Student Apprentice Groups
Renovating Your Space: Student Apprentice Groups
Building on the Vision theme, high school students read Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard. We can do lots of good things and put paint on the house, but when we get inside and rip out walls and pull down the sheetrock, that’s where change happens. If we live out of those walls, we live out of a deep relationship with God.
“I participate in Apprentice Groups because I believe it is important to surround myself with a community of believers who are intentionally seeking God’s direction and developing a relationship with Him. Being a part of these groups is also a way that I am challenged weekly with questions about my faith and helps me to grow stronger in my walk with God. It gives me the confidence to share His word and love with everyone around me.” – Rachel
High school students lead middle school apprentice groups.
Rachel shares her story of leading this year:
I was blessed to be given the same group last year and this year, so I was able to develop lasting relationships with the girls and get to know them throughout their 7th and 8th-grade years. I have always been very passionate about my faith, so I have wanted to try teaching, but teaching a group has never been something that comes naturally to me or is easy. However, I realized that teaching a group, even though I was teaching the lesson physically, it was really about God speaking to them and touching their hearts, so I didn’t have to worry about “saying everything right.” Teaching those girls has been an amazing experience because I have gotten to fellowship with them about displaying their faith in everyday life and I have gotten to learn about their daily struggles and encourage them to keep imitating and focusing on Christ during a stressful and hectic life. Not only was teaching a blessing for me because I was able to meet new people and share my faith, but the girls themselves and their perspectives were also a huge blessing to me. I would never have thought I could learn so much from people younger than me, but this group of girls proved me wrong, and I am so glad.
Sara also shares about why she took a step of faith to invest in others:
This is such a unique experience and opportunity. There are so many things I did in middle school that I truly regret and I wish I had a Christian lady in my life to give me advice, because I was turning to people who didn’t have the same values and beliefs I did, and it put a strain on my relationship with God for a long time. This is why I wanted to do this program, to help someone not make the same mistakes and hurt the way I did, especially when there’s so much that can happen in those years that can harden your heart to God.