BSSM Online has purposefully developed a structure that allows us to maintain an atmosphere of intimacy within the school, even as we continue to grow. We want to create a culture of connection, activation, and a hands-on approach to personal revival. This system divides our student body into groups of up to 35. Each group of students is pastored by a Revival Group Pastor (RGP), and the group meets together with their RGP once a week online.
The focus of these groups is to build community, discuss and impart Bethel’s core values, encounter the presence of God, and activate students in personal revival. Revival Group is a time to encourage students on a more personal level and to stir passion in our hearts.
Your Revival Group pastor and meeting information will be on your student dashboard. Revival Group login information is reserved for each registered student, so spouses may not login on their own and attend. For all our students, your Revival Group will stay the same for the entire year.
Revival Groups are also broken down into Small Groups. These help facilitate community, connection and activation. Each student will participate in a Small Group weekly from within their Revival Group. We consider this experience “life on life” ministry training. We have found that instruction without demonstration can lead to religious mindsets, and so we strive to not only to teach you, but also to activate you in weekly activations. We expect that what students learn and practice will become a lifestyle, not just in school.
Small Groups meet for one hour directly after Revival Group. Small Groups are made up of four to seven students from the same Revival Group. Student placement in a particular group is prayerfully and thoughtfully considered by each RGP. Therefore, switching to another Small Group after initial placement is generally not encouraged. These Small Groups continue for the entire semester/year in order to foster healthy relationships.
Connection for you as a student with your peers.
Help and accountability to live a life pleasing to God.
Time to activate and implement what has been taught in school.
Accountability for meeting school standards towards graduation.
Sharing testimonies from the week.
Opportunities to learn to be a good leader and a good team player.
Teaching on Bethel’s core values on a deeper level.
Our Revival Group Pastors are a carefully selected and highly valued group of leaders that we trust to steward their personal lives for the glory of God and give away the strength, humility and wisdom they have cultivated over the years. The purpose of our Revival Group Pastor role is to facilitate connection and activation while pursuing revival together as a group. Each pastor’s gifting, personality, and vision are diverse and multifaceted and our hope is that our students are able to get exposure to many, if not all of our leadership team as the year goes on.
Our Revival Group Pastors serve their Revival Group with a team of Student Mentors specifically built to journey through the year together with their students. RGPs teach, lead by example, set up times of fun, connection, activation and sharing.
Our Student Mentors (SM) are some of the “secret sauce” of our school. Our Student Mentors are involved in BSSM’s Third Year Program or join us as BSSM alumni and are equipped to facilitate connection, relationship and growth on behalf of our students. Each SM has specific roles, responsibilities and duties to conduct on behalf of the RGP and to also help facilitate small groups, revival groups, and one-on-one connection with our students. Our Student Mentors are your first point of contact for most administrative questions, and give feedback for homework assignments, etc. SM’s also are heavily involved in our live sessions, behind the scenes projects, and all things related to their Revival Group Pastor’s responsibilities.
Our Spiritual Life Pastors are positioned to help our students navigate parts of their journey through school in a one-on-one pastoral setting. Our team of pastors are passionate about seeing our students move forward in freedom and growth in any and every aspect of their lives. Whether a student feels stuck internally, has an area of life that needs breakthrough, or feels the need to dig in and grow in a specific area, our team is here to serve our student body along the way. Meeting with the Spiritual Life Pastoral team is usually done on an as-needed basis and can be set up through your Student Mentor/RGP.