About RUSH

What to Expect

On Wednesday nights during the school year, 6-12th grade students and their friends get together from 7-8:30pm.

We kick off each evening with student-led worship and break out into large-group lessons or small group discussions.

On a student's first night at RUSH, they are placed into a small group based on their grade and gender.

Students typically remain in that small group,  during the duration of their time in RUSH.

Mission

At RUSH, our mission is to partner with parents as they aim to Biblically lead their student(s), by helping connect their student(s) with God and others at the crossroads of life.

Vision

Our vision is to see parents boldly leading their students to know Jesus, resulting in students having a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and in turn influencing the world around them.

Core Values

Parent Partnership

Relational Discipleship

We love students and desire to see them grow spiritually. Jesus spent time and built relationships with those He ministered to. We believe discipling students is best done in an environment where a small group leader and a student build a relationship of trust SO THAT the small group leader can speak Biblical truth into their lives.
Ephesians 4:15

Prayer

To effectively partner with parents and disciple students, we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in their lives. We commit to consistently pray for those impacted by our ministry knowing that it is Jesus, not us, that changes lives. 
John 15:5, Luke 11:1-13, Colossians 4:2
The Bible is clear that parents are commanded to take the lead in raising their student(s) to know Jesus. Our role in youth ministry is not to parent, but to partner with parents as they aim to Biblically lead their student(s), by helping connect their student(s) with God and others at the crossroads of life.
Ephesians 6:4, Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Student Impact

The Bible is full of examples of young people who God used in powerful ways. We believe that God can and is using students to have significant impact on His Kingdom. The same Holy Spirit who lives in adult believers also lives in students, not a watered-down version of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we wholeheartedly believe in and need to be willing to listen to and learn from our students.
2 Chronicles 34, 1 Timothy 4:12

Meet the RUSH Staff

Pastor Charles Mersberger

Associate Pastor - Youth Ministry
Charles was born in Sheboygan, WI, and grew up in Arlington, TX. Yes, he is a Dallas Cowboys fan. Charles and his wife, Ivona, live in Sheboygan and have one adult son, Nikolas. His favorite fruit is Skittles, and he loves pocket gummies. His relationship with Jesus started on Feb 6th, 2011(last time the Packers won the Superbowl) and he is passionate about others knowing and loving Jesus too. In his free time, he loves spending time with his family and enjoying the quiet of the Northwoods.
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Mary Graves

Director of Youth Ministry
Mary is married to her "Chicago Bears loving" husband Mark of 20+ years and is mom to 4 adult children. She is in her sweet spot when she is digging into God’s word with a group of teenagers. Mary talks in ALL CAPS (yup, she sure does!) and has zero self-control when it comes to DOTS (fruit flavored gumdrop candy).
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TJ TenPas

Administrative Coordinator - Youth Ministry
TJ grew up in Sheboygan and has been a part of Crossroads since day one. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Arizona State University. She and her husband, John, welcomed their first child, Garrett in January of 2024. Although TJ does not enjoy concerts, she believes that there is only one way to listen to music and that is with the volume at 100%. 
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Ingrid Steinbock

Marketing Assistant - Youth Ministry
Ingrid grew up in Sheboygan, WI and has been a part of the church since the very beginning at the movie theater. She is currently pursuing a degree in graphic design at Lakeland University. She can solve the Rubik's cube in under 30 seconds. Her favorite snack is a giant pickle cut in half from Jimmy John's.
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