Making Disciples—Youth 101

Some of the most common questions pastors and youth pastors discuss when we conference together are:

“How can we equip teenagers to truly live out their faith in today’s world?”

“What is the secret to mentoring kids to own their faith by the time they leave home?”

“How should we actually disciple teens today?”

The truth is, we can use words like “disciple” and “mentor” all day long, but that doesn’t mean we are truly making a difference in their lives and increasing their faith.

I’m proud of youth leaders in our church like Galen Beck, Bre’anne Northcutt, Tyler McKinney, and Danny Himmel that are investing significant time to build relationships with our youth…for relationships are key! Youth Pastors have known for decades that the biggest players in a young person’s spiritual development are their parents. The reasons for this are simple—relationships, relationships, relationships.

Over 85 percent of Christians in America send their children to public schools (The Harsh Truth About Public Schools by Bruce Short, page 199). Imagine the alarm that would sound in these Christian homes if parents learned their children had graduated from High School without learning how to read, write, or to calculate simple math problems. I imagine you wouldn’t be able to hold back the flood of parents working to overhaul the education system. In the same way, imagine how the alarm should sound in the church and in Christian homes today with the knowledge that over 70 percent of our Christian youth are graduating High School without the ability to clearly articulate their own faith and belief system. In fact, studies show most of them (70-88% depending on which region they attend college in) will drop completely out of church by the end of their freshmen year of college (Battle Cry for a Generation by Ron Luce, page 34).

Most churches and Christian homes today are producing “moralists” but not “followers” of Jesus Christ. This means that our students may be successful at identifying right and wrong behaviors; however, when asked to articulate the fundamentals of our Christian faith, their answers are unimpressive and sometimes simply wrong. Christian Smith, a sociologist and expert on America’s Christian youth, argues that this inability to articulate their faith is crucial to discovering why so many Christian youth are deserting their faith upon leaving their homes (Soul Searching by Christian Smith, page 131).

The bottom line is: we need more people spending time with our youth, loving on them and earning trust through relationship. We must be proactive and tackle this problem head-on and urgently. And, we must pray for, support, and encourage all you parents to set a godly example for your teens at home. For, it is certainly true that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” (quote from every grandparent who has ever quoted anything)!

What are you doing to make disciples of our youth?

Oh Yes, God is Faithful

Thomas Chisholm wrote “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as a testimonial song about his life. Thomas was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky. He became a Christian when he was 27 years old and at age 36 he entered the gospel ministry. Unfortunately, poor health forced him to retire from ministry after just 1 year. Throughout the rest of his life he worked as an insurance agent and wrote nearly 1,200 poems, including several hymns.

Chisholm explained near the end of his life, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the early years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”

Maybe you are a little like me. Life has thrown you some ups and downs; you’ve been knocked down a few times but you still found a way to recover and climb to newer and higher heights. Maybe you’ve truly seen some struggles that I haven’t yet seen, but one thing we do have in common is that God has been faithful to each of us. His consistent support and steady hands have guided our lives.

I pray my children learn of God’s faithfulness as they hear me tell them stories from my life. I pray they remember the song from their mother’s lips (and heart) as she sang over them this song of God’s faithfulness as she put them to bed as small children. I pray the LORD finds us faithful here at Shadycrest to follow Jesus, accomplish His will, surrender our wills, and serve Him with a passion for faithfulness.

Every new day is the opportunity to prove God’s faithfulness. His mercies are new every morning…for HE is faithful! 

I AM KIND…what is your superpower?

Galatians 5:22-23 teaches us about the fruit of the Spirit. One of the fruits is kindness…”but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,  goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Last year our church began a partnership with a mentoring ministry—Kids Hope USA (http://www.kidshopeusa.org/). It is an exciting program and has caused Wednesdays to be a favorite day for me each week. Now, on Wednesdays I have the privilege of mentoring a 1^st grade student at Shadycrest Elementary School and we are having a great time of learning and growing together. Each trip I see a sign outside a teacher’s door that says, “I’m a teacher, what is your superpower!”

I love it…but it provoked me to thinking about the literal supernatural powers that Christ gives us through the empowering work of HIS SPIRIT in us. It’s the “Grace Fruit” we have been talking about in our current sermon series at Shadycrest. Have you ever thought about the fact that you have been given SUPERPOWERS! Praise the LORD; yes you have!

Can you think of someone right now who has been mean to you? They have mistreated you in the past? Your easiest response is to have nothing to do with them; however, I suggest that you do  something kind for them, especially if this person is in your family or is someone you see often. The purpose of kindness is not to make them burn with shame, but to bless them. If you do, God will reward your kindness. It is hard to do, and you may have to pray hard and long before being truly ready to do it…but do it anyway!

Booker T. Washington, the first President of Tuskegee Institute faced a great deal of hatred and abuse as he worked to educate African-Americans during the time of Jim Crow laws in the south. Through it all, he demonstrated the kindness of Christ to his enemies. He once wrote: “I will not allow any man to make me lower myself by hating him. The only way I can destroy my enemy is to make him my friend.”

In August 1998 when George H. W. Bush accepted the Republican nomination for President, he said, “I want a kinder, gentler nation.” Five months later he was inaugurated as our 41st President. Do you recall what his first official act was as Chief Executive? He led us in prayer. May God give us more leaders who lead us in prayer.

It’s amazing that President Bush said that one of our greatest needs is to become a kinder, gentler

nation. If it’s true of our nation, it’s also true of our churches, and our homes, and of each of us. We certainly need a kinder, gentler culture, and a kinder, gentler world.

Unfortunately, it is too common for “good, religious people” to be as mean as a snake. I’ve had more than one server in a restaurant tell me the rudest folks are the church people who eat out for Sunday lunch—and they say, “they’re the worse tippers!” OUCH! I agree with the little girl who had spent all day with some of these “good, religious people.” During her bedtime prayer she prayed, “Dear God, please make all the bad people good; and make all the good people kind.”

We must be kind to one another. Yes, we must be much kinder to one another than we presently are. One thing we say around here a lot is the phrase, “I might need to change.” It is a reminder that we haven’t arrived yet and Jesus is still working out His will and good pleasure in each of us who believe in Him. Kindness isn’t natural. It is supernatural, and we need to rely on Him to create kindness within us each and every day.

In Jesus name and for His glory I will be kind…what is your superpower?