Encounter
Encounter exists to equip upperclassmen to hear God’s voice, learn how to pray in faith for God to move in power, and cultivate a deeper relationship with God. At Encounter, we will learn together how to take the things of God that could seem lofty and make them practical and tangible. We will specifically focus on sharing the love and supernatural power of God through prophetic encouragement, healing prayer and hands-on ministry. We believe God wants to move in power in our lives, and at Encounter we want to partner with God so that our lives reflect more of His glory and goodness!
Expectations and Time Commitment: 5 hours/week
Tuesday Night Large Group (1.5 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Tuesday Night Large Group (1.5 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Freshley Connect Leader
A Freshley Connect Leader’s main job is to help create a fun and inviting environment on Monday Nights. They are responsible to help facilitate all pre-service, mid-service, and post-service guest services offered to students including greeting, ushering, decorating, working the Welcome Center, initiating conversations, and setting an environment that lets all students know that they matter. We are looking for students who are willing to be the first ones to show up and the last to leave because they come alive having fun and making other people feel welcome and included.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 5-6 hours/week*
Monday Night Service Set Up and Tear Down + Freshley Service (3 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Follow up with new students (Occasionally)
Monday Night Service Set Up and Tear Down + Freshley Service (3 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Follow up with new students (Occasionally)
Freshley Small Group Leader
Freshley’s purpose is to provide an environment where freshmen students can grow in their faith and form community with each other. This primarily takes place through the Monday night Freshley services. Freshley Small Group Leaders facilitate a same-sex small group discussion after the Freshley service to dive deeper into the message. In addition, they are asked to follow up with freshmen outside of Monday nights, attend Freshley events such as the Freshley Kickoff and the Freshley Retreat, and to prayerfully consider going on our Jamaica spring break mission trip.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 5-6 hours/week*
Monday Night Freshley Service (2.5 hours)
Leadership Meeting or Lead Prayer on Wednesday Nights (1 hour)
Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (1.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Meeting with freshmen outside of small group time (Time varies)
*Fellowship Opportunities/Retreats (Seasonal)
Monday Night Freshley Service (2.5 hours)
Leadership Meeting or Lead Prayer on Wednesday Nights (1 hour)
Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (1.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Meeting with freshmen outside of small group time (Time varies)
*Fellowship Opportunities/Retreats (Seasonal)
The Light
The Light is a youth group that empowers and supports children, elementary through high school, living in the Rock Springs neighborhood homes in Athens. The children often come from difficult home and school circumstances and are in need of a lot of love, connection, verbal affirmation, patience and guidance toward a relationship with Jesus. On Thursday nights, our student leaders will help in large group time by organizing games and activities as well as co-leading small groups with each other.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 5 hours/week*
Tuesday or Thursday Night Youth Group (3 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Retreats and Other Special Events (Time varies)
Tuesday or Thursday Night Youth Group (3 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Retreats and Other Special Events (Time varies)
Media
Wesley Media serves every ministry area of Wesley through creativity. It is a leadership area for students with a passion for videography, video editing, photography, and graphic design. Media students work together on individual assignments and on group projects that will further their personal skills as well as supplement the Wesley media content each week. Bi-monthly large group gatherings consist of hands-on training, spiritual formation, fun and fellowship.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 5-7 hours/week
Media Leader Large Group Gathering Wednesdays at 6:00pm (Twice a month) or Lead Prayer at 7:00pm (Twice a month) (1-2 hours)
Weekly Media Projects (1-2 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Positions on the Media Team are limited. To interview for a position on the Media Team, Media must be your first choice on the Leadership Application. If you have prior experience, we’d love to see your work – you may submit a portfolio of your work by March 27, 2026 to mackenziessimpson@gmail.com.*
Media Leader Large Group Gathering Wednesdays at 6:00pm (Twice a month) or Lead Prayer at 7:00pm (Twice a month) (1-2 hours)
Weekly Media Projects (1-2 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Positions on the Media Team are limited. To interview for a position on the Media Team, Media must be your first choice on the Leadership Application. If you have prior experience, we’d love to see your work – you may submit a portfolio of your work by March 27, 2026 to mackenziessimpson@gmail.com.*
Outreach
Wesley Outreach exists to equip Wesley students to minister to students from all walks of life and to enable them to encounter God and become disciples of Jesus! Student leaders will participate in bi-weekly leader meetings and outreach opportunities to the UGA campus and Athens community. Through those team functions, student leaders will grow in confidence serving others, sharing their faith, and forming lasting relationships with people from different backgrounds.
Expectations and Time Commitments: 4.5-6 hours/week
Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (1.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Outreach Leader Meeting Wednesdays at 6:00pm (Twice a month) or Lead Prayer at 7:00pm (Twice a month) (1-2 hours)
Outreach Time (Twice a month) (2 hours)
Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (1.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Outreach Leader Meeting Wednesdays at 6:00pm (Twice a month) or Lead Prayer at 7:00pm (Twice a month) (1-2 hours)
Outreach Time (Twice a month) (2 hours)
Prayer
Prayer exists to help students develop a personal prayer life of abiding in God while learning about intercession. Prayer is a ministry of people interceding on behalf of Wesley, Freshley, the campus, and Athens. Throughout the year, we will gather to learn about the practicals of prayer, persevering in prayer, and our identity in Christ, all the while deepening our relationships with Christ.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 5 hours/week
Teaching/Small Groups on Tuesday nights (1.5 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Teaching/Small Groups on Tuesday nights (1.5 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Student Discipleship
Discipleship is at the core of our mission at Wesley and one of the primary things we are committed to as a ministry. We want to give students who have already been discipled at Wesley the opportunity to disciple our younger students. This will involve weekly meetings in 3-4 person discipleship groups that are intended to guide them in growing in Christ-likeness and their knowledge of God through self-reflection questions, reading the Word, praying together, and learning about other Spiritual Practices.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 4-6 hours/week
Discipling Weekly (1-2 hours)
Coaching Meeting or Lead Prayer on Wednesday Nights (1 hour)
Attending the Wednesday Night Service (1.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Discipling Weekly (1-2 hours)
Coaching Meeting or Lead Prayer on Wednesday Nights (1 hour)
Attending the Wednesday Night Service (1.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Wednesday Night Small Group Leader
The Wednesday night service is the main gathering and key formational experience for the Wesley body. Wednesday Night Small Group Leaders will facilitate a small group after the Wesley message so that students have the opportunity to connect with other students and discuss that night’s message further. All Small Group Leaders will meet in a leadership small group before each service to be trained in how to lead a discussion based on that night’s message. Additionally, Small Group Leaders are asked to follow up with students outside of Wednesday nights, as needed, and occasionally attend events designed for them and the members of their small groups.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 4-5 hours/week
Weekly Leadership Small Group before the Wednesday Night Service (1 hour)
Wesley Service and following Small Group (2 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Occasionally meet with students in your group (Varies)
Fellowship Opportunities/Retreats (Seasonal)
Weekly Leadership Small Group before the Wednesday Night Service (1 hour)
Wesley Service and following Small Group (2 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Occasionally meet with students in your group (Varies)
Fellowship Opportunities/Retreats (Seasonal)
Worship
Wesley Worship serves the Wesley body as a whole. We seek to worship God in spirit and in truth, and lead others to do the same. Investing into our team’s relationship with Christ, students will grow in their character as well as their musicality. Unity and community are also vital to a worship team so worship students will commit to team time before the Wednesday night services each week at 7. We will also have additional community opportunities like retreats and dinners.
Note: You may only select Worship if you have completed a tryout and have been accepted onto the team by a worship director. Click here to learn more about tryouts and sign-up for a time slot!
Note: You may only select Worship if you have completed a tryout and have been accepted onto the team by a worship director. Click here to learn more about tryouts and sign-up for a time slot!
Expectations & Time Commitment: 4-6 hours/week
On weeks playing, a two-night-a-week commitment:
Worship Service (either Monday or Wednesday) (1.5 hours)
Practice (1.5 hours)
Other Commitments:
Team Time or Lead Prayer on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Attending the Wednesday Night Service (1.5 hours)
Monthly Team Nights (2 hours)
On weeks playing, a two-night-a-week commitment:
Worship Service (either Monday or Wednesday) (1.5 hours)
Practice (1.5 hours)
Other Commitments:
Team Time or Lead Prayer on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
Attending the Wednesday Night Service (1.5 hours)
Monthly Team Nights (2 hours)
Youth
Wesley partners with local churches around the Athens area to assist their youth pastors as they pour into their youth by helping them run their Sunday Night Youth Services. The youth leader primarily functions as a Sunday night small group leader to middle or high school students. In this role, they will be building relationships with and leading the middle and high schoolers in their faith and getting great hands-on ministry experience with youth in the Athens area.
Expectations and Time Commitment: 5-6 hours/week*
Sunday Youth Activities (2-4 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Retreats and Other Special Events (Time varies)
Sunday Youth Activities (2-4 hours)
Lead Prayer and Wesley Service on Wednesday Nights (2.5 hours)
Weekly Discipleship (1 hour)
*Retreats and Other Special Events (Time varies)