Youth Ministries
(an overview)
On Sundays
Children are welcome at any time during the morning or evening services.
Nursery
The Nursery (birth to 24 months) offers the youngest in our church family a safe, clean, and fun environment where they can rest, play, and stretch their growing bodies. In addition to a space for play, we also offer a room off of the main Nursery for any mom looking for a quiet space to feed, snuggle, or calm her child.
2s & 3s
The 2s & 3s (ages 2 through 3) class is offered at both morning services, from 9:15 to 10:15 and from 11:00 to 12:00. It not only offers childcare but includes a Bible story, an age-appropriate memory verse, song time, and plenty of games and activities.
Sunday School
Classes for children from age 4 through high school meet during the first service, from 9:15 to 10:15. These classes use the Truth:78 curriculum (see https://truth78.org), which was developed by the organization known as Desiring God.
Children’s Church
Children’s Church (ages 4 through 5) meets during the second service, from 11:00 to 12:00. The children who attend Children’s Church are dismissed from the Auditorium following our worship time prior to the sermon. We offer this optional program to assist parents in their own worship and learning, while helping children grow in their understanding of who God is.
- During Children’s Church, we emphasize learning the truths of God’s Word. Each week we present a Bible story, along with various games, activities, crafts, and songs.
- We use the Truth:78 curriculum (see above) here, as well, so it coordinates with what is taught in Sunday school for the older children. The continuity of curriculum allows parents to discuss the same Bible lesson with children of different ages throughout the following week.
Junior Church
Junior Church (Grades 1–3) also meets during the second service, from 11:00 to 12:00. We offer this option for parents who prefer to focus on the sermon portion of the worship service without the potential distraction of keeping their children occupied.
- We desire to nurture children’s spiritual growth by training them to think biblically, apply biblical teaching to their lives, and exercise self-control.
- To accomplish these goals, we again use the Truth:78 curriculum (see above) as we prepare the children to actively participate in our corporate worship service once they reach Grade 4. We incorporate elements used in the teaching portion of the corporate worship service, including close reading of the Bible and completing fill-in-the-blank notes for the lesson.
On Wednesdays
Awana
Awana (Age 4–Grade 6) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The acronym Awana comes from 2 Timothy 2:15, which reads, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” As one of the fastest-growing youth organizations, Awana provides a local church-sponsored program for children from age 4 (if they are potty trained) through Grade 6 during the school year.
Our hope is that all club members will develop faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and then will build on this foundation to become steadfast, obedient servants of God.
The Forge
The Forge (Grades 7–12) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The Forge, the youth ministry at DBC, is designed to assist parents in the discipleship process of their children in Junior High and Senior High. Our goal is to equip students to engage the world for Christ. We seek to accomplish this goal in two ways. First and foremost, we establish an environment with a primary focus on the study of God’s Word. Secondly, we take advantage of regular opportunities to live out what we have learned in an effort to be doers of the Word and not just hearers only.
Forge Gatherings occur each Wednesday during the school year and switch to special meetings and activities throughout the summer.