We desperately need the LIVE Curriculum. In order for you to understand why, I will start at the beginning of our crazy journey.My husband and I moved to a rural community about a year ago (so he could farm). We looked non-stop for a church, and not until 3 months ago did we find one that was Bible based and preaching the Word. The church body is a wonderful group who loves the Lord and wants to do what is right and immediately we felt at ‘home.’ Two months ago (right before we were going to become members) the pastor was released from his duties because of serious moral and spiritual issues; the biggest wasn’t even that he spent most of his days at the church looking at porn online. Recognizing that a church is more than just a pastor and that this was where we felt led to be and serve, we stayed and became members.

We jumped in with both feet and have been looking for ministry opportunities…I was going to help lead worship and be on the music committee, Brian was going to help on the work committee and start a program for new visitors and we thought we might be helpers in the youth group …when, last month the husband of the couple who were going to take on the Sr. High Youth Group was struck down with migraines that caused him to have a multiple strokes from which he is not even close to recovering from. There isn’t anyone else that either wants to do it or isn’t already committed to the Awana Children Program, so after much prayer and thoughtful consideration we are going to do it.

This is not something that we are taking lightly; I had awesome youth group leaders that set a wonderful example for me. The leaders were there for usually at least 4 year stretches, they were very involved in the schools and in the kids’ lives including extra-curricular activities. Brian didn’t have that…in fact he was the youth group; his pastor would taking him golfing for youth group because it was just him. Brian is wary of what is going to happen because he hasn’t ever seen what a youth group is like. He isn’t concerned about teaching the Bible, he is a very wise godly man and has led other Bible studies, but isn’t quite sure what subjects we need to cover or what to do with the rest of the time that makes up a youth group meeting.

Part of our problem is that there isn’t a program already in place. There have been 3 different youth group leaders over the last 3 years! And, last year the leaders wouldn’t show up and the kids were left hanging (which is a crappy thing to do to them!) None of the last youth leaders had any materials or any kind of structure. We are going to have to rebuild the Sr. High Youth Group from scratch.

We are desperately trying to follow God’s leading, and we are going to do that whether we get the LIVE Curriculum or not. But, I do know that it would help us to be better youth leaders and help us reach out and draw more youth in and have an impact in the community with the program. I know this might sound made-up, but our story is true and clearly explains why we need this program.