Daniel 3 records the account of three young men who faced a trial of their faith. They were removed from their homes and separated from the influence of their families. In a hostile environment, they determined not to conform or compromise. They chose to be faithful to God, no matter the cost, and entrusted their lives to Him. These young men stood tall. They were the original Vertical Three.
Vertical Three is a ministry of D6 Family Ministry. The mission of Vertical Three is to help students discover their talents, develop their leadership, and dedicate their hearts to faithful service to God.
First, Vertical Three aims to help students discover their talents. How do we accomplish this task?
One primary way is through the ministry of the CTS Ministry Expo (CTS). CTS is not about winning and losing. We really should remove the word competition from our vocabulary when thinking about the purpose of CTS. The goal of CTS is to provide opportunities for students to identify and develop God-given abilities for use in service to the Lord and His church. All categories are structured to help students discover talents they can use to glorify God and serve others. The Youth Evangelistic Team (YET), made up of CTS Expo participants, takes this skill development and training to the next level. This group of students travels across the U.S., leading services and serving churches. The YET experience culminates with the team leading worship at the annual Vertical Three Conference.
Vertical Three also strives to help students develop leadership skills. Since 1984, Truth & Peace Student Leadership Conference (Truth & Peace) has been the primary tool used to accomplish this mission. The purpose of Truth & Peace is to teach and train students to learn with humility, serve joyfully, lead with grace, and love selflessly in churches, youth groups, homes, and schools.
Students are eligible to apply for Truth & Peace if they attend a Free Will Baptist church and are in grades 9-12. Truth & Peace seeks students maturing in their relationship with Jesus, actively involved in their churches and youth groups, and providing leadership and service in their local churches. Students who exhibit Christian maturity and lead others in following Jesus Christ are encouraged to apply.
A third aspect of the Vertical Three mission is centered on helping Free Will Baptist youth dedicate their hearts to faithful service to God. This is accomplished through the program at the annual Vertical Three Conference (V3). Held simultaneously with the Free Will Baptist National Convention, students across the denomination take part in V3. Activities for all ages (Preschool, V3-Kids, V3-456, and V3-Teen) are planned carefully and intentionally, challenging students to follow the Lord through a personal relationship with Him. Students who already have a personal relationship with Christ are challenged to live their lives in full surrender to the Lord and His calling on their lives.
In a world where many students leave the church after high school, these Vertical Three ministries are vital in preparing Free Will Baptist students to defy the odds and stay committed. Strengths like deep Bible engagement (CTS), serving in ministry (YET and Truth & Peace), and interacting with godly individuals in charge of these ministries are key to increasing the probability our students will stay connected to the church.
Let’s work together to ensure the students of the Free Will Baptist denomination follow the example of the Hebrew teens in Daniel 3.
Let’s help our students become Vertical Three!
About the Writer: Derek Altom serves as director of events and development at D6 Family Ministry. You can reach Derek by email at derek.altom@d6family.com.
