ROCC Youth

Our goal is to glorify God and equip students to remain rooted in their faith.

We gather weekly on Sundays from 4-6pm for “ROCC Youth.” Here’s a flow of what students can expect on a Sunday afternoon during our youth service as they gather for Gospel-centered teaching, authentic worship and Christian community.
- 4:00pm - Students can arrive for this “hangout time” to connect and enjoy snacks and games like basketball, foosball, ping pong and spike ball.
- 4:30pm - ROCC Youth begins where middle and high school students meet in the gym for announcements, group games/mixers and worship.
- 5:00pm - High school students and middle school students have age-appropriate Scripture-based teachings from one of our pastors or vetted leaders. High schoolers break off from the middle schoolers and head to our Community Room for a lesson that is a deeper dive and more age-appropriate lessons that might center around a study on a certain book of the Bible for a month or so or a lesson on topical issues we try to equip students in ranging from things like how to study and understand the Bible, to dealing with relationships with parents and in dating, to hot-button issues like mental health and how Christians can respond to transgenderism. 
- 5:30pm - Students gather into small groups that are grouped by grade and gender. Our adult small group leaders help unpack the message further in group discussion and students share prayer requests.
- 6:00pm - Students are dismissed from small groups for pickup. Most students are picked up or leave every week by 6:15-:20ish.


In addition to our weekly service, we also offer Sunday school for middle school students and a communicants “Next Step” class for 6th grader during the 9:15 am service upstairs in our discipleship center. Students can take their faith to the next level by joining a d:Group (discipleship group). d:Groups meet throughout the week during the school year and cover various books of the Bible or topical studies.


In the summer time we offer Waffle Wednesdays where students can meet at church for free waffles and get a great Bible lesson as a mid-week reminder of how much Jesus loves them.


We also provide various day trips, retreats, and events throughout the year to help students connect in Christian Community, grow in their faith, and invite their un-churched friends to fun events! Please ensure you have a profile in Church Center to receive the regular communications from our youth pastors about upcoming trips and events!

ROCC Youth Vision Statement: 
Our student ministry is dedicated to creating authentic environments for students to connect with God in a powerful way to be fully equipped to step into life beyond our ministry.

We fulfill this by helping "pack the bags" of our students to better send them off into life beyond our ministry!

Salvation
We want every student to have chances to hear the Gospel story and changes to respond to the Holy Spirit working in their life.
Personal Spiritual Disciplines
We want students to engage with God by reading His Word, have active prayer lives, to know how to engage in corporate worship, etc. We not only teach on spiritual disciplines but we also provide opportunities to occasionally make space for these disciplines to be practiced.
Biblical Understanding
We want students to be very familiar with the Bible, the books of the Bible, the characters of the Bible and how they are a part of God's story.
Willingness to Share Their Faith
It's okay for students who are new to the faith to consume church but at some point we want every student to be ready and prepared to share the hope they have with their friends, family, and peers! We believe that having a heart for evangelism is the best next step to take!
A Need for Christian Community
We want students to know that watching a sermon online is good and listening to a podcast can help them grow but that there is something special that happens when God's people meet together. We try to instill in our students that they must seek out a church and/or campus ministry to find believers who can spur them onward in their faith once they head off to college!

 

What to Expect

Featured Resource

ROCC Youth Video

At ROCC Youth, students experience Gospel-centered teaching and authentic worship.

Youth September 12

ROCC Youth Events

Check out River Oaks Church Center for information on all ROCC Youth events, including trips and events outside our weekly schedule that require registration.

ROCC Youth Events on Church Center

 

Next Steps Class

CLASS DESCRIPTION

The Next Steps Class is offered on Sunday mornings during the 9:15am worship service through the school year. It is designed to help Sixth graders understand theological principles River Oaks Community Church believes are foundational for students and their faith. We try to make this class engaging, informative, and fun. For students who attend 80% of the classes and complete the needed work, they have the opportunity to become members of the church.

EXPECTATIONS

Students are expected to complete portions of the lessons prior to coming to class on Sunday mornings using the workbook. There is a place at the end of each lesson where parents/guardians are asked to initial to indicate that they are aware of the lesson’s completion. Please encourage your student to complete the lessons so that they will learn the basics of our faith, be more confident in sharing in class, and most importantly, develop a growing relationship with Jesus. We know things can come up preventing students from completing a lesson occasionally; we still want them to come to class.

MATERIALS

Students should bring a copy of the Understanding the Faith workbook and copy of the Westminster Shorter Catechism (both are provided on their first day of class), and their Bible.

QUESTIONS

If you have questions regarding this class, contact our Youth Pastor, Brian Edmonds.

 

For Parents

Parent Update

ROCC Youth Events

Axis Parent Guides

 

BOOK RESOURCES

 

Alongside: Loving Teenagers With The Gospel by Drew Hill

Alongside supports both parents and youth ministry leaders and volunteers to love teenagers well. Drew Hill unpacks the challenges teenagers face and how youth leaders and parents can share the gospel with them at this crucial age. Teenagers want to be chased, and Alongside brings scripture to life and helps parents and those in youth ministry practically connect the life of Jesus to the lives of their adolescent children and friends. Order the Book

Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp

In Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family, author Paul David Tripp explores 14 practical and gospel-centered principles that will help parents see their role through the lens of God's Word and change the way they interact with their children. Principles include grace, identity, lies, authority, foolishness, and character. Order the Book

Don’t Miss It: Parent Every Week Like It Counts - by Reggie Joiner

Kids at every phase need adults who will show up predictably and consistently, over time. You will have approximately 936 weeks from the time your child is born until he or she graduates from high school. If you are a parent, you have probably realized by now that you can't make a toddler share, can't force a child to have faith, and can't compel a teenager to make smart decisions. But there is something you can do. You can make this week count. And then do it again, and again. What you understand about your kids now has the potential to change their future. So don't miss it. Order the Book

 

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ROCC Youth Staff