The Purpose of LIFE TEEN is to create an environment that leads high school teenagers into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and His Church.
This mission is accomplished in three ways:
1. Through the celebration of the Eucharist.
2. Through the teachings of Christ and the Church.
3. Through an experience of being loved and accepted.
What Is LIFE TEEN?
LIFE
TEEN is a comprehensive program designed to minister to
high school teens of all faiths from a uniquely Catholic base. Attempting to
reach teens on spiritual, emotional and social levels,
LIFE TEEN
responds to their need to be loved and accepted in a day and age where many
young people experience a sense of hopelessness about their future and lack
meaning and direction for their lives.
To provide this direction, LIFE TEEN encourages teens to embark on a journey of faith and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. At a twice a month LIFE TEEN Mass, teens enter into authentic and full worship of God with a faith community of peers, families and adult ministers. Teens experience Christ's power and love through praise, prayer and breaking open the Word of God in scripture. All are welcome as teens gather around the altar to take part in a Eucharistic meal or receive a special blessing. Following the Mass, teens meet with trained youth ministers and core members to learn about their faith in challenging ways through the LIFE Night experience.
What Makes It Work
What's different about this youth ministry program? LIFE TEEN has as its central focus one mission: to lead teens closer to Christ by experiencing His power and love. Community is vital to the success of LIFE TEEN as teens receive education, support and guidance in the environment of community; a community of peers, church leaders, parents and volunteers. When teens come to know that they are loved, they can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to lead fruitful lives in service of God and others and witness to the love they've received
Experience is the key to teens finding and encountering Christ through this program. A weekly LIFE TEEN Mass followed by a LIFE Night are specifically planned and designed to provide this experience. Trained youth ministers and core are there to provide the teens with a model of young adult Christian living. And there's more! LIFE TEEN retreats are not only popular with the teens, but prove to be successful as teens leave their day-to-day environment behind and set aside real time to find out more about God, themselves and one another. Program resources continue to develop as LIFE Studios explores avenues to reach teens and their families through the media. Music is a powerful way to speak to teens of today and is an integral part of reaching teens spiritually. Music ministers play a vital role in this ministry by helping teens put their faith, feelings and thoughts about God into word through song and praise. It really works!
One of the great things about LIFE TEEN is that it works in all types of churches. Parishes, large and small with difference economic and multi-cultural backgrounds, have been successful nationwide. There are currently about 950 parishes and 80,000 teens involved in LIFE TEEN all throughout the United States and now in over 20 countries (including Japan, New Zealand, Mexico and many others!). Check it out!