Seizing the moment for high school ministry

Most IFES ministry takes place in universities. But in some parts of the world, a high school ministry is the best way to reach young people for Christ.

In the St Vincent Grammar School in the Caribbean country of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Mrs Nakita Boucher is a ‘sponsor’ —a teacher who runs a Christian group at school—for the national student movement ISCCF SVG. This year, the group faced a dilemma. The pandemic made the prospect of running a student group in the single-sex school more difficult than usual.

Nonetheless, Mrs Boucher felt that it was right to meet. As she explains, ‘I was led by the Holy Spirit to focus on evangelism. We couldn’t have allowed this time to pass us by, seeing what has happened around us in the last year, including the pandemic and the La Soufrière eruption. I decided we should focus on making the students aware of what it means to be saved and how to live a Christian life.’

Mrs Boucher read the moment well. The students were keen, and this term, the group multiplied from the usual 25-30 students to over 40 attending for half an hour every Thursday. They did Bible quizzes and discussed the students’ perception of who God is. Two young pastors were invited to come and explain salvation and repentance. Students and teachers shared their personal testimonies.

One student shares the impact that the group has had on his faith: ‘I do not get a lot of time to read the Word as much as I should, and ISCCF has been a devoted part of my week where I can read the Word and gain more knowledge about the gospel and about God’s divine purpose for my life. At my church, I enjoy the beginner to youth class, filled with lots of activities, stories, and opportunities to connect with others of similar age about the same thing. Having something similar at my school feels so wonderful. I believe that ISCCF has made me gain confidence to spread the gospel and made me a more rounded student. I hope that more students can benefit as I have.’

Six students gave their hearts to Christ this term, and ISCCF are hoping to follow up with those who won’t be able to receive discipleship at church. Mrs Boucher says that ‘overall, the group has been very vibrant, very interested, and our students are developing a love and appreciation for God. We hope that we can continue to share the gospel, and that these students will grow into the young men that God wants them to be.’

Pray with us for this ISCCF group and other students in St Vincent and the Grenadines:

Pray for the six who received Christ for the first time this term. Pray that it would be the beginning of a lifelong, faithful and joyful devotion to Jesus and that God uses their lives powerfully.

Pray that Christian students would be bold in proclaiming the gospel to their classmates, and that they would have a continual hunger and thirst for God.

Pray that the ISCCF group at the St Vincent school would grow numerically and spiritually. Pray that students would get support in their Christian faith from peers and parents where possible.

Pray that IFES high school ministry in different countries around the world would be more and more fruitful as students return to normal life after the pandemic. Pray that they would spend their lives living for Jesus.