greet students as they arrive. Shake hands and say a kind word. Make the students feel welcome. This is our first chance to cultivate relationships with the students. We must make this a priority. Remember people determine if they will come back in their first five minutes.
Encourage student interaction. Introduce students to other students, facilitate group interaction during games and participate in all activities.
Help visitors fill out a welcome card. Help the greeter in getting the new students to fill out a connection card. If we don’t get their info we cannot keep in touch with them. It is vital that no one gets missed.
Model genuine worship during singing. Seekers as well as committed students can be effectively witnessed to by your attitude of worship. Students will learn to respect and worship God by the example we give them.
Respond to noise and disruption. Encourage students to pay attention and respect others during the message and singing.
Ask follow up questions. Ask students if you will see them the next week. This will let them know that you are genuinely interested in them and desire to see them again.
Stay 20 minutes after the service. This, like the time before the service, is necessary to cultivate meaningful relationships with the students.

Monthly:

Attend ALL staff meetings. There are two staff meetings on the first and third Sundays of the month. It is vital that all staff is present. We will discuss ministry needs, personal needs, needs of the students and have leadership training. You will only be able to miss two staff meetings per school year. All missed meetings need to be excused by the Youth Director. If more than two are missed your responsibilities and involvement will be evaluated. This ministry understands that life is unpredictable and there are extenuating circumstances that will occur. These situations will be excused but attendance of these meetings is vital for the health of this ministry and the students we minister to.
Fill out monthly evaluation sheets. These evaluation sheets will include one for personal evaluation and the other for an evaluation of the ministry. They will be handed out monthly and need to be filled out for the next staff meeting.
Fulfill the requirements on each evaluations sheet. These requirements are necessary to foster the relationships with your students.

3. Grow as a minister

We as staff must be growing spiritually and in our effectiveness as servant leaders. We must emulate and encourage growth by our own lives. We will only be able to encourage the students in what we have done or desire to be. It is this ministries’ goal to guide you from a program-directed ministry to a personal ministry. Our desire is to encourage and direct you to where God has called you and gifted you.

Four ways to developing as a minister:

Time. You must be willing to give adequate time to the ministry. Be patient: ministry takes time.
Participation. Going to events, camps and other activities will help solidify your relationship with the students.
Initiative. The more you put into it the more you will get out of it. Relationships get deeper as the more time you give.
Be involved in another ministry. We must be growing ourselves to effectively minister. The Awakening is not for you, it is for the students. We must be able to guide them as a leader not a peer.

Volunteer Ministry Character Requirements

1. A positive Christ-like role model

A volunteer leader need not be a great speaker, organizer or have a crazy presence. Instead, he/she should be a person who, by the power of his or her own Christian lifestyle motivates others to a more dedicated relationship with Jesus Christ. He/she needs to model a life of growing, active faith. 2 Peter 3:11 (NCV) In that way everything will be destroyed. So what kind of people should you be? You should live holy lives and serve God,

2. A person of integrity

The volunteer needs to have a good reputation around the community of Grace Church as well as those outside of the church. A reputation of honesty and being a caring person who is striving to be above reproach is necessary. 1 Tim. 4:12 (NIV) Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

3. Love High School and Jr. High Students

Yeah, it may seem like an odd question but we are dealing with students who want to be accepted and loved. If we do not have a passion to love them this need will not be met. A Godly relationship with the students needs to be our first concern. Ephes. 5:1-2 (NLT) Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. [2] Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.

4. Patient

Students will not always respond to us the way we would like. We need to be able to work with the students and the ministry. We must remember that Youth Ministry changes and is sometimes frustrating but we need to remember our two purposes. Matthew 22:37-40, Mathew 28:18-20 (see "Our Two Purposes")

5. Positive Attitude and a good sense of humor

We have a specific policy at Grace Church that we prefer to have volunteers who look at life with a “half-full” perspective. This is necessary to look beyond the faults of people and see what good there is and good can come. We need adult volunteers who will laugh through mistakes and encourage students and each other in love when mistakes are made. Matthew 18:22 (NCV) Jesus answered, "I tell you, you must forgive him more than seven times. You must forgive him even if he does wrong to you seventy-seven times.

6. Good listener

Kids want to be listened to. Listening shows them that you care, that you want to listen and most importantly, that you love them.

7. Willingness to give necessary time

To be frank, we don’t want volunteers who are too busy to devote themselves to the ministry. Commitment is necessary to effectively reach the students. We need to remember that 90% of discipling is relationships. We are not asking for you to give us time that you do not have, just willing to give the time necessary for you to serve the Lord how He has led you!

8. A passion to be above reproach

We are told as leaders to beware due to the responsibility that we are called to or desire to have in James 1:3. Our first concern needs to be living a lifestyle perusing God at whatever the cost. This means having appropriate relationships with students (i.e. No dating of staff and student) and being an example of a Christian to those outside the body of believers. If you are not willing to live by this standard perhaps God is guiding you to another ministry.

Youth Ministry Satellite Group Leader
Volunteer Policies

1. Understand the purpose and values of the Student Ministry.

To properly minister to the Jr. High and Sr. High students of Grace Church of Arvada one must understand the ministries purpose and mission.

Our Mission Statement :

The AWAKENING seeks to share the good news of salvation, while growing deeper in our commitment to Christ and intimate relationships based on God’s Word.

Our two purposes :

1. The Great Commandment: Mathew 22:37-40
Matthew 22:37-40 (NCV)

Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' [38] This is the first and most important command. [39] And the second command is like the first: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' [40] All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands."

2. The Great Commission: Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

2. Commit to your role in the ministry

For a volunteer to be effective in any setting they must be committed to their role and position. It is very clear in scripture that we are to be wholly dedicated to the service of our Lord. This attitude needs to filter into all we do, including our ministries.

Satellite Group Leader Requirements

Weekly:

Meet weekly with your group of students.
Have a lesson prepared that encourages spiritual Growth.
Curriculum and Study topics need to be approved by the Director of Student Ministries.
Build personal intimate relationships with Student by getting to know what is going on in their lives. Share prayer request and pray for each other.
Fulfill the Five Purposes as a Satellite Group.

G – Glorification = Worship

R – Relationships = Fellowship

A – Aspiration = Discipleship

C – Commitment = Ministry/Service

E - Evangelism

Monthly:

Attend the first staff meeting of the month.
- Staff meetings are the first and third Sunday of every month.
- It is essential that we all meet to unify us as a team and hear how God is working in every aspect of the youth ministry.

3. Grow as a minister

Two ways to developing as a minister:

1. Time Give God some time. Have a personal quiet time daily. Grow closer to him and you will become an example to the students

2. Initiative The more you put into it the more you will get out of it. Relationships get deeper as the more time you give.

Remember that no matter what you do to volunteer in the youth ministry it is because of your service and sacrifice that hundreds of students come to know the Lord and grow in their relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Volunteer Ministry Policies

1. Understand the purpose and values of the Student Ministry.

To properly minister to the Jr. High and Sr. High students of Grace Church of Arvada one must understand the ministries purpose and mission.

Our Mission Statement :

The AWAKENING seeks to share the good news of salvation, while growing deeper in our commitment to Christ and intimate relationships based on God’s Word.

Our two purposes :

1. The Great Commandment: Mathew 22:37-40
Matthew 22:37-40 (NCV)

Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' [38] This is the first and most important command. [39] And the second command is like the first: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' [40] All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands."

2. The Great Commission: Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

2. Commit to your role in the ministry

3. Grow as a minister

Two ways to developing as a minister:

1. Time Give God some time. Have a personal quiet time daily. Grow closer to him and you will become an example to the students

2. Initiative The more you put into it the more you will get out of it. Relationships get deeper as the more time you give.

Remember that no matter what you do to volunteer in the youth ministry it is because of your service and sacrifice that hundreds of students come to know the Lord and grow in their relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!