Many of us have very fond memories of church youth groups; from weekly meetings to summer camps and retreats, we supported and encouraged one another, worshipped and prayed together, and probably played pranks on the youth leader too. After all, any time a crowd of teens gather, they’re bound to stir up some good-natured trouble or fun, depending on whether or not you’re on the receiving end of the shaving cream! Hebrews 10:24-26 encourages us to “stir up” something else.

Take a look:

Hebrews 10:24-26 (ESV)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

While we haven’t neglected meeting, the Alive get-togethers have been spread a little bit thinly over the month. Was it the 2nd Wednesday and 4th Sunday or the other way around? Who could remember? And if a student missed a meeting, it could mean a month without any connection with the other young people. As we’ve shared in previous posts, we have a strong and clear vision for the youth of Metro Life Church to increase their love for God and to grow in fellowship together. The best way to accomplish these goals is to aim at these two targets:

• Content—Rich teaching from a Biblical worldview and the deep-rooted conviction that our lives must be built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and our identity found in Him alone

• Consistency—Meeting on a more regular basis to increase times of interaction and fellowship and provide greater flexibility to address the topics our teens are facing in the world today

In order to facilitate these efforts, we’re excited to announce that beginning in June, Alive will gather weekly, with the high school students meeting each Wednesday evening from 7-8:30p.m., and the middle school students on Sunday during the message time. Middle school students are absolutely still welcome to attend the Wednesday meetings at the discretion of parents, as occasionally topics may be of a more mature nature.

The passage in Hebrews clarifies what can happen as the students meet. Imagine the impact on our city, state, and world as these young folks are encouraged to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and awakened to love and good works for the Kingdom of God. Chris and the D-group leaders are ready, so come join the weekly meetings, grab a spoon, and let’s get to… stirring!

Check back soon for the updated Alive Summer schedule.