Youth Growing in Faith

Hey youth of Missouri; we hope that you are enjoying your break from studies and are getting a chance to soak up the sun! If you are looking for some opportunities to engage and deepen your faith, here are some great options.

High schoolers can grow as a leader amongst peers in the YouthLead training held in St. Louis July 28-30 and again in March 2024. Youth are equipped for leadership in two key ways. First, engaging in studying God’s Word through a Bible study they experience and then are trained to lead back home. Secondly, there’s a focus on their unique identity and vocations so they can lead from their strengths in their home congregation. For more information or to register for the training, visit https://lcms.org/youthlead

Higher Things has been delivering Jesus’ cross-won, empty-tomb-certain salvation to thousands of youth and young adults with their summer conferences, regional retreats, and digital resources. Their upcoming summer conference “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” is held at two locations, with over 1100 youth attending in Carbondale, IL from July 18-21 and over 600 in San Antonio, TX from July 25-28. Higher Things Executive Director, Erica Sorensen explains the theme, “Jesus isn’t just some guy. He died and then didn’t stay dead. That’s our hope. You can even prove it. God gives us verifiable scripture that can be traced and upheld through history. You just can’t by your own reason or strength believe it. So He speaks to us, doubting hearts and minds that can’t quite help but question.”

If you aren’t able to tackle doubt this summer at a conference, don’t worry! Higher Things works hard to make the gifts of Christ Jesus known year round. “We offer youth-geared topics such as mental health, culture issues, and apologetics through daily posts on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube,” notes Sorensen, “Also check out our regional retreats, high school Bible studies, podcasts and more!” Find it all at https://higherthings.org/.

Want to check out Higher Things a little closer to home? Attend their retreat being offered at our own St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit. Mark your calendars for September 15-16. Designed for high school students, Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive at Higher Things, will lead youth through Living the Baptized Life… “it’s not just something that happened when you were a baby. It’s a reality today.” Visit https://higherthings.org/events/retreats/ for more information and to register.