Our Mission Statement has a simple, yet profound purpose:

"Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all for the glory of God"  - 1 Corinthians 10:31

The Shorter Catechism, part of the Westminster Confession of Faith, states that the chief or main end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.  We here at Common Grounds youth group strive to do just that in everything we do.  It doesn't matter if we are having a paintball event or singing praises to God, we seek to glorify Him in all that we do. 

This makes us a little different than mosts youth groups that are out there.  We are not seeking to lure unsuspecting teens into a place where they would not normally want to be, i.e. church.  At one point we tried to be "seeker sensitive" and we ended up with a huge group of teens who were either shallow in their faith or were dead in their sin.  We had a lot of "fun", but the fun was a passing pleasure and when it was all said and done, God was not glorified, people were not saved, and we failed in our mission as part of God's church.

We believe that the church, which involves our youth group, is designed specifically for those who know God as Father and have been saved by the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.  Because of that, our worship service, camps, and so on have as their main focus, those who are followers of Christ.  It is our weekly practice to feed and encourage growth in those to whom God has called as sons and daughters. 

If you are not sure if you are a follower of Christ, our youth group is still for you.  We understand that when God starts to do a work in the life of a person, God will use His church to answer any and all of their questions regarding salvation and what it means to be a Christian.  We are here for just that purpose.  If you have questions regarding God, Truth, Morality, or any other area that is being heavily questioned and abandoned in the world that we live in today, stop by and talk to any one of the leaders at Common Grounds.  They would love to talk with you.  Who knows they might even meet you at Starbucks for some coffee while they seek to answer your questions. 

We hope that this has given you a clear understanding of why we do what we do.  As always, if you have any questions, feel free to shoot pastor Kyle an email.  He will get back to you as soon as he can.  God bless.

Philosophy of Ministry

As a youth group, we strive to glorify the Lord in our church, our schools, our homes and our community (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Common Grounds exists to reach non-Christian Junior and Senior High students, to help them share in God's Word, to offer themselves in service to Christ and to care for one another.

"Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

Hebrews 10:22-25