Youth Program - AGAPETOI
AGAPETOI
means loved ones or beloved in Greek! The current Youth choose this name for themselves not only because it sounded cool, but because it is a great reminder that THIS is who they are! They are our loved ones and beloved by God! Our Vision We strive to create a fun and healthy environment where youth (6th-12th grade/High School) can feel comfortable to ask questions and be challenged by the Word of God. We believe the youth are not the future of the Church but the present of the Church and need to be guided and trained to start functioning in the gifts of the Spirit. We have two regular meetings each week:
Wednesday Evenings: 6:30 p.m. On Wednesdays , during the Fortify the Family meal time, we all eat together at our own table where we can talk and just enjoy each other's company. This year we are working through discussion topics that help us confirm our faith in Jesus. Many of us grow up in Christian homes without really thinking too much about what Christianity is. These discussion style lessons challenge us and help us evaluate what we believe and why we believe it. Sunday Mornings: 9:45 a.m. In Sunday School we study theology and change subjects every 3 months. Recently we have been having an introduction to theology. It doesn't sound all too exciting but it is basically preparation for the youth to understand the use, limits and possibilities of theology. What we will be studying next is Pneumatology, the study of the Holy Spirit, and the context of the first 5 books of the Bible. Many youth groups get diluted material that use bible verses as peripheral notes but never put the Bible in the center. We are grateful for topical studies that have been elaborated for teenagers but we want the youth to know the Bible and to know it well enough to apply it and stand with it. ACTIVITIES AND OUTINGS We help others and have fun. We like to spend time with the youth and meet them where they are at. We have been to school activities, plays, baseball games and have gone to the movies, bowling and for ice cream. We have done paintball, smash balls, swimming, and a few other stuff with the youth. In terms of ministry activities, which we also do together, we have done activities to raise funds to donate in different ways to non-profits. Some of the plans for this year include building homes with Habitat and visiting the Hospital de Niños Quemados with gifts and games. |
A little bit about Moshe:
"Before Christ I was involved in gang activity, drugs and was constantly seeking fulfillment in the emptiness of a life without meaning or purpose." Moshe Santillan Moshe became a Christian in 2012 at the age of 19. He decided to come to Guatemala to study theology at the Central American Theological Seminary where he is working on a Masters in Ministry. In coming to Guatemala, he began to do ministry with drug addicts, prostitutes and gangs but later felt that the Lord was calling him to something different. He has had the opportunity to be exposed to different perspectives of Christianity in different countries and in different settings. In Guatemala he has been privileged to teach, preach and rap in various churches, schools and ministries. He and his wife Esmeralda, a Dominican missionary to Guatemala, met while studying at the seminary and decided to dedicate their lives to full time ministry in Guatemala City. |
