From Events to Everyday Faith: Helping Students Pursue Jesus for Life

I want to see students faithfully pursue and love Jesus more each day. That’s the goal. Plain and simple. 

Statistics tell us that a majority of students walk away from the church once they reach college. I believe this happens, in part, because for too long we’ve measured success in student ministry by numbers and events rather than relationships with Jesus.  

Do we need events? Absolutely. Events are an incredible way to reach and engage students.  But if we walk away saying, “That was a great event,” instead of, “Students had the opportunity to grow deeper in their walk with Jesus,” then we’ve missed the target entirely. 

Our goal in student ministry discipleship  is to help students build a lasting faith that goes beyond youth group and continues long after high school. So, how do we get there? Let’s work backwards.  

How do students fall in love with Jesus more?  

I believe it starts with them spending time in God’s Word and experiencing who He says He is for themselves. 

There’s a difference between teaching the Bible and teaching students to read the Bible.  Our goal should never be to present Scripture in a way students can’t replicate on their own at home. Teaching students to hold the Bible as their highest source of truth will never return empty—Scripture promises that.  

How do we get students to listen? 

Trust.  

Students today can sense inauthenticity in a moment. They crave deep, meaningful relationships and will not listen to us unless we first listen to them.  

Trust is built through relationships—through the extra conversations outside of scheduled programming. Those moments may not always be deep, but when they’re intentional, they help students feel seen and heard. 

How do we find time to invest in those relationships? 

Events.  

Events are not the end goal. They’re the starting point. It often takes 50–100 hours with someone to move from acquaintance to friend. If we spend an hour or two together on a Sunday night, that could take up to a year.  But add in events like The WKND (36 hours), Camp (120 hours), Mission Trip (100 hours), or Spring Retreat (36 hours), and suddenly, those hours add up quickly.  Whether it’s a Sunday night or a special event, these are designed to help students build relationships—not just with each other, but with the leaders who are speaking into their lives. 

Events lead to relationships. Relationships build trust. Trust allows us to point to Scripture. And through Scripture, students learn to faithfully pursue and love Jesus more every day.  

It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be intentional. 

How parents play the most important role

Finally, let me invite you into something important:  Don’t just drop your student off for discipleship. Parents have nearly 300 times more time with their students than we do in youth group.  Our prayer is that Legacy serves as a place that supports what’s already happening at home. 

We believe in church and family partnership. We want to come alongside you as you lead your student toward Jesus. You are the primary disciple-maker, and our role is to support you in every way we can.