Discipleship happens within the community and it is a long term process. With the intention to facilitate this process and to help build a Paul & Timothy relationship model between student leaders and students, we have developed monthly sessions conducted separately for parents and students in various parts of the DFW Metroplex as the pioneer launching pad for IGNITE. The hope and prayer is for this program to spread its wings all through the United States and abroad so that children falling under this category will benefit from the programs of IGNITE.
Tarry meetings are a highly impactful experience when children learn how to wait upon the baptism of the Holy Spirit with peers of their own age. Together, they get to unravel the challenges/temptations they are facing and prepare their hearts to receive the power of God in closer knit community which is rare experience, not easily available to them in the church atmosphere.
Our goal is to connect with the kids on their turf by engaging them in sports, games and fun activities to introduce God as our Father and the Ultimate Coach in our lives. Our hope is that the bible lessons attached to each event will be embedded into the heart of each child. IGNITE conducted a Soccer Training Session in the DFW area which sparked interest of over 100 students. During the course of that session, while learning the basics of soccer, the students were directly exposed to the tactics of the enemy and our need to stay focused on the target.
Our annual camp is designed to further deepen and strengthen the relationships amongst team members, build Christian character, emphasize on having a servant heart and instill a passion for missions. The annual camp is filled with various activities such as small group discussions, interest groups and family fun. Middle school and high school sessions are separate for children who are 11 - 13 years and 14 - 16 years of age, respectively. Even though children can be sent individually to the camp, this is a family camp so we prefer both students and parents to attend as a family. Parents have separate sessions focused on marriage and parenting.
Kids love technology and online learning! We found webinars to be a great tool for students and their parents to connect with us and learn from the comfort of their own homes. A 6-week series of interactive webinar Bible study sessions are scheduled to be conducted every summer. Ignite is blessed to have a great team of pastors who have been dedicated in teaching during the webinar and other Ignite sessions. The series takes students on a journey about discovering themselves, their purpose on earth, their destiny and role in God’s Kingdom, in addition to covering basic doctrines. There is a question and answer session following each module, where students can post questions to the speaker on the topic that was discussed. The proactive participation and response of the children has been very productive.
God has given IGNITE leaders a burden to pray and intercede for the children. Each child has an assigned senior leader and student leader. We believe that God has placed us to work with the parents to shape these children’s lives for the divine purpose he/she has been created for. Every week we come together on a prayer line and pray for the children. Parents are encouraged to join the prayer line and intercede with us.