Local ministry continues to grow, impact students

In 2005, Zach Skipper and Bill Garner, along with a local youth minister, were leading several community Bible studies for students in Mountain Brook when they had the idea to lead a community-wide retreat.

The idea was then birthed to start a ministry geared toward junior high and high school students. Over the course of several months, what is now Bigtime Ministries became a reality, officially launching in November 2006, Garner said. The ministry seeks to evangelize, disciple and provide leadership training to students in Mountain Brook, Garner said.

“We’re starting to see an improvement, I think, in authentic relationships,” said Bill Leitner, an eight-year member of the board. “The students seem to have the joy of authentic relationships.”

It initially started as just a ministry to boys, but in 2011, Janie Roper was hired to oversee a new girls’ ministry.

“I was not looking for a job,” Roper said. “… The Lord just brought that into the picture … out of nowhere.”

Roper always thought she’d be a full-time counselor and was working on her counseling certification.

“It took me a few weeks to realize … my plans aren’t always going to be the best plans, and the Lord has something bigger,” Roper said.

In the first girls retreat Roper led, about 50 girls attended. Now, retreats draw about 200 girls, she said.

“The numbers have definitely increased, and that’s not any of our doing,” Roper said. “That’s just the Lord bringing kids.”

The “big” in Bigtime is an acronym, standing for “Be Imitators of God,” named after a verse in Ephesians.

It is non-denominational and is not associated with any specific church, and while it serves students in the city of Mountain Brook, it is not associated with the school system.

In April, Roper was moved to the executive director’s role, and Bigtime brought on Bailey Sherman to lead the girls’ ministry. Will Baxter and Garner direct the boys’ ministry.

“I think I realized from the get-go, the best way to connect with students and connect with parents is to be human and share your failures and your need for Jesus,” Roper said. “I don’t have any qualifications. Every day I’m shocked that we are where we are but that’s not because of me, that’s not because of anything Bigtime has done.”

Garner said Roper has brought administrative skills and maturity to the organization.

“I’ve never met anybody that was as young as she was that has her depth of maturity and insight,” Garner said.

The ministry seeks to partner with, not be a replacement for, local churches, Roper said. Reaching students before they transition to adulthood is vital.

“We want to be that person or that ministry that can be that middleman, if you will,” Roper said. “Ultimately, [it’s] teaching kids they are needy and they need Jesus, and they won’t get anywhere in life until they realize that.”

Garner said the ministry is also seeking to help students make meaningful connections with each other.

“If they don’t have a good friend group, they’re not going to be able to live a godly life,” Garner said. “... We can’t be there everyday. Their high school friends can.”

Toward that end, the ministry seeks to develop leaders, training high school students to mentor junior high students, among other goals.

“That voice of a high school student is so powerful in the life of a junior high student,” Garner said.

Roper said she and her staff will be there for Mountain Brook students, seeking to make an impact and glorify God, until they feel the ministry is no longer needed.

“We need to be here solely for the Lord’s purpose and spreading the gospel,” Roper said.