Turning living spaces into holy places!
Third Church’s Family Ministry is embracing the prayer and motto “Turning living spaces into holy places!” Each family looks different, and that’s great! With Scripture as our authority, we are excited to partner with families in their child’s spiritual formation journey. Third Church is honored to encourage, equip and empower you in your role as the primary spiritual champion for your child!
Birth-5th grade
We love hanging out with children and believe each child can live passionately for God and shine brightly for Him in homes, schools, communities and beyond! During t3kids, children learn about God AND what it looks like to have a relationship with God. We explore, experience and express the Kingdom of God!
6th-8th grade
We love to have fun, worship Jesus, and connect our students to God’s heart for them. Although there are a lot of changes during middle school, we want our students to know that God loves them unconditionally, is for them and not against them. Everyone belongs in God’s Family!
9th-12th grade
We love helping our high school students prepare to launch into new life adventures. Amidst the busyness of this season in their lives, we want every student to know they are loved and part of God’s unfolding story.
Spiritual milestones are significant experiences and encounters with the Lord or at age appropriate times that mark specific points along a person’s spiritual journey. These points signal anchors that are significant events in one’s faith formation.
Infant Baptism, Preschool Graduation, Bible Ceremony, Salvation Celebration, Profession of Faith (6th-12th grade)
The Third Church Family is excited to partner with you in teaching the gospel of God’s love, providing a strong example of Christian faith and character, and supporting families in fellowship, prayer and service. We believe baptism is one of the first steps in this partnership as God pours out His divine love and grace over us, His sons and daughters!
Graduating from t3Kids Early Childhood Ministry is a BIG Deal!! Each family is invited to this memorable experience where we celebrate the church and family partnering together to make a permanent imprint on the soul of children as they transition to elementary ministry.
Every family with a child entering 3rd grade is invited to attend a special Bible Ceremony where children will receive an NIV Bible, the sacredness of the Word of God will be highlighted and families will be given time to engage in Blessing Stations for their 2nd grader. We recognize that many things in this world come and go: the newest video game, the latest fashion, movies, etc.; but the Word of the Lord will stand forever! Third Church is eager to teach children to navigate and grow through their Bible—the one thing that will stand forever!!
Each child in God’s family is on a journey. This journey has different starts, stops and views. At the appointed time; we believe the Holy Spirit invites us into a personal relationship with our Triune God. Because God is very personal; we do not believe this invitation occurs at a specific age/grade but at just the right moment. Children’s Ministry at Third shares the salvation message once or twice a year and invites children who sense the Holy Spirit inviting them into a relationship with God to pray the “Prayer of Salvation”.
The Holy Spirit has sealed and dwells within every person who has accepted Christ, marking them as His own. As previously mentioned, we believe this is an organic, personal invitation from the Lord. We also believe the Holy Spirit will continue to fill and empower children to be ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is also invited to partake in the Lord’s Supper at Third Church. With parental consent, children who have accepted Christ are invited to partake in this sacrament. Each year, t3Kids will have a Salvation Milestone Celebration for all children (and their families) who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The celebration will encourage children in their identity in Christ as well as explain the elements of the Lord’s Supper.
Accepting Jesus into our hearts is a personal milestone in one’s spiritual journey. Profession of Faith is a public milestone in one’s spiritual journey. Both milestones are celebrated as a beautiful marker in one’s faith journey.
We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, work or any other activity on the part of man is required in order to be saved. This saving grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in God's sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ. (Jn 1:12-13, 6:37-44, 10:25-30; Acts 16:30-31; Rom 3-4, 8:1-17, 8:31-39, 10:8-10; Eph 2:8-10; Phil 2:12-13; Titus 3:3-7; 1 Jn 1:7,9)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit in whom also we are sealed for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit regenerates, forever indwells and graciously equips the Christian for godly living and service. Following conversion, the Spirit desires to continuously fill, empower and anoint believers for ministry and witness. We also believe that signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament, are operative today and are designed to testify to the presence of the kingdom and to empower and edify the church to fulfill its calling and mission. (Mt 3:11; Jn 1:12-13, 3:1-15; Acts 4:29-30; Rom 8:9, 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:12-13; 2 Cor 1:21-22; Gal 3:1-5; Eph 1:13-14, 5:18)
We believe that water baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two sacraments of the church to be observed until the time of Christ's return. They are not a means of salvation but are a means of God's sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Mt 26:26-29, 28:19; Rom 6:3-11; 1 Cor 11:23-34; 1 Pt 3:21)
Profession of Faith is a milestone where students (6th-12th grade) make a public commitment towards accepting one's identity into the family of God. Although students may know Jesus as Savior and Lord of their lives, it becomes more ‘real’ when they stand up and confess Him publicly. CLICK HERE to learn more about student profession of faith at Third Church and how to begin the process.
