Grace Bible Church

Grace Bible Church Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, April 12, 2026

Grace Bible — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:00:30 +0000

This Sunday’s Equipping Hour

Family Worship; taught by Jackson Kennedy

9:00am in the Worship Center

This Sunday Morning Service

1 Corinthians 2:10-13; taught by Smedly Yates

10:15am in the Worship Center

This Sunday Evening Service

Psalm 60; taught by Smedly Yates

6:00pm in the Worship Center

Next Week’s Equipping Hour

The Right Kind of Ministry, Colossians 1:28-29; taught by Rick Holland

9:00am in the Worship Center

Keepers of the Faith (3rd-5th grade girls) & Defenders of the Faith (3rd-5th grade boys)

Both groups will meet at the church Sunday from 6:00pm-7:30pm. If you are interested in having your child participate or have questions, contact Sarah Shelbourn for girls (srshelbourn@gmail.com) or Mike Jones for boys (mike@gbcaz.org).

Student Ministries

Student Ministries (grades 6-12) meets this Sunday at 6:00pm in Room 10. Our Sunday night meetings include teaching, singing, and group discussion time. Contact Jacob Hantla with any questions (jacob@gbcaz.org).

414

414 (college & singles under 26) meets Friday nights in local homes.

Contact Ben James (ben@gbcaz.org) or Eric Martin (eric@gbcaz.org) for more information.

April NGM Memory Verse

Isaiah 40:28 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, Yahweh, the creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is unsearchable.”

5th Grade Parent Meeting

All parents of current 5th graders are invited to meet with Jacob Hantla for a Student Ministries information meeting on Sunday, April 12th today after service at 12pm in the Matt Dodd room.

25th Anniversary Grillout

Sunday, April 19 will be our 25th Anniversary Sunday, followed by a grillout. There will be no NGM (Children’s Ministry). We are still in need of volunteers! Please sign up here or contact Melissa James (melissa@gbcaz.org) if you can help.

Baptism Classes

If you are interested in learning about baptism or interested in being baptized, register for the baptism class here. Classes will be May 10, 24 & 31, 9:00am-10:00am. If you have any questions, contact the church office (info@gbcaz.org).

VBS Volunteers

Volunteers are needed for Vacation Bible School, June 15-19. Please sign up here if you are able to serve in any capacity.

Vacation Bible School

Registration is open for Vacation Bible School, June 15-19 for kids 4-11 years old. Please sign up here.

Student Ministries Summer Camp

Student Ministries Summer Camp will be June 5-7 in Prescott, AZ. Signups are open now! Register here. For more details or questions contact Jacob Hantla (jacob@gbcaz.org).

414 Retreat

414 Retreat, intended for single 18-25 year olds will be June 5-7. Signups are open now! Register here. For more details or questions contact Ben James (ben@gbcaz.org).

April Book of the Month

April’s book of the month is “The Art of Divine Contentment” by Thomas Watson. In The Art of Divine Contentment, Watsons focus is on Philippians 4:11 where Paul says he has learned to be content in any situation. How is it possible for us when life is painful and disappointing? Our discontent is a sin when we grumble against God and accuse Him of injustice and cruelty. Watson provides encouragement and hope as he points us to the only way of gaining true contentment. He explains the nature of this contentment and gives us motives to seek it and instructions to obtain it. By frequently considering God’s sovereignty, love, and grace, we can learn to be more content in all circumstances.

Sunday’s Next Generation Ministries Lesson

This week’s lesson:

Exodus 33:1-34; 35; 40:1-38— God’s Presence Fills the Tabernacle

Next week’s lesson:

No NGM

Songs This Sunday

Holy, Holy, Holy
Come Praise and Glorify
Thy Mercy, My God
Show Us Christ
Shine Into Our Night

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Winter Camp Follow-Up & Resources for Your Students

Jacob Hantla — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 17:57:56 +0000

Dear Student Ministry Parents,

Now that we’re nearly one week out from Student Ministries Winter Camp, I’d like to direct your attention to the recordings and resources available to reinforce the lessons your students learned.

Visit our Student Ministries resource page to listen, watch, or read the camp lessons: Student Ministries Resource Page

During camp, students participated in a special breakout session exploring many Scripture verses about friendship and influence. These verses can be accessed and printed here: Friendship & Influence Verses

Encourage your student to select a few verses to memorize. They can use the printed cards they created for their poster board, post them around their room or bathroom, or make flashcards. The goal is to identify verses that impacted (or should impact) them significantly and deeply embed these truths in their hearts through meditation and memorization. Detailed instructions from this session are available in the recording or the camp notebook.

Additionally, students raised many important questions during our Q&A session with Jackson, Kris, and myself. Topics ranged from salvation and assurance to friendships, self-harm, betrayal, and evangelism. A timestamped transcript and recording of the session are available here: Winter Camp Q&A Session

Student Ministries Meets Tomorrow. We will gather again tomorrow, March 1, from 6:00–7:30 pm.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Your servant for His glory,
Jacob

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Work of Christ, Mosquitoes, and Omnipresence in the Incarnation

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:15:14 +0000

We have only one more Student Ministries meeting left in 2025, this Sunday, November 30.

After that, on Saturday, December 20 from 6 to 9 pm, we will hold our Christmas Party at Josh Peñas’ home.

We will resume our Sunday evening gatherings on January 11.

Sunday’s Lesson

Last night the majority of our time was spent in discussion groups, where the students read passages on “The Work of Christ” and answered questions from the text. You can download the worksheet and review it with them. As a reminder, we are working through chapters of the very helpful book Fundamentals of the Faith, finishing chapter 5. Working through the workbook as a family would be an excellent way to deepen your own grasp of basic Christian doctrine and to disciple your students in these foundational truths.

Ask Pastor Jake: Mosquitoes and Omnipresence

Before breaking for discussion groups, I answered two questions from our Q&A box. One was lighthearted, and the other addressed a significant Christian doctrine:

Why did God create mosquitoes?
Did Jesus set aside any of His attributes, such as omnipresence, when He became man?

You can read, listen to, or watch the answers on our website.

The students continue to ask thoughtful questions, and they are submitting them faster than I can answer them. As we close out our final meeting this Sunday, I will work to address several more of the questions prompted by our discussions this year.

Thank you for the privilege of coming alongside you in the care, evangelism, and discipleship of your students. I do not take this trust lightly, and neither do the many staff who love this ministry and the families we serve. Please let us know if there is any way we can serve you better.

Your servant for His glory,

Jacob Hantla

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Christ Our Substitute (APJ: Sinner’s Prayer)

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 23:17:05 +0000

Dear parents of Student Ministries,

We had such a sweet evening of teaching and discussion last night. Moving on into chapter 5 of Fundamentals of the Faith, we are now learning about “The Work of Christ.” We focused specifically on the work of Jesus as the believer’s substitute from 1 Peter 2:24 and 3:18. I also worked to answer a question that I have received in our Q&A box from a few different students regarding the necessity and effectiveness of “the sinner’s prayer.”

The main point that I emphasized regarding whether or not “the sinner’s prayer” saves was that salvation isn’t found in simply praying the right words or performing religious rituals. Instead, salvation is fully and completely the work of Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone—not by works or words. While a genuine prayer expressing faith often naturally accompanies salvation, we saw the variation of ways in which saving faith was expressed through Scripture. I walked them through some vivid biblical examples like the sinful woman forgiven by Jesus, the paralytic whose sins Jesus forgave, the humble tax collector pleading for mercy, and the thief on the cross. Each one was saved by genuine faith and trust in Jesus, not by saying certain words or doing religious activities.

For the main sermon on Jesus as the believer’s substitute, we looked closely at 1 Peter 2:24 and 3:18. Each passage teaches how Jesus bore our sins and God’s wrath as our substitute, fully accomplishing our salvation and bringing us to God. A number of students shared with me and their leaders that they heard and understood the critical gospel truth of Jesus bearing our sins completely.

You can access the sermon outline and discussion guide. Also, there is a transcript and recording of the message on our website: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/jesus-our-substitute-apj-the-sinners-prayer/. I apologize that the microphone didn’t connect, so the audio quality isn’t optimal. Nevertheless, I’d really encourage you to discuss with your students what they learned and how this truth must affect their lives. You cannot watch Christ die in our place, bearing away our sins, and remain apathetic or uninterested. Leon Morris said it well: “To put it bluntly and plainly, if Christ is not my Substitute, I still occupy the place of a condemned sinner. If my sins and my guilt are not transferred to Him, if He did not take them upon Himself, then surely they remain with me. If He did not deal with sins, I must face their consequences. If my penalty was not borne by Him, it still hangs over me.”

I’d encourage you to keep talking with your kids about these truths, pleading with them to turn to Jesus or helping them rest their confidence fully on Christ’s finished work and not on their own efforts or performance.

Student Ministries Park Day

This Saturday (11/22), please plan to have your student join us from 3–5 p.m. at Chuparosa Park. We will have ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and any other games you bring.

Plans for Remainder of 2025

Next Sunday (11/23) and 11/30 we will be back together at Grace Bible Church from 6–7:30 for Student Ministries as normal. In the month of December we will not gather except for the Christmas party on 12/20 from 6–9 p.m. at Josh Peña’s home.

Thank you for the privilege that you have entrusted to me and the other leaders, to come alongside you in caring for, evangelizing, and discipling your students.

Your servant for His glory,

–Jacob Hantla

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Run with Endurance (and Crushes, Dating, and Marriage)

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:00:20 +0000

Dear Parents,

Last night at Student Ministries, we built upon the message I preached to the whole church in the morning. We particularly focused on how the command to “run with endurance” (Hebrews 12:1–3) requires intentional application. We will not run with endurance accidentally; instead, we must actively pursue the means God has provided—laying aside weights and sins and fixing our eyes on Jesus.

Our discussion groups considered how this command impacts three specific areas:

Our Response to the Gospel: Believing genuinely and avoiding legalism.
Our Time in the Word: Seeking to know Christ deeply and understanding what pleases God.
Our Lives: Recognizing we’re not called to isolate from the world but to live distinctly as we run our race within it.

Crushes, Dating, and Marriage

As I’ve sought to faithfully address students‘ questions from our Q&A box, it’s evident that a significant portion continues to focus on dating and marriage. Last night, I opened our lesson by addressing these important topics from a biblical perspective.

You can watch the lesson or read the transcript on our website: Crushes, Dating, and Marriage: Run with Endurance.

It’s crucial, especially with sensitive topics like these, that the Student Ministries leadership team and I support and encourage your authority as parents. Our goal is to come alongside you in the evangelism and discipleship of your students. Please reach out to me directly if there are specific topics or concerns you’d like us to address. Additionally, your students are in discussion groups led by committed individuals who love, pray for, and personally engage with them. Please make effort to interact directly with these leaders as well. Our desire is to complement your leadership, not replace it.

Upcoming Events

As the next couple of months typically become quite busy, here are some key events to note:

November 22, 3:00–5:00 pm: Student Ministries at Chuparosa Park. Activities include ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and other games at the Honeysuckle Pavilion. All are welcome! Contact the Hauptmans for questions.
December 20, 6:00–9:00 pm: Christmas Party at Joshua Peña’s home. Students will enjoy dinner, worship through song, games, and an ugly sweater contest.
February 20–22: Winter Camp at UCYC in Prescott. More details coming soon.

Your servant for His glory,

Jacob Hantla

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Approach Holy God Only As He Commands and Provides

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 22:28:21 +0000

Dear Parents—

The students learned last time we met about the attributes of our holy God. Yesterday, I used the vivid story of Nadab and Abihu from Leviticus 9 and 10 to help the students better understand God’s holiness and what is required to approach Him. We emphasized a repeated biblical theme: Sinful people can only approach a holy God in the exact ways He commands and provides. Following the narrative from Exodus to Leviticus, we noted the repeated phrase “as Yahweh commanded.” The only way sinful people can approach a holy God and not be consumed is through the means God commands and provides. For Israel in the wilderness, God gave very specific, bloody instructions (shadows of Jesus’ better, once-for-all cleansing blood) that the Levites needed to follow in order to be set apart and not die in God’s holy presence. Now for us, Jesus is clear when he says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).

We then compared Yahweh’s acceptance of the sacrifice offered exactly as He commanded at the end of Leviticus 9 to the sobering example of Nadab and Abihu at the start of Leviticus 10. These two sons of Aaron attempted to approach God in a way He had not commanded nor provided, resulting in immediate, fiery judgment. God’s reason for judgment was clear: “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy” (Leviticus 10:3).This powerfully demonstrates that God’s holiness is both good and dangerous. We must recognize His holiness and treat Him accordingly. Ultimately, we connected this Old Testament story to the New Testament truth that God has not changed and Jesus Christ is our perfect and sufficient sacrifice. Only He allows us to approach God, and through His blood we can approach confidently (Hebrews 10:19ff). Students were encouraged to recognize the seriousness of God’s holiness, to beware of casually approaching God on their own terms, and to trust completely in Jesus, who alone gives us secure and joyful access to the Father.

Many students appeared quite affected by the lesson. I encourage you to talk to them about it. You can watch or read it on our website: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/approach-holy-god-only-as-he-commands-and-provides/

Use questions like the following to ensure understanding and draw out an appropriate response:

Why was it “dangerous” for God to dwell in the Tabernacle
What was the purpose of all the sacrifices in Ex 40-Lev 9?
Why did Nadab and Abihu die? What lesson do you need to learn from their mistake and deaths?
What should have been the response of those who saw God’s acceptance of the sacrifice with fire and then rejecting Nadab and Abihu with fire? What should your response be?
What blood-way did God provide for us to approach Him? Why can the believer have confidence and full assurance drawing through by this way? (Heb 10:19-23)
What happens to those who try to draw near to God apart from the way He provided (blood of Jesus (Heb 10:19)?
What is the most life-impacting thing that you learned today?

The other servant leaders and I recognize that it is an amazing blessing and privilege to teach and lead these students. Thank you for allowing us the privilege of coming alongside you in the evangelism and discipleship of your students. If there is any way I can better support you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Your servant for His glory,

Jacob Hantla

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Why God Made Pigeons and Romans 12:1-2

Jacob Hantla — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 01:05:46 +0000

Parents-

Yesterday at Student Ministries, we began our evening with the weekly Q&A. One of the questions submitted was, “Why did God make pigeons?” I walked the students through a biblical answer to show that even a seemingly silly question can help us think carefully about God’s glory in creation and His care over all things.

After Q&A, we welcomed Matt Jarka, who guest taught from Romans 12:1–2. He challenged the students to present themselves as living sacrifices to God, to resist conformity to the world, and to be continually transformed by the renewing of their minds through God’s Word. Matt reminded us that there is no coasting in the Christian life; we are either moving toward obedience or drifting with the world. He encouraged the students to make God’s Word a daily priority and to help one another live lives of worship and faithfulness to Christ.

You can watch the lesson or read the transcript on our church website: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/why-god-made-pigeons/

I’d also encourage you to follow up with your students on what they learned and how the lesson should affect them. Matt put together a helpful discussion guide with some questions you could ask to draw your student out and help them remember what was taught.

Next week, we will continue working through the content outline from the helpful workbook, Fundamentals of the Faith. I encourage you to consider getting this book at working through it as a family as well as helping your student stay on a daily Bible reading plan. We have offered tools to help them with this, including reading plans and note sheets. Reading the Bible daily, meditating on and obediently, faithfully applying what is learned, is the most sure path I am aware of to spiritual maturity. As you pray for your student, please do all that you can to help them prioritize this critical spiritual discipline that the Holy Spirit loves to use to save and sanctify us.

Thank you for the privilege of coming alongside you in the care of your students. There are so many servants who work so hard to love these students, to evangelize them, disciple them, encourage them, and help them. If there is any way we can help you or serve you better, please let us know.

See you this Sunday, Lord willing.

Your servant for His glory,

-Jacob Hantla

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How to Know the Bible

Jacob Hantla — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 01:06:49 +0000

Yesterday at Student Ministries we continued our work through the content of the great workbook, Fundamentals of the Faith. We are in the second chapter, “How to Know the Bible.” Please consider getting this workbook at the booktable or at Amazon. We will be working through the topics of this workbook for the rest of the year.

You can watch and read the message at our webpage or at YouTube.

A few takeaways I encouraged the students to talk with their parents about and to integrate into their home’s relationship with God’s Word:

Get the Fundamentals of the Faith workbook and do the exercises on Bible study from chapter 2.
Read the Bible aloud as a family.
Read the Bible prayer on their own daily.
Begin memorizing Bible verses. I suggested that they consider using music to help. I have found Hide the Word albums by Mark Altrogge to assist. I recommend starting with Word of the Cross or Weight of Glory. If you still use CDs, you can buy all 10 CDs for $10 total. They are streamable on Spotify and Apple Music. There are also great Bible memory apps. I also highly recommend DesiringGod’s Fighter Verses.

Please encourage your students in this. If your family’s life doesn’t have regular time around the Word, this would be a great time to start. If you need help, please reach out. I would love to help you and encourage you in this.

What a privilege it is to come alongside you, along with the many servants in the ministry, to care for, evangelize, and disciple these young souls. Thank you for the privilege.

-Jacob Hantla

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Week Off, What is the Bible, and Fundamentals of the Faith

Jacob Hantla — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:18:53 +0000

Let me lead with a few important updates you need to be aware of.

First, no Student Ministries this Sunday, 9/7. The church will gather for a song night. Please attend together as a family. Looking ahead, we will not meet on the following Sundays: 10/12 (GBC in the Park), 11/9 (Grillout), and 12/7 (GBC in the Park). Mark your calendars and plan to attend those church-wide events.

This past Sunday, we began a study that will likely take most of the year, roughly following the outline and content of the workbook Fundamentals of the Faith. Please consider getting this workbook and working through it as a family. We will likely take 2-3 weeks per topic, so your at-home study will not need to be rushed and should augment what we cover in Student Ministries.

A couple of years ago, we had a brief introduction to “What Is the Bible?” and then broke into discussion groups so students could learn from Scripture what the Bible says about itself. The worksheet they filled out, along with the verses they looked up, is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qKUwAcK4TocgvonK5R-1Ulg6fOv7r40D/view?usp=sharing

Answer key:

The Bible is inspired (breathed out by God)
The Bible is infallible (cannot be wrong)
The Bible is inerrant (without error in its original manuscripts)
The Bible is authoritative (every word of the Bible is God’s; therefore, it speaks with the full authority of God)
The Bible is necessary (to know God and the gospel message that reconciles us to Him)
The Bible is sufficient (it contains everything we need for life, godliness, and knowing God’s will)
The Bible is clear (we are not dependent on outside interpretive authority to understand the Bible)

You can listen to the short introduction I gave to the lesson here: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/what-is-the-bible/

You might also find last year’s more in-depth discussion on some of these points helpful if you are digging deeper with your students: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/how-to-read-the-bible-part-2/

The Bible is foundational to the Christian. We must know that it is God’s very Word, breathed out by Him with His power, accuracy, authority, wisdom, clarity, and purpose. The goal is not mere mental agreement with theological terms, but to receive these truths because God says they are so and then take God’s Word with utmost seriousness. Our students need this reality to undergird their worldview, theology, and epistemology.

Next time we are together in Student Ministries on 9/14, I will work through the many questions students submitted as they used the discussion guide. If any questions come up in your discussion at home, please email or text me.

Your servant for His glory,
Jacob Hantla

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Proclaim Christ to Present The Students Complete In Christ

Jacob Hantla — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:25:46 +0000

On Sunday, I laid out our main aim in Student Ministries from Colossians 1:28-29, Laboring to proclaim Christ in order that we may present every mature/complete in Christ. You can find the lesson and the transcript at https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/aiming-at-maturity-in-christ/. I apologize for the poor audio quality; you’ll have to turn the volume up a lot to hear it.

In the lesson, we saw that Paul’s aim was not only to preach information but to proclaim a Person, Jesus Christ, so that every believer might be presented mature in Him (Colossians 1:28-29). I asked the students to consider: What are you aiming at? Parents, a good follow-up would be to press deeper into the heart of the gospel and the trajectory of their life. Ask your student: What are you living for? What is the gospel? How does someone become “in Christ”? (helping them see that it means turning from sin and trusting Jesus’ death and resurrection for forgiveness and new life). Then ask: If I am “in Christ,” what should that mean for how I live? What changes must be evident in my life when my aim is to please Him rather than myself?

I also pointed out from Colossians 3:16 that the admonishing and teaching in wisdom is the job of every believer, and that this flows from Christ’s Word dwelling in us richly. This cannot come apart from a faith-filled pursuit of God. So we renewed our call that the students be in God’s Word daily. The students should all have binders with reading plans and daily Bible reading note-taking sheets. If you and your student don’t already have the daily discipline of Bible reading, please consider following our recommended one. More on this to come…

Next week we will revisit again the topic of God’s Word, what is it, why do we need it, and how to read it. This year, I plan to roughly follow the flow of the book Fundamentals of the Faith. This starts with God’s Word. You may find it helpful to get a copy of the workbook to go through as a family over the course of the year. We are picking some up for the booktable.

It’s such a blessing to serve your students along with all of these hard-working discussion group leaders. It’s our joy to come alongside you in the evangelism and discipleship of your students.

In Christ,

-Jacob

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Student Ministries Kickoff 2025-26

Jacob Hantla — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:11:14 +0000

The kickoff for the 2025–2026 Student Ministries year is here! I hope your student will join us this Sunday, August 17, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm in the Student Ministries Room at the church.

Each week at Student Ministries, we worship together in song, listen to a lesson, and break out into discussion groups. Sermons are recorded and uploaded online along with transcripts, enabling you as parents to know exactly what your child is learning so you can discuss and apply it at home. Our aim isn’t to replace your role as parents in evangelism and discipleship but to partner with you in evangelizing and discipling your students. Please reach out by phone, email, or text if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback. You can access all audio and video recordings, transcripts, and ministry emails on our Student Ministries website: https://www.gbcaz.org/ministries/student-ministries/

After the message, students meet in gender- and age-specific discussion groups led by our incredible staff. These groups help students personally understand and apply what they’re learning. We also desire for your students to build close relationships with and trust in their discussion leaders, so that as they face trials, have questions about the Bible or life, or need somebody to talk to, they have a trusted leader they can reach out to. Discussion questions are provided to each discussion group and will be sent to you weekly as well. Please consider taking at least one night each week to talk personally with your student about what they’re learning. Use the provided discussion questions if they’re helpful to you.

Students will be encouraged to read their Bibles daily. If your family isn’t already doing this together, please consider joining your student in this practice, perhaps reading the same passages and discussing them as a family. It doesn’t need to be complicated; simple questions can help your family reflect on and apply God’s Word together:

“What does this say?”
“What can we learn about God from what we just read?”
“How should this affect us?”

If your student participated in Student Ministries last year, please remind them to bring their binder. New students will receive a binder on their first night. Each week, we hand out sermon note sheets and daily Bible reading guides that can be kept there, along with the Bible reading plans.

I’m excited to be back and am looking forward to a great year together!

Your servant for His glory,

Jacob Hantla

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Students, Train Yourself for Godliness

Jacob Hantla — Thu, 08 May 2025 01:42:34 +0000

This Sunday, 5/11, I will be teaching at the main service, speaking a bit to what we are aiming at in Student Ministries. We will not have Student Ministries or evening service this Sunday. For this reason, the previously announced meeting with 5th-grade parents has been moved to 6/1 during equipping hour at 9 am. Enjoy Mother’s Day!

This last Sunday, I shared a similar message with the students as I did to end the year for the women of Wellspring: Train Yourself for Godliness from 1 Timothy 4:7b-9. Just as elite athletes dedicate their entire lives to temporary success, how much more should we devote ourselves—and encourage our students—to pursue godliness, which offers eternal benefit!

I encourage you to review the lesson (the audio, video, and text are on our website). I prepared some questions to help you draw your students out. Feel free to use them or make your own. But this is a lesson that needs to impact these students: Godliness is crucially mandatory for your life, and it isn’t automatic.

What lessons should a Christian learn from elite athletes?
To obtain godliness will involve sacrifice. Is it worth it for you? Are you behaving like it?
What is the connection between salvation and godliness?
What parts of your life are consistent with the relentless pursuit of godliness?
What changes are necessary? What planning and preparation would show that you are committed to this and to help you train effectively?

We are almost done with the school year. As a reminder for the upcoming schedule

May 11: Day off
May 18: Student Ministries 6-7:30
May 25: Day off
June 1: Student Ministries 6-7:30
June 5-8: Summer Camp!

It is such a blessing and privilege to come alongside you to care for and to evangelize or disciple your students.

Thank you

-Jacob Hantla

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Freed to Forgive From the Heart

Jacob Hantla — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 23:33:15 +0000

Sunday evening, we took a break from the Sermon on the Mount, jumping ahead a few chapters to hear Jesus explain what must motivate true forgiveness from the heart without limits: God’s immeasurable mercy toward us.

So for 45 minutes I shared the gospel and its implications with the students from the parable of the unforgiving servant. We saw the magnitude of our debt of sin against God—impossible to repay on our own—and how, for all who believe, God mercifully canceled this debt through Jesus’s death on the cross. This radical forgiveness from God must now motivate us to forgive others without limits, demonstrating that we truly grasp the depth of His mercy toward us. I encourage you to watch, listen, or read through this sermon, and take time this week to discuss with your students how the gospel shapes our hearts and transforms our responses when others sin against us.

The discussion guide with the outline and discussion questions can be downloaded here, and the slideshow with the images I used to illustrate the story here.

I was deeply impacted by Jesus’ story; it is my prayer that your students are too. This gospel message is something that we must rehearse, we must know, we must remember each and every day of our lives. It must affect everything that we do.

I’m excited to use this foundation to continue on into the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ teaching on loving our enemies. But first, we have a fellowship night in the park this Sunday. It’ll be 6 pm at Tumbleweed Park. It’s totally fine to come early.

What a privilege this is to share the truth of God’s Word and this glorious good news of His mercy with so many students. Please pray for them, for me, and for all in this ministry. Thank you for entrusting us to come alongside you and support you and help you in the evangelism and discipleship of your students.

Your servant for His glory,
-Jacob Hantla

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Trading Your Rights for Love

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 15:28:23 +0000

Dear parents of Student Ministries,

This year is flying by. I can’t believe March is almost done. Summer Camp is just around the corner, June 5-7 at Emmanuel Pines in Prescott. More information and registration will be sent out in the near future.

This week, we continued in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to Matthew 5:38-42:

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Retaliating and thinking of ourselves first is so natural to all of fallen humanity. Jesus calls his people to turn away from personal vengeance and self-seeking. He gives us practical examples of what it looks like to love others as ourselves, responding even to insults and demands with grace, humility, and generosity. This is impossible without the gospel, without the Holy Spirit. As we do this, we imitate God’s character, trust His justice, extend His grace, and demonstrate our saving faith in the gospel.

The audio and video of the lesson are available on the website along with a transcript. You can download the discussion guide as well to spend some time with your students, helping to reinforce and apply what they have learned.

This Sunday, we will have another lesson on the topic of giving up your demands for justice to be imitators of God. Then, the following Sunday (April 6th), the entire church—including Student Ministries and adults—will have a fellowship night. We will not have evening service or Student Ministries that week. More details will follow. But we will be together as usual this Sunday. I’m looking forward to it!

Thank you for this privilege. It is no small thing to be entrusted with all these souls. I love bringing God’s Word to them and working alongside these amazing servants to support your efforts in evangelizing and discipling your students.

Your servant for His glory,
-Jacob Hantla

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Evangelism, Listening, and Student Ministries

Jacob Hantla — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 02:58:06 +0000

Dear parents,

I’m sorry for the gap in my weekly student ministry emails. Thankfully, I was able to have a very fun vacation with my family, and Alex Deshields and David Brittain both did a fantastic job of filling in on teaching while I was gone.

Last Sunday, on the 9th, Alex used 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 to encourage us to follow Paul’s example of selfless and purposeful sacrifice of personal freedom for the sake of winning others to Christ. He challenged us to examine whether we love our own freedoms and comforts more than we love the lost, calling us to follow Christ’s example of sacrificially giving ourselves for others. You can listen to or watch the message, and then follow up conversation with your students following the discussion guide. Alex did a great job, and I’m looking forward to having him back in front of our students to challenge us with a follow-up message.

Then, just a few days ago, on Sunday evening, David Brittain challenged the students to listen well and to prioritize receiving God’s Word as the necessary thing in our lives using Martha, Mary, and Jesus from Luke 10:38-42. I’m sure it would be encouraging and helpful for you to listen to/watch the sermon and use the discussion guide to interact with your students about what they learned in this wonderful lesson. I found myself being more aware of the importance of listening well, listening purposefully every chance I have to receive God’s Word.

David also created a great extra handout with “practical heart habits to hear and heed the preached word.” You can download it and review it with your student.

Please express your gratitude toward David and Alex as well as the other servants who tirelessly lead discussion groups every week. We do not take this privilege lightly. We love coming alongside you parents in evangelizing and discipling your students. So if there is any way we can do this better or any information or feedback you have to offer so that we are better equipped or aligned with you, please reach out.

Lord willing, we will be back together this Sunday evening from 6-7:30 as I lead us back into our next verses in the Sermon on the Mount.

Your servant for His glory,

-Jacob

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Let’s Have Fun (at camp)!

Jacob Hantla — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 04:51:15 +0000

Dear Student Ministries parents

This is a fun week! Last week we had a super fun Super Bowl party and learned about Fun. You can listen to or read the message that your students received at halftime on the website: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/fun/

In our lesson, we explored the truth that fun, pleasure, and all good things originate from God’s abundant kindness (1 Timothy 6:17) and are meant to point our hearts back to Him. Whether we enjoy sports, games, or a good meal, these pleasures shouldn’t be seen as merely “neutral” but rather as opportunities to thank God, the Giver of all good gifts. At the same time, we need to guard against the idolatry of living for fun. Fun is a wonderful gift but a terrible god. Scripture reminds us that chasing temporary thrills without honoring the Lord inevitably leaves us empty. True and lasting joy comes when we connect the gift to the Giver, acknowledging that any delight we experience now is but a foretaste of the eternal joy found in God’s presence (Psalm 16:11).

As you prepare to send your students to camp tomorrow, take some time to shepherd their hearts toward a biblical view of fun. Encourage them to be intentional about enjoying God’s gifts in a way that honors Him—expressing gratitude in everyday moments, whether before a meal, after an activity, or when laughing with friends. Here are some questions to help guide your conversation on the way to camp:

What are you most excited about at camp? How can you enjoy it in a way that glorifies God?
Have you ever been frustrated when something fun was taken away? What did that reveal about your heart?
When you’re having fun, do you ever stop to thank God for it? How can you do that more?
How can you encourage others at camp to enjoy fun without sinning—whether in competition, conversation, or activities?
Why do you think the world chases fun as an ultimate goal, and how is the joy found in Christ different?

As we anticipate camp, let’s also encourage our students to go with hearts ready to serve others, listen carefully, apply God’s Word, grow in godliness, and honor Him in all they do. Fun will be part of the week, but the greater purpose is to know and trust Christ deeply and be transformed by His Word. Pray with them that they would set their hope fully on Him, that they would be both joyful and intentional, and that this time at camp would produce lasting fruit in their lives.

Make sure that you arrive at the church by 4:15 tomorrow for camp. Please bring your student to GBC with a sack dinner to eat on the bus ride up. Please review the emails and packing instructions; we anticipate it’ll be cold and the ground muddy, so bring warm footwear (with extra shoes and a plastic bag in case one gets wet). We plan to arrive back to the church Sunday afternoon at about 3:30.

Thank you for trusting us with this privilege of walking alongside you in the discipleship and evangelism of your kids. It is such an honor, and it is fun!

Your servant for His glory,

Jacob

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Just Tell the Truth | Student Ministries

Jacob Hantla — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 03:21:36 +0000

Dear Student Ministries Parents-

This email is the first of 3 emails I will be sending today:

Last Sunday’s Message Recap – Just Tell the Truth (this email)
Planning for this Sunday’s Fellowship Night
Camp planning details

Sunday Night Recap

On Sunday night, I preached from Matthew 5:33–37 in a message called Just Tell the Truth. We discussed Jesus’ teaching on honesty and the heart behind our words. The Pharisees turned oaths into empty technicalities, missing God’s real concern and the true mark of righteousness: that our speech should always be truthful because we stand before God in everything we say. Jesus emphasized the importance of having such genuine integrity that we never feel the need to“boost” our words with vows or promises. Instead, our simple “yes” or “no” should carry weight because it flows from a heart committed to truth. We challenged the students to examine their own speech habits and the hearts behind them, confess any patterns of sin revealed, and cling to the gospel for God’s forgiveness and power to grant a new heart that speaks in a way that honors Him.

I recommend you watch/listen to the sermon or review the transcript at our website. The weekly emails and all messages are posted on the main Student Ministries page.

Each week, we also prepare a discussion guide designed to help both discussion leaders and parents engage with students over the lesson. Below are a few key questions to consider discussing with your student this week:

Why do people feel the need to bolster their words with extra promises or dramatic swearing? Why is this ultimately a heart issue before God?
How does Jesus’ teaching on honesty contrast with the Pharisees’ use of oaths to manipulate and avoid truthfulness?
Consider Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:37—“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’”—what does that tell us about the kind of honesty that should characterize Christians?
What are some situations where you feel tempted to exaggerate, use half-truths, or hide behind technicalities instead of speaking plainly and honestly?

The full discussion guide is available on our website, and I encourage you to use it as a tool for shepherding conversations with your students this week to help them understand and apply Jesus’ words.

I, along with the other Student Ministries leaders, take very seriously the privilege of helping you evangelize and disciple your students. Let us know how we can help and support you in this.

Your servant for His glory,

-Jacob Hantla

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Fellowship Night: More Than a Game

Jacob Hantla — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 19:08:54 +0000

Dear Student Ministries Parents,

This Sunday, February 9, we are hosting a Student Ministries Fellowship Night, and we want to be clear—this is not just a Super Bowl watch party, and it’s not meant to be a night off. This is about something much bigger.

With Winter Camp coming up next weekend—where students will have jam-packed teaching, discussion groups, and plenty of structured time together—we have long wanted to set aside an evening just for fun, fellowship, and unhurried conversation. Meaningful discussion groups happen best in the context of strong relationships, and strong relationships come from spending time together. That’s what this night is for.

We will have ping pong, corn hole, board games, card games, and game rooms set up for students to enjoy. If your student has a favorite game they’d like to bring, they are more than welcome to do so. As many as can, should bring food to share. Sign up here. The Super Bowl will be on in the main student ministries room for those who are interested, but this night is not primarily about football (though it is right for us to have fun enjoying a good game)—it’s about building relationships and enjoying time together.

Schedule:

4:00 PM – Doors Open

Students and families welcome to arrive and settle in

4:30 PM – Official Start

Super Bowl kickoff
Game rooms and activities begin

6:00 PM

Younger siblings → Keepers/Defenders meetings
Parents → Evening service
Students → Halftime lesson (during Halftime Show, which will be turned off)

7:00 PM – Evening Wrap-Up

Families welcome to return after service
Feel free to stay until game end (approximately 8:00- 8:30 PM)

We would love for families to participate, not just by dropping off students, but by joining in extended fellowship, though please ensure that this is Student Ministries only during the evening service. Parents and leaders will also have time together with the students, strengthening relationships that are vital to discipleship. But please be careful not to pull the leaders away from the students they are there to get to know better, serve, and lead.

Food Sign-Up:

We’d love for as many as possible to bring food to share! You can sign up here to help us coordinate, but even if you don’t sign up, feel free to bring something.

This night is an opportunity for students, families, and leaders to grow closer through time spent together. We encourage everyone to come ready to engage, care for one another, and enjoy fun & fellowship before heading into a packed and fruitful Winter Camp weekend. We are looking forward to a fun and meaningful night of time together. Let me know if you have any questions!

Your servant for His glory,
Jacob Hantla

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The Adultery of Divorce & God’s Design for Marriage | Student Ministries

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 19:08:52 +0000

Dear Student Ministry Parents

On Sunday evening, we jumped back into the exposition of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, looking at His words on marriage and divorce in Matthew 5:31-32. This was a weighty topic but an important one for the students to align their view of marriage with God’s.

What particularly struck me during my study, preaching, and then interaction with the students after the lesson is the relevance of Jesus’ words for all of us. This isespeciallytrue for students who are not yet married but whose decisions regarding sexual purity, dating, and pursuit (or lack thereof) of marriage are influenced by their view of marriage.

At their age, students constantly absorb messages about relationships from media, friends, and even family. Their worldview is being shaped, often by perspectives contrary to Scripture. Jesus’ teaching offers a countercultural view, showing marriage as a God-ordained covenant—permanent, exclusive, and sacred. God makes two into one, a bond that man must not break.

Jesus’ words call us to honor marriage, not just in our actions but in our hearts. The Pharisees taught that divorce was permissible for trivial reasons, but Jesus emphasized that marriage is a sacred bond created by God, not a mere contract to be easily dissolved. Unbiblical divorce leads to adultery because it disregards the covenant commitment made before God. Jesus’ correction here in Matthew 5, expanded in Matthew 19, roots itself in God’s original design for marriage that Christians must be committed to if we are going to stand out as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16, see that sermon).

I encouraged the students that having God’s view of marriage matters deeply for how they live today. It affects:

How they pursue purity now – guarding heart, eyes, and body – as an act of faithfulness to their future spouse, even before knowing who that person is
How they approach dating – not as casual entertainment, but seriously and under parental guidance, with marriage as the purpose
How they resist cultural lies that reduce relationships to self-gratification, especially the massive industry telling young men that women exist to fulfill desires
How they understand that marriage is more than a legal arrangement – it’s a supernatural joining by God that creates an inseparable, permanent bond
How they view marriage as a picture of Christ’s sacrificial love for His church, which shapes their understanding of love and commitment now

The gospel gives us hope. While God’s standard is high and we all fall short, Christ’s death and resurrection provide both forgiveness and the power to live differently. As I shared with the students, they were bought with a price; therefore, they can glorify God with their bodies today (1 Cor 6:20), whether or not marriage is in their future.

You can listen to the sermon, watch the video, or read a transcript at our website. Then please review our discussion guide with some questions to help draw out your students on what they learned and how it should affect them. These should help you be able to better disciple your child toward a heart-level commitment to the Biblical view of marriage and the life that should result.

Here are some ways to follow up with your student this week:

Discuss God’s High View of Marriage
1. Ask your student how Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:31–32 challenges the world’s casual view of marriage
2. Talk about how purity today prepares them for faithfulness in marriage later.
Encourage Heart-Level Reflection
1. Ask: What steps can we take as a family to guard our hearts and minds against the culture’s low view of marriage?
2. Discuss the importance of boundaries to guard against sin, such as lust or selfishness, and how these boundaries honor God’s design for relationships.
Point Them to the Gospel
1. Remind your student that we all fall short of God’s perfect standard, but the gospel gives hope. Through Christ, we are forgiven, freed from sin’s power, and empowered to live in purity and faithfulness (Titus 2:11-12, Galatians 5:24-25, etc).
2. Share how the gospel has impacted your own view of marriage or relationships.
3. Speak specifically about strategies to pursue holiness through faith in the gospel, and help them know the importance of confession and faith (1 John 1:9-2:2) when there is sin. Invite them to involve you early in that.

I recognize these conversations aren’t always easy, but they’re invaluable. If you’d like to discuss how to approach these topics with your student or have questions about the content we covered, please reach out to me or your student’s discussion group leader. We’re here to support you—to come alongside you—as you fulfill your God-given duty and privilege to disciple your children toward a biblical understanding of pleasing God through sexual purity and marriage. May our thoughts be aligned with His Word. Thank you for entrusting me and the fantastic team of Student Ministries leaders with this privilege.

Let me encourage you that the discussions in many of the groups after this week’s lesson were some of the best that we have had so far. Many students are already thinking deeply and soberly about these things.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to help them avoid wrong views of sex, marriage, and divorce – it’s to help them embrace God’s beautiful design and purpose for sex and marriage (and hatred of divorce) as a picture of Christ’s faithful love for His church.

Your servant for His glory,
Jacob Hantla

PS Winter Camp is coming up quickly, February 14-16. These concentrated times of teaching, fellowship, discipleship, and fun are often transformative for our students. You will be getting more specifics soon. I spoke at length with Josh Kellso from Gilbert Bible, finalizing many of the details. I am beyond excited for this camp.

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Welcome Back!

Jacob Hantla — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 19:44:13 +0000

It was so good to be back at Student Ministries on Sunday evening!

Most weeks, we kick off the night with a small game. This past Sunday, the winners of those games competed to name a Student Ministries 2024 champion. After a first round of Jeopardy-style trivia, finalists were named: Christian Walker, David Hantla, Jade Cheung, and Grace Yates. Congratulations to Christian Walker, our 2024 Fall Champion! You can watch the fun here: https://www.gbcaz.org/student–ministry/jeopordy-2024-review/.

Really, the game was a fun excuse to review the lessons and remind students of what we covered over the past year. Afterward, the students met in discussion groups to share what was (or should have been) most impactful throughout the year. The aim was to be doers of the Word and not hearers only, who deceive themselves (James 1:22).

So far this year, we have covered:

Worship and corporate singing
God’s Word and how to read it
Anger and reconciliation
Sexual immorality and fighting sin
Q&A sessions

All of our Student Ministries lessons are posted online. You can review past lessons, watch videos or listen to audio, and even read AI-generated transcripts: https://www.gbcaz.org/?post_type%5B%5D=student–ministry&tax%5Bsermon_series%5D=0&tax%5Bbook%5D=&searching_resources=1&teacher=&tax%5Btimeline%5D=0&tax%5Bclass-series%5D=0&tax%5Bministry-category%5D=0&tax%5Bspecial-event-category%5D=0&month=&s=

Thank you, everyone, for signing up for camp! Please make sure to fill out and submit your forms early.

This Sunday, we will continue working our way through Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, starting from Matthew 5:31.

Please take some time this week to interact with your student about what they’ve learned over the past year. Encourage them to commit to a Bible reading plan and to be reading God’s Word daily. Bible reading note-taking sheets are available each night at Student Ministries to help guide them.

As always, if there’s any way I or the leaders can better support you in the evangelism or discipleship of your student, please let us know. That is the aim of our ministry.

Your servant for His glory,

Jacob Hantla

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Happy New Year — Read With Us

Jacob Hantla — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 19:52:59 +0000

I hope you all had a great Christmas. I look forward to getting back together on our normal 6-730 pm Sunday evening gatherings starting January 12th.

But as we are entering the New Year, please encourage your students (and take encouragement yourself) to continue their Bible reading plans or to start a new one. The reading plans on the bookmarks that we offered gave your students at the beginning of the year are ending on December 31st. We have an updated plan for the first quarter that starts January 1st, and we hope as many students and families as possible will join. If you don’t already have a plan that you are committed to, please join this one.

For those reading along with the suggested Student Ministries reading plan, a new bookmark can be downloaded here. We will also have laminated copies of these bookmarks at the welcome table at church tomorrow. Pick them up there

The purpose of a reading plan is to systematically expose your heart and mind to God’s Word. This reading plan is simply one of the columns from the four-reading-day M’Cheynes reading plan. The suggested one for the students will take them through the New Testament and the Psalms once in a year.

I strongly suggest and encourage you parents to consider being on the same reading plan as your child. This will allow each of you to individually read God’s Word and allow for a simple point of conversation and discipleship as a family. The way my family does this is that each person in the family reads the day’s reading in the morning. Then, each evening, we read it again as a family and discuss our answers from our reading guides. This helps maintain consistency as a family, and it provides an easy platform for ensuring regular discussion and discipleship around God’s Word as a family. For those who want to read the whole Bible, just add extra columns from M’Cheyne’s plan.

As a reminder, earlier this year, we taught the students to complete a reading review each day (You can find previous SM lessons on the GBC website). These are what we hand out each week at Student Ministries to be kept in the students‘ binders. You can download the reading review hereand print them on your own. Or let me know if you need me to bring more to church for you. The questions we encourage students to answer each day are:

What did the text say?
What did it teach me about God?
How should it affect me?
What did you pray about?

Thank you for your faithful investment in your students’ spiritual growth. Let me know if you have any questions or if there’s any way I can support your family in this endeavor.

Finally, don’t forget to register for Winter Camp (https://gbcaz.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2649594) which will take place from February 14-16. Registration closes on January 13.

Your Servant for His Glory,
Jacob Hantla, Pastor-Elder

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(Sexual) Immorality Occurs In The Heart

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:56:14 +0000

Yesterday, I sent you all an email announcing the upcoming Christmas party on 12/13 at 6pm. Look for that email yesterday for details. I failed to mention perhaps the most important part: It’s going to be an ugly sweater party. So when I say “dress appropriately,” I mean to say, “Ensure your student comes wearing the most ridiculous (but appropriate) ugly sweater possible.” We are hoping for a great turnout. It’s gonna be a fun evening.

Sunday evening, I continued teaching through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We learned from Jesus’ words warning about lust that immorality isn’t external merely but actually occurs in the heart. To get to the heart of sin, especially sins like adulterous lust, Jesus takes aim at the heart. In the gospel, God provides not only forgiveness but also changes us from the heart. Similarly, sins must be fought from the heart.

You can find the video of the sermon on YouTube. The discussion guide may be helpful for you to interact with your student. Regardless, as we address the topic of purity of heart and lust head-on, your involvement and discussion with your student are of paramount importance. Last week’s Q&A addressed the topics of crushes, dating, and having a faith shown by works. This week we addressed that sexual immorality is not a matter of externals only but internal purity (Matthew 5:27-28). Next week, we will be talking about taking extreme measures in line with the extreme consequences of the fight against sin (Matthew 5:29-30).

I have labored to keep the conversations and teaching at age-appropriate levels and without unnecessary specificity, acknowledging the wide difference in ages, exposure, and temptations among the students. We have sought to be even more specific and targeted in discussion groups. And I’m very grateful for how many students have spoken one-on-one with me or their discussion group leaders. But nobody can be as targeted or knowledgeable in this as you with your child. It would be helpful to review and specifically discuss these topics with your child. My goal—our goal—is to come alongside you and help you in this.

If you have any questions or concerns or want to discuss anything, please reach out via email or text/phone.

Your servant for God’s glory,
-Jacob Hantla,

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Question and Answer on Crushes, Dating, and Faith

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 19:58:36 +0000

Last night, our Student Ministries gathering was a Q&A led by Eric Martin and me. In the back of the classroom, we have a Q&A box where the students can drop questions. We have developed quite a database of good questions, and these questions have led to many of the topics we are teaching and the content covered. But sometimes, it is just helpful to stop and directly answer questions. This is what we did last night. You can watch a recording of the Q&A on YouTube.

We have received many questions about dating, crushes, and relationships with other genders. We answered a couple of these questions specifically, seeking to address the content from others. This is a challenge, as many parents have different preferences regarding the specific timing and practice. We constantly encourage the students to seek–to actually desire and embrace–the wisdom of their parents in these regards. As we answered these questions, we tried to be clear in tethering principles that would guide practice to Scripture. It is critical that I am walking in step with parents on all topics addressed, especially these. If you have any questions, concerns, or encouragement, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Next, we discussed what true faith is, answering a question about what James 2:17 means when he writes, “Faith by itself,if it does not have works, is dead.”

We will be back together this Sunday evening 12/1. . In the upcoming weeks, Lord willing, we will continue onto the nextverses of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Our next passage is Matthew 5:27-28, a critical passage for these students. “You have heard it say, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Pray for wisdom for me and the discussion leaders on how to appropriately bring these startling words of Jesus to bear on our own lives and the lives of these students.

Baptism and Grillout

Baptism Sunday is December 15th. It will be such a sweet time; a number of older Student Ministries students and recent graduates will be sharing their testimonies (many of how God saved them at Student Ministries) and being baptized. You will not want to miss the service!

After the morning service is over, we need your help at trying something new for the grillout seating. This is a task ideal for strong young men or ladies. After the morning service is over, Jackson & Bob will be directing a small army of young men to stack & move chairs, set up tables and reset up chairs in an orderly and quick fashion so all of our GBC church family can sit and eat together in the worship center at tables. There are also opportunities to serve with setup before the service at 8am. We also need some individuals or families to be willing to stay late and tear things down. Please go to https://gbcaz.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2579053 to register to help.

Because of the grillout and Christmas, we will not have an evening service 12/15 or the weeks afterward. Similarly, Student Ministries Sunday evening meetings will also take a break during that time.

Christmas Party

Mark your calendars for our Friday 12/13 Christmas party from 6-9 pm at Josh Peña’s house. Expect an email very soon with more details.

Serving you and your students is such a blessing and joy for Kiki and me and all of the other servants who are there diligently each week. Thank you for this privilege of coming alongside you in the evangelism and discipleship of your junior high and high school students. If there is any way we can do that better, we want to know.

Your servant for His glory,

Jacob Hantla

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Be Hearers AND Doers of the Word

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:00:56 +0000

Last night at our Student Ministries gathering, we had a fun game, a sweet time of worship through singing, and then I taught on James 1:19-25. The students are hopefully in a very regular pattern of hearing God’s Word, both in sermon form and as they read on their own and as a family each day. It is critical that we hear God’s Word. But it is vital that we don’t merely hear God’s word but that we are doers who receive God’s Word rightly. This is James’ admonition in this passage. You can listen to the message and download the discussion guide. I hope that sharing these help equip you to interact with your students over what they are learning from StudentMinistries.

The upcoming plan is that next week Student Ministries will be meeting with the rest of the church for a special evening service gathering. Then we will have at least one week of Q&A. If you or your students have any questions or think some clarification on anything covered or anything going on in life would be helpful, please email me or text me. Then, Lord willing, we will continue working through Jesus’ sermon on the mount. I’m excited and sobered by the upcoming verses; please pray for me and the leaders as we prep.

There are a number of upcoming social gatherings being organized by the discussion group leaders. These are sweet times of fun that provide the relational foundation to know, love, and care for each other. We will continue to meet together Sunday evening until Friday, December 13. On 12/13, we will be gathering at Josh Pena’s house for a Christmas celebration (details to follow), followed by a break from Sunday-evening Student Ministries gatherings until January.

Leading your students and the amazing leaders is such a privilege and joy. Thank you for trusting us with your students in this critical time in their lives. Please share with us any ways in which we can do a better job of working alongside you in the evangelism and discipleship of your students.

Your servant for His glory,

-Jacob Hantla

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Brothers Reconcile From the Heart

Jacob Hantla — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:01:53 +0000

Last night at Student Ministries, we continued our study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, looking at Matthew 5:21-26: Brother’s Reconcile From the Heart.

God’s Children Aren’t Angry (5:21-22)
God’s Children Seek Reconciliation (5:23-24)
Godless Discord Has Consequences (5:25-26).

You can find the message here or use the discussion guide to help interact with your kids over the content. The kids will be having more discussions and we will have a Q&A in the following weeks. So if any questions or need for clarification arise in your discussion, please let me know. The leaders and I truly want you be working along with you in discipling and evangelizing your kids; we want to hear from you if you have any feedback to offer us.

I wanted to share some important scheduling information as we look forward to Christmas. Grace Bible Church’s evening services will be on hold for Sundays 12/15, 12/22, and 12/29. Student Ministries will follow this pattern.

Friday 12/13 – Christmas party at Josh Peña’s home
Sunday 12/15-12/29 – Christmas Break: No formal studentministries gatherings.

Thank you so much for this privilege. This ministry to your students is truly a highlight of my life and a sweet gift from God.

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