Our Mission
“Rise Up Student Ministry exists to help students in grades 6–12 encounter Jesus, discover their purpose, and rise up as leaders in their school, community, and generation.”
There’s a Gap in Genoa
The students in this community are surrounded by competing voices — social media, academic pressure, the pull of identity questions that don’t have easy answers. Many are spiritually adrift. Some have never heard the gospel clearly presented. Others grew up in church but have never been challenged to own their faith personally. Still others are carrying real burdens — anxiety, family struggles, questions about who they are — and facing them alone.
These aren’t problems unique to Genoa. But they’re happening right here, in our schools, on our teams, in our neighborhoods. And we believe something needs to exist for these students — not someday, but now.
What We’re Building
Rise Up is a gospel-centered, relational community for students in grades 6–12. We will be gathering in Genoa [dates, times, and locations coming soon!] — for worship, teaching, small groups, food, and the kind of authentic community that students are hungry for but rarely find.
We exist to be the kind of place where a student can walk in not knowing anyone and leave feeling known. Where hard questions are welcomed. Where the gospel is presented clearly and the relationships are real.
What students find at Rise Up:
Gospel-centered teaching that’s honest, relevant, and grounded in Scripture
Small groups led by trained, background-checked adults who genuinely care
A community where belonging comes before performance
Space to ask hard questions and wrestle with real faith
Adults who show up — not just on Sunday nights, but in the everyday
The Vision
“We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.” — Psalm 78:4
We believe the next generation doesn’t need a better program. They need a community of adults who will tell them the truth, walk with them through hard things, and model what it looks like to follow Jesus with conviction and joy.
That’s what Rise Up is built to be. Not a one-hour-a-week activity. A spiritual family. A place where students are known, loved, challenged, and sent back into their schools and communities as leaders who know who they are and Whose they are.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
Ministry That Happens in Real Life
The most meaningful discipleship doesn’t happen in perfectly crafted programs. It happens in conversations after practice, in texts checking in on a hard week, in meals around a table, and in showing up when it matters most.
Rise Up is built around this conviction: relational, not transactional. Discipleship, not just entertainment. Gospel-centered, not activity-driven. We want students to find a spiritual family here — one that walks with them through middle school awkwardness, high school pressure, and the critical years of forming their identity in Christ.
An Invitation to Join the Mission
Rise Up isn’t something we’re doing for Genoa. It’s something we’re building with Genoa — with parents, students, volunteers, and supporters who believe the next generation is worth investing in.
Whether you’re a parent hoping your teenager finds solid Christian community, a student looking for something real, or an adult who wants to pour into the next generation — there’s a place for you here.
This isn’t just another youth group. It’s a movement. And it starts May 4, 2026.
It’s time to rise up. Will you join us?
