Dear SCC Family,
At my ordination in December of 2019, I preached a sermon imploring us to all strive for discomfort in our spiritual lives. I shared the dangers of sitting still after encountering Christ and encouraged all of us, as a local church body, to get uncomfortable in our response to the Great Commission.
During this sermon I expressed our family’s discontent with the current state of teenage outreach and disciple-making in local churches and schools. To put it simply, thousands of teenagers walk in and out of schools every day in our community – teenagers who don’t know Christ, teenagers who are flying under the radar of the church, teenagers who have no interest in coming to church to learn about this “Jesus” character.
So, following Christ’s call, Autumn and I began a 501c3 ministry called Student Gospel Outreach, or StudentGO, designed to challenge, equip, and send students to reach their peers with the Gospel. Our vision is for the entire community as we believe this call reaches beyond one local church. That being said, we wanted to take a moment to clarify some things as well as share how you can partner with us.
What exactly will we be doing?
Our desire is to partner with local church student ministries to create a “culture of sending.” We want to see the teenagers in our churches rise up to make disciples of their peers instead of simply inviting them to church so the Youth Leader can do it. We will be specifically focusing on one church at a time, seeking to understand the mission and vision of that specific church family so we can effectively work alongside them.
We hope to make a “1-2-3 Impact” in the few months we are there, partnering with 1 Youth Leader, training 2 adult volunteers focused on sending students, and working with 3 teenagers to challenge, equip, and send them to bring the Good News to their peers. Our hope is that this process will continue in each church after we have moved on, adopted and sustained by those we were able to impact during our partnership.
Aren’t student ministries already doing this?
In theory, yes. In reality, not so much. Having spent time in Youth Leader circles, we have learned that this is what (sadly!) gets placed on the back-burner all too often. The overwhelming need to effectively reach and disciple those sitting in front of them each week usually takes most of a Youth Leader’s time and energy. After speaking with various Youth Leaders in our community, we’ve realized that most student ministries need a breath of fresh air, some encouragement, and some intentionality in this area to create a culture of sending.
Is this type of ministry biblical?
Yes! We see Barnabas come alongside Paul to encourage and spur him on; we see Paul lift up Timothy and Titus, challenging, equipping, and sending them into their local churches; and we see Jesus walk with His disciples for a time, only to leave them with His Spirit and the Great Commission.
What does this mean for SCC?
We believe God has revealed a desperate need in our community, a need that requires dedicated time and attention. Through much prayer and wise counsel, Autumn and I have made the decision to trust God and launch full-time into this new ministry. We have been so tremendously blessed by our time at Switzerland Community Church. Our time here has given us a Gospel vision for the community, equipped us with the tools necessary, and invited us into a family excited to see us take our next step! We will not be relocating as there is tremendous work to be done in our own zip-code, so you’ll still see our smiling faces on a regular basis, but we are excited to see someone new brought into what God is doing in the Student Ministry at SCC. As it currently stands, we hope to launch full-time in the Fall of this year, having helped find and cross-train a new Youth Pastor so no student falls between the cracks. We hope this is as much an encouragement and excitement to you as it is to us!
What can I do to help?
First and foremost, we need prayer partners. Prayer is the fuel for God’s mission on this earth, and we desperately need it. Just as Moses’ arms were lifted up by those who came alongside him, we ask that you consider making us a regular part of your prayers. Please pray for endurance and strength, pray for humility as we work with many different church leaders and groups, and pray for our family as we take a leap of faith to follow His call.
In addition to prayer partners, we need financial partners, those who might feel the Lord leading them to give above their other giving commitments, trusting God to supply. While occasional gifts are an important piece of what God is doing, we also need monthly support for ministry and living expenses so we can provide encouragement, training, and support to local churches at no cost to them.
Where can I go to learn more?
Autumn and I would LOVE to get together with anyone interested in knowing more about StudentGO! All it takes is a quick call, text, or email to schedule some time together. Sharing what God has put on our hearts brings us great joy!
Additionally, our website is www.studentgo.org and is updated regularly to reflect the work God is doing in and through Student Gospel Outreach. Online giving is also available through the website.
We are so excited to share all of this with you, our church, and hope to hear from you soon!
With love in Christ,
Andrew & Autumn Steier
