King’s Kids Senior Team, open to 8th-12th graders (age 14+), has a different purpose and approach to ministry than youth groups in the local church. An effective youth group will draw young people in every stage of spiritual development, from the unsaved and searching to dedicated adolescent disciples. It will have a variety of programs designed to meet the needs of youth at these different levels of spiritual maturity, and has the benefit of the broad resources of a local congregation to draw on. King’s Kids has a more specific focus. We see our calling as helping young people who already have a heart for God move forward in areas of spiritual growth and discipleship that most youth groups cannot provide. These areas include more advanced training in leadership, learning to share their faith effectively, and opportunities for evangelism and missions work ranging from the local to the international level.

Our desire is not to infringe on the ministry of the local church youth program, but rather supplement and support it. We want to avoid competing with the local church for their adolescent's time, talents, and loyalty. When a young person has received the benefits of youth group involvement and has a desire to go further with the Lord, we hope that the pastors and youth leaders will see King’s Kids as an ideal next step in their walk with the Lord.

We are looking for young people that know and have a relationship with Jesus Christ. They do not have to be talented or “super spiritual,” but just have a heart and desire to know Him more and make Him known to others.

We pray over each application and interview each applicant. It is important that we have God’s timing for a young person’s participation in Kings’ Kids. A “normal” team is composed of an equal number of males and females. We would like a balanced team of 30–40 young people of different ethnic backgrounds and a mixture of personalities. There is a strong witness when the unifying factor of a group is the Lord.

The older teenagers from our Senior Team will be role models for the younger ones. They will be in leadership roles over the Action Groups. Each young person must submit an application which includes parental permission for participation.

In order to concentrate on the mandate God has given us, King’s Kids does not take unsaved young people on our local teams. We also do not accept teenagers who are marginal in their Christian faith or unsure of their commitment to the Lordship of Jesus and their desire to serve Him. Youth who are involved in drugs, alcohol or tobacco use, pornography, premarital sex, gender identity confusion or rebellion against authority are not ready for King’s Kids. Those with deep personal needs and problems should be referred to the ministry of the local church, since their needs would not be met by involvement on a King’s Kids team or foreign missions outreach.

The Senior team will meet Friday evening through Saturday once per month. Participants are required to attend all weekends, but may be excused for one to several hours during that time for sports or other extracurricular activities. October is training month and will require extra Saturdays of commitment.

The annual fee for Senior Team is $250 plus special event cost.

At times parents have asked why there is a fee, since churches do not charge fees for youth group participation or Sunday School. We are different from a church youth group in many ways. Financially, a church group is supported by tithes and offerings from members of the congregation. We don't have this base of financial support. King’s Kids charges fees to meet the substantial expenses of our ministry programs, transportation, meals and supplies during team weekends, fees for events and retreats, T-shirts, etc. Fees cover about half of our annual operating budget and do not go toward paying any salaries for our staff, who are supported by donations.

The actual expense of our property, office costs, vehicles, meals and ministry expenses is over $500 per youth involved. We don't want families to miss out on the benefits King's Kids brings to their families and the spiritual growth of their kids due to this actual cost, so we ask families to make up part and general donations and extra income make up the rest.

Spring Break, which is an optional week long outreach in El Paso for those 12 and older, is an additional cost of approximately $235.

IGNITE Conference

In 1998, King’s Kids El Paso started working with youth leaders and pastors in the small farming communities south of Albuquerque. We were discussing ideas with our local teenagers, and one of them asked, “can’t we do something where we  (the kids) actually do it ourselves?”  which spurred the thought of an entirely youth led event. Teenage worship band and MC. Teenage speakers and workshop leaders. Could it work? 

The concept was that youth leaders could support and encourage our strongest teenagers to speak on topics their peers need to hear. Youth are accustomed to listening to adults talk, but there’s a very powerful dynamic unleashed when they hear the same things from fellow teenagers. Now, 22 years later, IGNITE is still going strong and attracting 300 youth each year as one of the major events of the network of leaders that has developed in that region. One of them called IGNITE, “the best youth conference in the state of New Mexico.” This concept has been modified a little over the years by the youth leaders’ network in New Mexico, but is substantially holds to today, with thousands of kids impacted by IGNITE. King’s Kids El Paso participates every year and our youth lead about 10 workshops annually.

It's Your World Conference

While eating tacos with a group of El Paso youth leaders, an entire plan came into my mind like a download from the Lord. We were discussing working together on the next event. Should it be a concert, an evangelistic outreach, or what? The concept was this: this world is a mess, and you, as Christian teenagers, live here. What are you going to do about it? I pictured exposing kids to effective ministries touching a wide variety of needs with God’s love, and inspiring them to take action. That’s how “It’s YOUR World!” was born. It was to have an event designed to call Christian teenagers into action, showing them how God’s people are actively involved in the problems our world faces today. Christian leaders who are making a difference with the message of the Gospel and action to back it up train kids in how to be part of God’s work both here and around the world in the morning, then take them out into the community in the afternoon to reach out in a multitude of ways. Beginning in 2010, It’s YOUR World calls Christian youth into action. 

WHY Conference

Another rush of inspiration from the Lord brought the concept of WHY. We generally tell Christian kids what to believe but often they don’t hear why. I have been grieving over the issues we deal with constantly in ministry to kids. You would be shocked and horrified to know about them. In particular, the rampant immorality in the world also infects Christian kids. Unsaved girls brazenly throw themselves at our Christian guys, sending them obscene pictures over text messages. Entire phone apps are designed to provide homemade porn. Same sex attraction grips confused and wounded kids. Insecurity sets them up for Satan’s counterfeit of false acceptance and fulfillment. We deal with these issues on a continuing basis.

The thought came that we tell kids not to get involved in these things, but many don’t understand WHY the Lord commands and forbids the things that Scripture teaches. In an instant, the whole concept of a major citywide event unfolded, with teaching both apologetics (defense of the faith) and a Biblical perspective on current issues. I presented this to the leaders and they were immediately enthusiastic about the idea. Here’s the theme verse: 

1 Peter 3:15 …always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…

I explained it to both our staff and kids and got very favorable feedback. The idea is that Christians kids often hear what they are supposed to believe and how they are supposed to live, but don't hear WHY. I put a period after it to show that we're not asking a question, but instead explaining WHY.

Since that time, two powerful WHY conferences have brought together hundreds of kids and parents from many churches across the city to learn WHY God says the things He does. WHY gives answers to challenging questions. In a world with so many different views on religion, sexuality and gender, drug and alcohol abuse, and how to deal with depression and anxiety, our goal is to provide students answers to what feels confusing. Parents and teenagers are welcome to join us for a conference packed with information and to hear real testimonies from people who have walked through these issues.