This past weekend, several close friends and I drove up to Butler PA to attend the C.E.P. 2020 Conference. The overall ministry projection, desire, and prayer was for the church to make disciples who make disciples. Several speakers specifically described such disciples as Kingdom disciples and further defined them as having 1.) Heart that loves King Jesus 2.) Mind that thinks like King Jesus 3.) Lives of service to others. Basically it was the same vision we already have put in place at Redeemer with the Head, Heart, Hands model.
But what was new was the tangible expectation of producing disciples from our children who would be discipling others. The plan is a 10 year plan. Not a 20 year plan. A 10 year plan. That means that if parents and church partner together, that by age 14, he/she would be ready in some way to make disciples. I've always believed that youth will only rise to the level that is expected of them. As a result, I've conceptually raised the bar, and begun to practically put in place opportunities for them to serve. But I'm not sure that I've practically put structures into place for them to actually disciple others.
Much of discipleship is informal. Philippians 4:9 shows us both content (what you've learned, heard), but also informal (what has been "seen in me.") This stuff was already on my heart due to a timely text message from a parent the past week, so now the fire to practically put something in place is scorching my back side.
Straight shooter Sue Jakes reminded us of a very simple application of the scriptural truth: children are a blessing. If that is the case, how are we as a covenant community ministering together to our covenant children? Not YOUR kids, but YOUR CHURCH's kids. I've heard several times in my ministry over the years, "I just don't like kids." Sue Jakes shared with us a simple response: "Repent." If children are a blessing, then we can't just "wash our hands of them." That children are a blessing is not specific or particular conviction, it is a timeless truth. That we disciple our covenant children is not specific or particular conviction, it is a timeless command.
What that command looks like can be all across the board. Nursery or 2-3 year old church (we start discipling these kids at age 2), children's church (4-1st grade), Sunday School, youth group. These are formal structures in place for passing on "what we've learned/received/heard" but much of discipleship is informal ("seen in me.") At the conference, I could tell many folks' answer to discipleship was simply "do Sunday School and do it better." But the speakers challenged us all with the plethora of informal ministry opportunities to disciple our covenant children.
To be regularly involved in Sunday School requires some teaching gifts. To be regularly involved in youth ministry requires a certain amount of, well, maybe insanity. But to be involved in some sort of informal relationship with children/youth requires a pulse and a love of Jesus. That's it.
Do things with them. Even the introverted sound guy, can bring a youth along with him to help set up, troubleshoot, etc... When you pass out bulletins, pass them out with a child. When you greet, don't just greet with a smile; greet with a kid.
Talk to them. Simple things like getting to know the names of other children/youth in the church. Talk to them. Ask questions about them and their lives. None of this stuff requires you to be "marooned" in a nursery or class room for an hour and half. It involves you simply taking time to look at those children/youth and around you and move towards them. That's it.
In the end, if you don't make any effort to somehow involve yourself with our covenant children, you don't have a problem with kids/youth; you a problem with God. They need you and you need them. I don't want to see more kids go off to college and not come back to the church. More than that, we want disciples that are salt and light outside the church. Be a disciple and make disciples. It's for the church. It's for you.
4 comments:
Very good post, Geoff. Thanks for including some practical ways that an introvert (like myself) can reach out to the youth in our church. I'm thankful for the intentional discipling of children that Redeemer pursues.
Jeremy
Jeremy,
Thanks so much bro. I really liked the challenge and opportunity to think of other informal ways for folks to aid in the discipleship of our covenant kids. Many of them just take some intentionality, but don't require too much time, study, skill, etc...I'm pretty pumped up about the opportunities. Some of the stuff folks are already doing. For instance, when we as parents get to know the kids of those involved in our CD group. Priceless. Just trying to get it going on community level.
This has always been close to my heart too. Getting our adults, even those without children of their own or those who have children who are grown and gone, involved with our children/youth at Redeemer.(I have had people tell me children are to be seen and not heard...which I totally disagree with and I've also been told that children were a lot of work for a little bit of wool... could not believe it...I quickly said Jesus died for that little bit of wool!) love to see more adults show up for children's school activities (sports, programs) maybe host a youth dinner, Mabye have a "take a friend to Youth group night" and tell them the "friend" has to be over 30 or something giving the adults an opportunity to see and participate in the Youth time. Supporting the kids, getting to know them and know what they like to do and what they want to be, and how they live out their faith. Its all good!
Paula, let's talk some time soon and help me brainstorm how to put this into practice. Thx.
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