The Ideal 7th Grader

The Centrality of Jesus.

At Oliver creek, we believe the whole Biblical story is a narrative centered around God become man – Jesus. We want our kids to know that he is both God and king, and the savior of the world.

The Trinity.

We desire our kids to know about God the Father, Jesus our savior, and the Holy Spirit.

The Biblical Layout.

We want our kids to have a grasp of where to even begin studying the Bible–the Old & New Testaments, table of contents, and it’s inspiration.

Narrative of the Bible.

Old Testament: The fall, Abraham, Exodus, Kings, Exile, Prophets. New Testament: Jesus, Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles, Jesus’ return.

Discipleship.

We believe at the center of the Christian walk is becoming a disciple of Jesus. We want our kids to encounter spiritual formation (e.g. baptism, worship, fasting, prayer, ect.). We want our kids to understand that a life of faith is not an event, it’s a life-long journey with Jesus and his Spirit.

Imperfect Characters of the Bible.

We know that we aren’t perfect, but neither were many of our Biblical heroes. We want kids to understand how God works in weakness, and in doing so, understand the perfection of Jesus.

Worship.

Worship is at the heart of a follower of Jesus. We desire kids to participate in worship, not just watch. We want them to know why we sing, pray, and learn how actively be involved.

Identity.

Identity is one of the greatest questions our kids and students face today. We want them to know who they are in Jesus.

Relevance of Scripture.

What we learn on Sundays and Wednesdays is not limited to those spaces! We want our kids to know that what they hear at church can impact every moment of their lives.

Relationships & Community.

We believe that church is not a place – its people. We want our kids to know the power of the community of Jesus. To know love, compassion, justice, grace, and so much more.