Hey Parents,

We wanted to share about an upcoming series in Vista Students called Imago Dei (which means “image of God”). This will be a two-week series beginning Sunday, April 19th, and continuing through the end of April.

During this time, both our middle and high school students will engage with this series across Sundays (Refuge and Grow Group) as well as in small groups on Wednesday nights.

Throughout the series, we will be addressing topics such as dating, sex, and sexuality. We recognize that these are important and often complex subjects in today’s culture. Many of our students are either personally navigating these areas or have friends who are. Our heart is that every student who walks through our doors feels genuinely loved, welcomed, and valued, regardless of their experiences or beliefs.

At the same time, we aim to create a safe and respectful space for honest conversations while pointing students to the truth of God’s Word and His design for who we are.

To help guide this series, students will have the opportunity to submit questions starting Wednesday, April 8th, and Sunday, April 12th. We will thoughtfully group and address some of these questions during our teaching beginning April 19th.

We understand that these topics can sometimes feel a bit awkward or uncomfortable to talk about, but we also believe it can point us back to our Creator in meaningful and beautiful ways. When approached with care and truth, conversations about sex and sexuality can actually help guide students toward a healthy, flourishing life in Christ.

For additional clarity, we’ve outlined below the general framework we will use as we approach these topics.

Dating & Sex

  • When we talk about topics like sex and dating, we want to approach them with trust in God’s wisdom and His loving design for us. We believe He understands us fully and desires what is best for our lives and relationships. Because of that, we also want to gently help students see that stepping outside of His design can lead to hurt or confusion, while His ways are meant to guide us toward wholeness and healthy relationships.

  • We see in Genesis 2:24, God’s design for sexual expression and intimacy to be in the context of marriage and marriage is defined to be between one man and one woman. Jesus validates God’s original design in Matthew 19:4-5.

  • We believe decisions around dating are best made within each family. While the Bible does not give a specific model for modern dating, it offers wisdom on building healthy, God-honoring relationships, which will be our focus.

Sexuality

  • Sexuality has become an identity marker for so many people. Sexuality is a part of who you are, but it does not define who you are. Your identity should be found in Jesus. 

  • With same-sex sexuality, there is a difference between attraction, temptation, lust, and behavior, and we draw the line between temptation and lust as the point at which someone would be engaging in sin. 

  • At Vista, we take a non-affirming approach to same-sex relationships meaning that we believe that it was God’s design for sexual expression to be in the context of marriage and marriage is defined to be between one man and one woman based on Genesis 2:24. Jesus validates God’s original design in Matthew 19:4-5.

  • We recognize that cultural gender stereotypes (like “girls like pink” or “boys like blue”) can sometimes influence how teenagers understand themselves. While we believe God created two biological sexes, male and female, many of the expectations tied to those roles are shaped by culture rather than Scripture. These stereotypes can be limiting and, at times, harmful, creating pressure or confusion for students who feel they don’t fit certain expectations.

  • When we allow things other than Jesus to define who we are, we end up feeling lost and confused.

We are here if you need anything. Please let us know if you have any questions. We’re excited to see what God will do through this series!

RESOURCES

You can find resources on the topics of dating, sex, and sexuality by clicking the button below to join our Parents of Students Group through the Church Center app. Once you have joined the group, you can access the resources in the group in the Church Center app by clicking the "Groups" tab at the bottom of app, clicking on "Parents of Students," and then clicking on the "Resources" tab at the top of the group page in the app.

Chris Lackey
Student Pastor
Vista Community Church

Gracie Krieg
Associate Student Pastor
Vista Community Church