NextGen 2025 Ministry Shift

Here at Outlook, we are a church that has a heart for developing disciples at any age who connect, grow, serve, and go.

Regular programming for kids and students is intentionally designed to develop them through relationship, being accessible to where they are, teaching the Bible, and supporting parents.

We love your kids ands students. The biggest opportunity we have to disciple them is through our regular programming. Explore the page below to see what that will look like starting this summer.

Outlook NextGen Sunday Programming

Outlook Kids

Birth-Grade 4

9 a.m.

Large group worship for age 3 through grade 4 followed by peer small group time.

Preschool will stay in the Children’s Center and K-4 will move to the Kid Zone.

10:30 a.m.

Separate large group worship for preschool and elementary followed by peer small group time.

Kindergarten will have their own room upstairs in the Kid Zone.

Outlook Students

Middle School (Grades 5-8)

9 and 10:30 a.m. in the Student Loft

Teaching followed by small groups for grades 5-6 and 7-8.

10-10:30 a.m.

“Hang Time” - THE place for middle schoolers to be between services as a fun, intentional time of relationship building, and snacks.

High School (Grades 9-12)

9 and 10:30 a.m. Worship

High schoolers are encouraged to attend worship together in the gym and serve on teams.

6-8 p.m.

Teaching followed by small groups for guys and girls and space to go deeper in relationships.

When is this happening?

All of the changes to our Sunday programming will happen on Move-Up Sunday which will be June 1.

What about Kid and Student Events?

In addition to our regular programming, we will continue to have special events throughout the year for each age group. These events are specifically designed to create meaningful opportunities for deeper connections—with God, friends, and leaders. Highlights include bonfires, service projects, weekend retreats, Camp Allendale, Choose Your Own Adventure Week, CIY events (SuperStart!, MIX, MOVE), and more.

Why the changes?

  • Outlook Students is a relational ministry, and we know relationships take consistent time and effort. Time, consistency, and a sense of belonging are essential to building both of these relationships.

  • A lot of change happens between ages 10 and 18. When we have that wide of a range of students together, some of them will always be shortchanged since lessons and activities can rarely hit all their unique stages at once. While there are benefits in having both middle and high school students together, we believe giving both groups their own time and space is most beneficial.

  • We never want anyone to get lost in the transition from Outlook Kids to Outlook Students. We have noticed a drop off of involvement from students who were connected on Sunday mornings as a 5th grader, but do not regularly participate in Sunday evening student programming as a 6th grader. Our desire is to provide a stair step of development that is exciting, accessible, and less of the giant leap that has existed.

  • We believe this is the perfect time to make this change, as it aligns with the shift many of our school districts are making to intermediate buildings for grades 5-6 and junior high schools for grades 7-8.

  • We also know that asking parents to make a couple evening trips to and from church to drop off their middle school students can be a lot. So we are excited to have a place for middle schoolers while parents are already coming to the building on Sundays.