Park Ridge church’s youth ministry boasts Bible study, Barbasol battles

Deborah Kaminsky gets ready to throw a ball of shaving cream during a kickoff event for South Park Church's summer student-ministry program. | Contributed photo

Updated: September 10, 2012 6:11AM

PARK RIDGE — What would Jesus do in a field filled with teenagers armed with shaving cream?

Maybe He would just join in the fun.

South Park Church in Park Ridge kicked off the summer session of its youth-ministry program last month by hosting a major shaving cream fight on the grounds of the church at 1330 S. Courtland Ave. About 90 youths took part, trying to spread as much shaving cream on their peers — and adult volunteers — as possible.

“The purpose was fun,” explained Youth Minister Bob Anderson who coordinators South Park Church’s JAM 1:20 program. “It was part of our summer weekly evening with our kids. In the summer we can take the kids outside and it’s good, cheap fun.”

Even Anderson himself took part.

But the important focus of the evening was the Bible-study component and the coming together of local youths.

JAM stands for “Jesus and Me” and is open to children in seventh and eighth grades. It features a Bible lesson, games, small-group participation and worship.

High schoolers take part in the 1:20 section, which is named for the Philippians 1:20 Bible verse, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

JAM 1:20 meets from 7-8:45 p.m. Wednesdays and the summer component will take place through Aug. 15 with all activities occurring outdoors. The program is open to all youths with assistance from adult volunteers.

“Anybody’s welcome. It’s not limited to people who go to our church on Sunday,” Anderson said.

The topics that are discussed during each series include issues important to teenagers and their respective age groups.

“We’ve done a series on fear, your relationship between you and your parents, sexual relations. We don’t want to run away from topics that are difficult to talk about,” Anderson explained.

In discussing such topics, participants are provided with a biblical perspective, specifically “what God says about those things,” Anderson said.

There are also skits that are acted out in order to better-introduce the topic that is being discussed. Live bands and gym games are also featured.

“It’s just a lot of fun to be with the kids,” Anderson said of the youth ministry, which also has a Sunday-night component with an in-depth bible study teaching youths how to read the Bible on their own.

Fall JAM 1:20 begins Sept. 12. For more information about the program call Anderson, (847) 825-5507, ext. 32.

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