05/28/2026
Outstanding! Outstanding! Outstanding! Great job with the topic, teens. We are proud of how you approached and handled our topic.
Trinityās G.R.E.A.T. Education and Empowerment Becoming Ministry assembled for Christian Becoming. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Becoming Session. We had a great time of fellowship, food, and faith development. During the session, Pastor Crenshaw presented on the topic āTeens and the Reality of Heaven and Hell.ā
Black History Moment
Our Black History Moment focused on Maggie Lena Walker, born in Richmond, Virginia, to enslaved parents. She overcame early financial hardships to become a prominent journalist, businesswoman, and civil rights leader. Maggie dedicated her life to economic empowerment and the establishment of a community insurance company for women before founding the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903, making her the first African American woman to charter a bank in the United States. Her institution successfully stayed afloat during the Great Depression by catering to adult clientele, encouraging children to save money, and eventually expanding its reach across Virginia. Beyond her financial enterprises, Walker fought arduously for womenās rights and served in leadership roles with organizations such as the NAACP and the NACW before her death on December 15, 1934.
Presentation Central Idea
Teens Donāt Need to Lack Knowledge About Heaven and Hell
Teens Need to Gain Knowledge About Heaven and Hell
Pastor Crenshaw focused on the following goals:
ā¢ Demystify the Cultureās Version: Move students away from cartoonish ideas of hell (red pitchforks, a giant party with friends) and anchor them in the sobering, biblical reality of eternal separation from God.
ā¢ Reconcile Holiness and Judgment: Help teens understand that hell exists because God is perfectly just and holy, not because He is cruel. True love requires justice against evil.
ā¢ Ignite an Urgent Mission: Transform a frightening doctrine into a catalyst for compassion, driving students to share the Gospel with their peers rather than holding onto a mindset of spiritual complacency.
Pastor Crenshaw opened the presentation with the following icebreaker:
Pick the one that best describes you.
ā¢ I never think about heaven or hell.
ā¢ I rarely think about heaven or hell.
ā¢ I sometimes think about heaven or hell.
ā¢ I regularly think about heaven or hell.
ā¢ I always think about heaven or hell.
Case Study
The Situation: Marcus is a great guy on your high school campus. Heās the captain of the track team, never gets in trouble, defends kids who get bullied, and is generally liked by everyone. However, Marcus openly says he doesnāt believe in God and thinks religion is a psychological crutch. During a small group hangout, your friend Chloe says, āI know the Bible talks about hell, but thereās no way a guy like Marcus goes there. Heās better than half the Christians at our school. God wouldnāt do that.ā
Case Study Discussion Questions
ā¢ How would you respond to Chloe? How do we balance our love and respect for someone like Marcus with what Jesus says about the necessity of faith?
ā¢ If getting into heaven is based on being āgood enough,ā where is the line? How many good deeds outbalance a single sin against a perfectly holy God?
ā¢ Think about a criminal who does great things for charity but still commits a major crime. Should a good judge let them go just because they are nice? How does this help us understand Godās justice?
ā¢ How does knowing the reality of hell change the way you look at friends like Marcus? Does it make you want to stay silent, or does it change how you pray for them?
We didnāt complete the entire presentation. We will return to this discussion topic during our next session.
We look forward to our next G.R.E.A.T. Education and Empowerment Becoming Ministry session on June 10, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Our session will return to the topic: āTeens and the Reality of Heaven and Hell.ā
Keep up the great work, G.R.E.A.T. Education and Empowerment Ministry!
G.R.E.A.T. Education and Empowerment Becoming Ministry Leadership Team
Temporary Leader: Pastor Trevor M. Crenshaw
Assistant Leader: John Williams
Secretary/Young Adult Advisor: Kelsey Lewis
Adult Advisors: Tia Crenshaw, Kelvin and Tori Barnett
