Youth Belong at Immanuel
Will your family or group take a turn providing a Youth Meal for our hungry teenagers? Sign Up HERE. Thanks!
We are the student ministry of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Our Youth Center is a place to belong, grow, and serve for students in grades 5 to 12. Join us in our Youth Ministry!
- Youth Building with comfy couches and seating areas, technology and screens, ping pong, pool table, great snacks and more—a space designed for young people.
- Sunday Morning Bible Class for middle and high school students, with studies that help us to understand the ever-changing world and culture we live in as we learn of truth that does not change—Jesus Christ and His Word, the Bible. (Sundays from 9:20 to 10:15am)
- Sunday School for pre-middle school youth, held in the School Building. (NOTE: Middle school youth are encouraged to join the high schoolers in the Youth Center.)
- Youth Night Wednesdays—Food, Friends, Faith—for students in middle school and high school all through the school year.
- Midweek Confirmation Classes to help 6th, 7th & 8th graders and their parents to grow together in faith. (Wednesday evenings)
- Opportunities for service both near and far, including yearly national mission trips. (Our Summer 2023 trip had us serving God in Michigan!)
- State-wide and National Youth Gatherings and other activities designed to help students connect with God and one another.
- A diverse youth ministry, attracting and welcoming students from nearly a dozen area schools.
- A caring, safe environment to nurture faith and grow in relationship with Jesus Christ and one another.
Stay Connected With GLOO!
- GLOO is Immanuel-Joplin Youth’s text messaging service.
- A way to communicate safely with students and families.
- Receive messages once or twice a week to keep you informed.
- Text “youth” to 833-225-2985 to begin.
Why is Youth Ministry Important?
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
-3 John 4
Youth Ministry is about seeking and sustaining relationships with this generation of young people—a ministry that’s much more than just fun and games. (We DO have a LOT of fun together, though!) Nothing we do in Youth Ministry means anything without faith in Jesus, and His death and resurrection. Using the research-based “Seven Practices for Healthy Youth Ministry” outlined below, Immanuel seeks to build strong followers of Jesus who stay connected to Christ for a lifetime. With God’s help our church family strives to nurture youth who look like this:
Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry
Learn more about the “Seven Practices,” the “40 End Goals” and the research they are based on at https://www.youthesource.com/seven-practices/
Congregations have WARMTH, CHALLENGE AND GRACE
- Congregations foster an open and honest environment where youth share joys, questions, crisis, and doubt knowing God’s Word will be spoken in love.
- Congregations share personal stories of failure, grace and joy.
- Congregations are willing to engage in tough spiritual conversations.
- Congregations have a dedicated, developmentally appropriate space for youth where they grow as disciples with their peers.
Congregations have SUPPORTIVE ADULTS
- Supportive congregations seek to connect every youth with at least 5 engaged Christian adults.
- Supportive adults deliberately invest and value long-term, inter-generational relationships.
- Supportive adults prepare for and respond to celebration, transitions and crisis.
- Supportive congregations have adults who champion young people and dedicate time and energy to developing teens as disciples of Jesus Christ for life.
Congregations have ENGAGED PARENTS
- Engaged parents prioritize faith development by encouraging daily faith practices especially during times of transition.
- Engaged parents invest in the lives of their children by understanding their children’s vocation and the culture around them.
- Engaged parents participate in worship, personal spiritual practices, and service.
- Supportive congregations provide parents encouragement and support from other Christian adults.
Congregations have OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AND LEAD
- Congregations identify gifts and skills in youth that can be used in service, leadership and vocation inside and outside the church.
- Congregations invest in youth by providing consistent opportunities for meaningful contributions.
- Congregations engage and support youth for service inside the congregation, in the community and beyond.
- Congregations empower young people to be load bearing leaders by providing training, mentors, and space to learn.
Congregations Help All Young People DEEPLY UNDERSTAND THEIR BAPTISMAL FAITH
- Youth live as forgiven sinners with the promise of eternal life through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
- Youth recognize the work of the Holy Spirit who brought them to faith, gathered them into God’s family, and works through them.
- Youth regularly worship, study the living and active Word of God, pray together, and receive the Lord’s Supper.
- Youth are provided with deliberate age specific opportunities to move toward key outcomes for young Lutheran Christians (Examples are outlined in Youth Ministry Teaching End Goals.)
Congregations Help All Young People DEVELOP A RESILIENT IDENTITY IN CHRIST
- Resilient youth identify with the life and mission of the Christian church and seek to serve others.
- Resilient youth remain humbly confident in their faith in the face of crisis and transition.
- Resilient youth can build relationships with those different from themselves and navigate disagreements in a humble, loving way.
- Resilient youth are lifelong learners who face doubt and challenge by turning to God’s Word.
Congregations Help All Young People LIVE OUT THEIR UNIQUE VOCATION
- Youth understand their role as Christ’s hands and feet in their church, home, community, and other areas of vocation.
- Youth reach out to their neighbor in word and deed to love and share the Good News of Jesus.
- Youth serve and lead in their congregation and community.
- Youth seek to be warm, challenging and grace-filled to their community and peers.
- Youth are encouraged to pursue church work vocations as it fits their gifts and skills.
2025 District Youth Gathering
Come to the 2025 Missouri District Youth Gathering! Cross Pointe Retreat Center – Rocky Mount, Lake of the Ozarks | April 4-6, 2025 | Grades 6-12 | Joplin Youth Sign Up Now Through February 23 BELIEVE – John 20:31 The weekend-long Youth Gathering Trip is open to all active students in grades 6-12 at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Martin Luther School in Joplin! Join us as we gather our junior high and high school youth with other Lutheran congregations from around…
LCMS Youth Gathering 2025
Immanuel-Joplin at the National Youth Gathering New Orleans, Louisiana | July 19-23, 2025 | “Endure” Held every 3 years since 1980, the LCMS Youth Gathering provides thousands of youth and adults the opportunity to come together as a community of God’s people to learn more about Jesus Christ, the Christian faith and their Lutheran identity. During the five days of the Gathering, youth spend time together in God’s word, worship, service, and fellowship with others from across the synod. This event…
Confirmation Classes
Growing Continually In Faith with Confirmation Classes Midweek Classes for Middle School Youth and Parents | Wednesday Evenings During the School Year at 6:45 pm Midweek Confirmation FAQs Stay informed! Sign up for Immanuel Youth Updates on your phone by using the Remind App. Click this link to get started. https://www.remind.com/join/joplinuth Confirmation Schedule 2023/24 September October November Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas Break January February Lent and Easter Break (Ash Wednesday is February 14, Easter is March 31) April Friday, May…
Super Sub Orders
Buy a Youth Ministry Super Sub! There are many, many subs to sell!On Sunday you will surely smellA sandwich that you love so well,So come, buy a Super Sub!We make them fresh—you’ll taste the proof!The proceeds surely help each youthTo go and grow and hear the TruthOf Christ at their Youth Gatherings! ** We are back with our Super Sub Fundraiser on February 9, 2025 ** Make a secure, easy online donation to our Youth Group HERE.
Youth Meal Sign Up
Sign Up to Be A Hero Wednesday Night YOUTH MEALS are an important part of Immanuel’s ministry to kids in our church, school, and neighborhood. Dozens of youth come each week through the year to enjoy a variety of kid-friendly menus, and stick around to be fed by God’s Word. Pray about it, and decide how you’d like to be a part of providing good food for our Wednesday Night Youth Meals ministry. If you choose to sign up, you’ll be…
Lawn Mowing Sign Up
Youth Families Mowing and Serving The youth of Immanuel are taking turns mowing the lawn for one of our older members who lives alone and is unable to do the work herself. A self-propelled push mower and a can of gas is stored in her garage for our use. Your family can serve Jesus and others by helping to cut grass a few times this season. Please sign up below. Thank you! Note: Mowing can be done either on Saturday or…