Making Disciples: How's Your Balance?

From the great "Theologian" Bruce Lee: 

"Balance is something you're always running to catch."

As you reach students for Christ, impacting their friends and culture; what's your plan? We've considered the power and synergy of large groups and your meetings briefly, but what's at the heart of your ministry? I ask, because I was reminded by a friend and missionary's recent status update, of Christ's call to His church; "make disciples", here is what he wrote:  

"Great thoughts on disciple-making: If you make disciples you always get the church. But if you make a church you rarely get disciples. "Most of us have become quite good at the church thing. And yet, disciples are the only thing that Jesus cares about, and it’s the only number that Jesus is counting. Not our attendance or budget or buildings. He wants to know if we are “making disciples.” Breen, Mike (2011-08-16). Building a Discipling Culture"

So the questions begging to be asked and answered as you plan and execute your ministry: "Are you making disciples or simply building a group? What does a disciple of Christ look like in youth culture? How would that compare to a disciple of your ministry? Would it be different?  

Those are tough questions to answer, given our propensity and bias to interpret all we do in our own ministries as being biblical. Before we measure our ministries by our own standards take a pulse of your "model" students and look at these characteristics; 

• What is their personal response to and awareness of "sin"? Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And •walk in love, as the •Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.  But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for •saints. Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. Eph. 5:1-4 Are they growing in their personal understanding, disdain and battle with sin?
• What is their personal awareness of righteous?  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light —  for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth —  discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. Eph. 5:8-10 Are they pursuing daily to discover God's directives for all of their lives; work, play love, friends, leisure?
• What is their personal awareness of their daily mission? And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col. 3:17 Do they recognize the strategic role each part of their lives play for the kingdom; in all they do; school, extra curricular, family, friends, etc.?
• What is their awareness of their need for community to do life? He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the •saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head —Christ. From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part. Eph. 4:11-16 They will never achieve all God has for their personal or corporate lives alone!

As my friend reminded me in his status.... make disciples build the church (youth ministry), make a church (youth ministry) and chances are good there won't be many disciples. It can be a real trick to focus on in our current church culture. 

So How's your balance?

 
 

 

Don't Be A Fool!

Our Students seem so unclear on the subject of friends, family and "Love". Give 'em a dose of Wisdom!

You can’t choose your family; you can’t choose, whom it is you love; you must extend that act to all: You can choose your friends; those you would emulate, embrace and take into your confidence. You can choose, “who” you give your heart too!

Are you clear on the difference? Love is not an emotion to be controlled by; it is a gift to be offered. While we are to love all, we do not, should not, offer unwittingly, the key to our hearts and lives to one who would do us great harm.

We are told to: “guard your heart”, to: “…not go with the angry man”, lest we become like him. An English proverb says: “A fool is known by the company he keeps”. A biblical proverb says it this way: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Prov. 13:20

How clear does it have to be? Love all, embrace wisely: give no fool your heart! (No matter the illusion of beauty, wealth or position!)

DON’T BE A FOOL!

Ever Have An Out-of-Body Experience?

Ever had an out of body experience? I have, several times, and it’s always deals with the same thing.

I was driving down the road, hand draped over the steering wheel, drumming a beat on the dash as I hummed the song on the radio. Suddenly I had this surreal feeling, like I was seeing myself from a different vantage point. It was an epiphany and a visual experience. Another occasion I had just gotten out of bed with a terrible cold. As I walked toward the bathroom I found myself making this unconscionable noise but it wasn’t me; it was as if I were an observer looking at myself. Sometimes these times are accompanied by the experience of “deja-vu”: An intense feeling that you have experienced the exact thing, time and moment before.

As I said, I’ve had this happen on several occasions, all revealing the same inescapable truth. As I watched myself; a rush of self-knowledge, a moment of Zen enlightenment struck me: “I was my Dad!” Not only had I left my body; he had taken over! Sayings, sounds, habits, all things I had observed him doing as a child; out of nowhere, here I was, but not me; it was him, doing those same things as I watched!

You have had that happen! Haven’t you? A moment where you found yourself reflecting; imitating reflexively someone you thought you never would. (obviously any references to "out-of-body" experiences were satirical.)

The reality: We imitate the people we are surrounded by. We imitate the individuals we value; the ones we esteem. Who are the people, shaping your life and ministry? We were meant to mature in community, being mentored and influenced by the mature. How do you define this quality, “mature”, in today’s world? As you chew on this and kick it around with your peers, remember this:

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

Imitate God! So what’s that look like? The rest of this section, in light of all our youth experience in their world: The blue humor, the innuendo, and the open contempt for purity; has a bit to say…. dig in.

A View of Life: Lies, Parties, Casual Sex and Facebook

It's How They See the World

“I just said; ‘You’re going home.’”

“Why didn’t you just drop them off right there?”

“You’re telling me she was out all night with you guys?”

“I guess, her mom thought she was staying at her friends house, then going shopping on Black Friday with her friend and her mom… so Yeah”

“How did they end up with us?”

“I don’t know, but when she threw her cell phone a second time after I told her to not bounce it off my dash and it cracked my windshield, I said that’s it! So I took them home.”

“You gonna make her pay for it? I’d be over there talkin to her mama telling her we gonna sit up a payment plan!”

“Wha’d your mom say?”

“He told her a truck threw a rock at it….”

I here it all the time, a casual handling of truth: Along with stories of sexual escapades, parties, 420 episodes, and the drama of “Facebook” statuses.  There are days I confess, I become numb to it, calloused, almost accepting it as the norm; they certainly do! Then from no where some of those same voices mention what they were doing at their churches on Sunday, or activities with their youth groups and it jolts me awake. I see for a moment with fresh eyes, the impact of relativism and the loss of absolute truth have had on our student population.

It doesn’t take a genius to see this; I know! It does take a purposeful focused approach to deal with it! My heartfelt prayer is that you as a servant to this population are making every effort to educate yourself, and transform your students, using materials like Focus on the Families; “Truth Project” or Charles Colson’s; “Doing The Right Thing”. Both are great resources for helping your students build a worldview based on God’s unchanging truth. Remember there are at least ten things written in stone with a myriad of life applications that render a “wishy-washy” approach to life, antithetical to truth, right and wrong, no exceptions! How are you doing in delivering this to your students? Remember never give them a what, or how, with out telling them why! In this case it’s about design, immutable laws, and the path to success now and in eternity future. It’s about LIFE vs. DEATH.

Not sure how to start? Try signing up and reading the “Break Point Daily”, then check out the resources in the links to the right like the two I mentioned earlier! If you really want to educate yourself start with Francis Schaeffer’s “How Shall We Live”.  You are on the front line of the culture war: Don’t be a victim the results are DAMNING!

Connecting The Dots

So much like a Puzzle; Connecting the dots of life is a daunting task for a Student.

We often paint the task as easy as this; if only it were true

I am more and more convinced students (people) struggle to connect with Christ because we have given them little correlation between their lives now, their desires; they little understand, and the message of the corporate church. I don’t mean the body gathered but rather the thing, the structure we have erected.

By God’s design, students are on this journey of autonomy; moving from dependence on their parents and leaders toward independence under God. In the process He has given them parents; who right or wrong, are first in line in this process. The over riding, providential hand of God always enacting; “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” So, even though parents will be held responsible, for their execution of these God ordained duties, the students still must take responsibility for their lives and find their way. Of course a large piece in this; the body of Christ carrying the message of transformation: A message of completion, rescue, redemption and renewal. The message of Christ is supposed to offer hope for eternity… not just future, but eternity NOW! It is to deliver that broken piece of genetic code, mutated by sin causing all manner of abnormalities and death; so life will make sense, it will work according to His design; our fulfillment. All those appetites run a muck, will fall into place and His highest creation will do His will “… on earth as it is done in heaven.”

As I said, I am convinced however; the message we offer, often obscures the “dots” of their lives, it does not connect them. We tell them, what they should be doing: “Be holy for I am Holy” … we tell them, why it is important, with a broad application of the sacrificial love of God; “… for God so loved the world… He gave….”, the how we share is oft one of self discipline and behavior modification, through adherence to some superficial list; attendance at a myriad of events, supporting programs often aimed at sustaining the program; not developing the individual for truly living. All the time the students are asking; “What do I do with the me I am discovering?” What do I do with my passions, my desires; the things that come so easily to me? Not my moral failures, but my heart and mind that longs for all redemption is suppose to offer.

So what things are you doing to help your students connect the dots of their lives; so they see the unbelievable plan God has for their presence in the here and now: They see clearly their hearts and desires as part of God's plan. Here's a free download to help with the process and get them thinking. Just click the link and scroll to the bottom of the page; you'll find the download.  If you want another tool for your staff contact me and I'll send it to you.

"Then A Miracle Happens"

"...is this how you identify your ministry pieces and their workings?"

It's a no brainer, no really it's that simple! Ah but not that easy. To build a youth ministry that is focused, strategic and effective, your people, have to know how every part fits; why your doing, what your doing and it's significance. So you tell them at every turn, in every meeting: "This is what it is , this is why we are doing it." Repeat, repeat, and say it one more time, repeat. Simple! So why did I say it wasn't easy? Because it demands you have an almost "zen" like understanding of all your doing. (Obviously I'm using this term in a very broad sense, to represent the mystical, all knowing, intuitive, abilities presented in hollywood as the "supernatural" feats of such masters.) To put it in biblical terms you have to have an experiential understanding of your ministry, it's pieces and their expected out come. It's Paul's cry in Philippians 3, when he says he wants to "...know Christ and the power of His resurrection."

So unlike our friend in satirist Sidney Harris' cartoon, your understanding/ability of your ministry and philosophy, needs to be far more clear than: "Then A Miracle Happens". Start working it out, get the help you need. Again your ministry, students, parents, leaders and church will "...rise up and call you blessed"!

Get-R-Done

At any given point someone could walk into your youth ministry and be critical. They could, from one snapshot edit out all you are doing well, to turn your student’s hearts to Christ. I walked into a youth meeting kids were having fun, some playing a game of “sting-pong”, others laughing and chatting. Inquiring later on concerning the event or meeting, I received mixed reviews and summaries on the purpose and the impact.

I get it, students need a sense of belonging; it takes time and a lot of what appears as interaction with no purpose, to establish it. Given it’s so easy for things to be taken out of context what are you doing to clearly articulate the pieces, their integration and purpose of all you’re doing? It goes beyond mission statement and good marketing pieces. It starts with you having a “Master Plan for Ministry”. Do you? Chances are, given all the demands on your life and the fact that you’re groping your way through a whole bunch of reality not covered in your classes at school (funny how much simply can’t be taught, life is kinda like that, that’s why internships are so great!), you haven’t established all the pieces of one yet. Larry The Cable guy has the greatest piece of advice for you…. “Get-R-done”.  Check out the link and contact these guys. They can help!

That said; is there someone, farther down the road who you can interact with? Find someone to walk with you, mentor you, to be your confidant and sounding board. You need it; your students will be the beneficiaries. Next time: Repeat, repeat, repeat… tell them why, your doing, what your doing.