Possible Restructuring of Buya Grade Levels
April 16, 2009
Hey Families, I wanted to throw out an idea I’m pursuing with the student ministry and the way the grade levels are structured. I’ve been talking with the staff about it, and I’ve also been discussing it with the small group and team leaders in Shoal Creek.
I’m trying make small groups with the students, by grades, the most important and effective piece to the Elevate student ministry. Doing so wouldn’t really change much of what we’re already doing now, it would just mean me reorganizing the way I split the grades up on Sunday mornings and Monday nights. This is what it would look like:
6th and 7th grade, and 8th and 9th grade small groups on Sunday mornings during 11:00 service (divided by gender of course)
10th-12th grade on Monday nights (nothing changing there at all)
All the 6th-9th grade students would still collect in the Underground from 10:45-11:15 before splitting up and going to their small group rooms with their leaders.
Any reactions to this??? I would like to hear anything you have to say about it. Talk to your students about it and be a voice for them. We’re going to start talking to them about it on Sundays and trying to hear what they have to say, but we know that sometimes they’re scared to voice their opinions right then and there (and sometimes they’re definitely not! lol)
I would like to see it happen becacuse I feel the maturity levels within the students naturally fit those pairings, making the discussion time during our Sunday morning groups more relevant to their age group. This is especially true with Crash, because there’s quite a bit of difference between a 9th grader and a Senior when it comes to life stage and life experience.
It’s also really hard to get 9th graders to our Monday night Crash (HS) small group because they can’t drive yet and are dependent on rides. I’d rather form a small group for 9th graders when I’m going to have the best chance at being able to get them to it, and Sunday mornings fits that better since they’re coming with their parents already.
Right now we have just enough small group leaders to cover the students that we have coming regularly. I’d love for some of the parents that have students coming to look at this as an opportunity to become more involved in what we’re trying to do with the students. I’m convinced that small groups are the best way to pursue spiritual transformation in the lives of our students at Shoal Creek. Any parent who would want to build relationships with students and be a part of our ministry team I would like to speak with personally (justin.talley@shoalcreek.org). Right now, 5/9 of my leaders are parents, so I know there’s no such thing as a generation gap that can keep this from working.
2 Responses to “Possible Restructuring of Buya Grade Levels”
I’m glad you’re looking for ways to include all the children. I actually didn’t know that 9th graders were already with buya students on Sunday mornings. I thought they would be high school and attend big church and go to small group on Monday nights. I see how there would be a big difference in life stage from 9 to 12 as there is fr 6 to 9. I think splitting them into 2 grade levels is a good idea. I know Amber hasn’t been that interested in buya compared to big church, and I see that getting to a bigger issue in 8th and 9th grade. I know she likes the small group part, but the gaming or “hang time” gets a bit too obnoxious according to her. She witnesses inappropriate behavior with “pink” and “blue” mixing or “purpling”, and it makes her very uncomfortable. I guess thats our two cents for now. Thanks for all your hard work!
By Dawn Donoho on Apr 17, 2009
Hey Dawn, thanks for you input!
We haven’t started letting the 9th graders down there quite yet (except for one or two that try to help out), but we’ll probably make that official move on May 31st.
Erin and I keep talking and talking and trying to figure out how to make that time before small groups more appealing to the older female students. We all know that it’s just not that attractive to the older girl students. I’m at a complete loss on how to restructure that time. We don’t really have the money right now to go out and do a drastic overhaul either.
I’d love parents to talk to their girls and let me know what the girls think would make that time worth it.
By Justin on Apr 20, 2009