How We Serve Schools
What is a Spiritual Emphasis Week?
Purposeful Connections partners with a local Christian school to intentionally seek the Lord together. The team functions as full-time servant missionaries to the school for the week. Spiritual emphasis weeks are available for all grade levels and the week is tailored to the grade levels the school chooses.
What is a typical day like?
Each day begins with an age-appropriate, interactive chapel focused on the week's theme. After chapel, the students in the oldest grade(s) are given the opportunity to journal to the team about anything that is on their minds (questions about God or the Bible, situations about which they'd like advice or prayer, etc.). Then, we spend the rest of the day doing whatever the students are doing – sitting in their classes, joining them for snack and lunch, playing at recess and in gym, doing question and answer time in their classes (when we're invited), going to after-school activities, etc. In the evenings, we invest more hours providing hand-written, biblical responses to each of the students who are journaling with us.
What makes a Purposeful Connections spiritual emphasis week unique?
The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." Following this model, Purposeful Connections is more than a speaking ministry - we are a mentoring ministry. We fully immerse ourselves in the school's life for the week, seeking to build mentoring relationships with the students. As these relationships are built, God works through them. Most schools choose to have us back each year, enabling those relationships to continue to grow and bear more fruit over time.
The Need in Christian schools
"Do not negate this ministry simply because it is to 'Christian' kids. I was one of those kids once who people thought was always 'okay,' but I needed a mentor more than anything," wrote Dan about how Purposeful Connections impacted him. Christian school students are not immune from pornography addiction, depression and self-harm, family breakdown, bullying, and many other issues. The Christian school setting allows our teams to biblically address root issues, in the context of relationship, leading to students' both inward and outward transformation. We can also connect students with others who are regularly present in their lives when it's necessary or helpful. Finally, team members encourage and challenge spiritually healthy students to lead boldly and sacrificially in their spheres of influence.
Our Local Team Approach
Drawing on our years of experience training volunteers, we now work with your school to recruit and equip local community members who can commit to the full week and serve alongside Matt during your spiritual emphasis week. Matt leads the week on-site while local team members engage directly with students through chapel presentations, classroom discussions, lunch conversations, journaling responses, and personal mentoring. Because these team members live in your community, there are opportunities for ongoing connections throughout the year. Students see that local adults are invested in their spiritual growth, and you benefit from both our proven experience and authentic local relationships.
Your Role as Partner
Local volunteer recruitment: Help us identify community members who can commit Monday through Friday - the number depends on your school size (we provide guidance and training)
Housing: Host family accommodations for Matt and any other traveling team members
Meals: Lunch for the team during school hours; host families provide breakfast and dinner for any traveling team members
Schedule flexibility: Time for daily chapel and classroom Q&A sessions throughout the week
Investment
We work with schools to determine an investment level that reflects both our ministry costs and your school's capacity. This covers Matt's on-site leadership, comprehensive volunteer training, all materials, and follow-up support. Schools consistently find spiritual emphasis weeks to be a worthwhile investment in their students' spiritual growth and their school community. We understand schools fund this ministry in various ways - budget allocation, PTF fundraising, parent donations, or memorial funds. Contact Matt to discuss what works best for your community.
Scheduling & Next Steps
We serve schools from August through May and recommend booking 6-12 months in advance, though we can often accommodate shorter timelines. Ready to explore how a spiritual emphasis week could benefit your school? Contact Matt at matt@purposefulconnections.org or 603-321-8903 to discuss your school's specific needs and available dates.
Why Schools Choose Us
“The excitement of students is unmatched at any other time of the school year. Purposeful Connections is an invaluable resource for Christian schools.”
“I have seen the change in the lives of our students, how the grace of God has grabbed their lives and turned them around as a result of the mentoring received during spiritual emphasis week. I have seen young men and young women begin to realize that what they say they believe must also be evident in how they live. It impacts positively their attitudes toward their teachers, their studies, and one another. It is the integration of faith and life that Purposeful Connections emphasizes with our students the week that they are here, and no amount of academic time can replace or replicate the work that God does through these mentors. If we really believe that our students need to be equipped with the gospel for their lives, then this time is well spent.”
“About three years ago, during my seventh-grade school year, I was at the darkest point in my life. Kids had exposed me to things I shouldn’t have been exposed to, and I dug myself into a dark pit I couldn’t get out of. I was on my recovery road one year ago when Purposeful Connections came to my school and did spiritual emphasis week, and it was the most powerful and influential week of that year! The one-on-one journaling with them taught me, helped me, and encouraged me. I would not be where I am today if God had not allowed Purposeful Connections in my life.”