Amen. I’ve found throughout the seasons that the dry, mundane, and silent times always come to bear more fruit. The larger the fruit grows whenever you humble your entire self and sit in the presence of God, no surroundings, no distractions, just sit in silence in the mundane lows and the dry moments.
The fruit that God grows through you during those moments is all about how we respond whenever we’re in those seasons. I believe it’s during these seasons where obedience is the most important aspect in our walk. How we respond to difficult situations, or dry conditions of day to day life determines how that fruit blooms.
Precisely! I think in any good story, the characters always have to pass through valleys and deserts on the journey. Why should we expect any different? If we abandon the mission in the middle of the desert, we're missing the point. We're forgetting that the whole thing was always meant to be a journey, and that comes with peaks and valleys throughout the whole.
In your school of discipleship, as you’ve observed those from our next generation of Jesus followers sit in the silence with Him, to what degree have you seen their walk with Christ work itself out into a call to the ethne - the nations - to cross-cultural missions work among those who have little or no witness among them of Christ?
If you’ve got statistics, great! But even some anecdotal evidence from what you’re seeing would be super helpful.
Understood and thanks for your time . I’m encouraged to hear the depth you’re going to with your students.
The attentiveness you’re giving for each one is huge. I’m observing more and more leaders who seem so terribly distracted from both internal and external sources, they seem unable to carry on deeper conversations. I’m not immune. A Christlike, unhurried presence with each other may be one of our biggest needs of the hour in being and building disciples.
As this next generation go deeper with Jesus and His heart for others, we trust He will send many to these difficult fields where His witness is so greatly needed…
Our ministry with the School Of Discipleship is too young to have that kind of data. We just graduated our first three-year cohort and it was a small group of students, only about 12.
Our goal was to go deep with them and give them a robust understanding of who Jesus was, what he taught, and how he lived. To that end I think we succeeded.
It's interesting because when I think of each student who's been a part of the program, the fruit in their lives looks different across the board. I think I can say confidently, from what the students have told me and from what I've observed, it massively impacted each of them.
The way that it impacted their life has been pretty unique to each student.
Again that's a success to me because this was always meant to be a highly person-based program. We are intentionally small right now so that we can give each student a deep amount of attention.
Time will tell to see where each of them takes what we've taught them and how they use it and who God sends them to minister to. I'm currently building our next three-year cohort. :)
A wise friend of mine, who was also my youth pastor, once told me, "You have to realize that, by and large, youth ministry across America..." and throughout the world "...is a ministry to lost people.”
That has stayed with me. Youth ministry occupies such a vital place in a young person’s life. The work we do must reach beyond creating memorable moments and continually point students toward a deeper relationship with Christ and a growing dependence upon Him. We must teach them how to know the truth, discern what is false, and faithfully walk with Jesus when the excitement fades and ordinary life begins.
The world will continually pull impressionable minds toward its ways, often through enticing half-truths. Those ideas are especially dangerous because they are rarely presented as blatant lies. They often contain just enough truth to appear trustworthy while quietly leading young people away from Christ.
What you have described here is the kind of discipleship that prepares them to recognize those distortions and remain faithful through every season of life. Praying for you and your faithful work, brother.
Amen. I’ve found throughout the seasons that the dry, mundane, and silent times always come to bear more fruit. The larger the fruit grows whenever you humble your entire self and sit in the presence of God, no surroundings, no distractions, just sit in silence in the mundane lows and the dry moments.
The fruit that God grows through you during those moments is all about how we respond whenever we’re in those seasons. I believe it’s during these seasons where obedience is the most important aspect in our walk. How we respond to difficult situations, or dry conditions of day to day life determines how that fruit blooms.
Precisely! I think in any good story, the characters always have to pass through valleys and deserts on the journey. Why should we expect any different? If we abandon the mission in the middle of the desert, we're missing the point. We're forgetting that the whole thing was always meant to be a journey, and that comes with peaks and valleys throughout the whole.
Love you, man.
Thank you for this, I appreciate your work.
In your school of discipleship, as you’ve observed those from our next generation of Jesus followers sit in the silence with Him, to what degree have you seen their walk with Christ work itself out into a call to the ethne - the nations - to cross-cultural missions work among those who have little or no witness among them of Christ?
If you’ve got statistics, great! But even some anecdotal evidence from what you’re seeing would be super helpful.
Understood and thanks for your time . I’m encouraged to hear the depth you’re going to with your students.
The attentiveness you’re giving for each one is huge. I’m observing more and more leaders who seem so terribly distracted from both internal and external sources, they seem unable to carry on deeper conversations. I’m not immune. A Christlike, unhurried presence with each other may be one of our biggest needs of the hour in being and building disciples.
As this next generation go deeper with Jesus and His heart for others, we trust He will send many to these difficult fields where His witness is so greatly needed…
I agree, my friend. I love what you said there about a Christ-like, unhurried presence may be one of the biggest needs of the hour!
I think a lot of people mistake unhurried with idle.
In my view, His rest is where we find our strength for the journey ahead and for the battles Christ has called us to fight for his kingdom.
Our ministry with the School Of Discipleship is too young to have that kind of data. We just graduated our first three-year cohort and it was a small group of students, only about 12.
Our goal was to go deep with them and give them a robust understanding of who Jesus was, what he taught, and how he lived. To that end I think we succeeded.
It's interesting because when I think of each student who's been a part of the program, the fruit in their lives looks different across the board. I think I can say confidently, from what the students have told me and from what I've observed, it massively impacted each of them.
The way that it impacted their life has been pretty unique to each student.
Again that's a success to me because this was always meant to be a highly person-based program. We are intentionally small right now so that we can give each student a deep amount of attention.
Time will tell to see where each of them takes what we've taught them and how they use it and who God sends them to minister to. I'm currently building our next three-year cohort. :)
So true love. You get to the heart of what youth ministry should be.
Absolutely! Thanks for having this focus with young people. I wish I learned it earlier in my life.
Better late than never! :)
Great word here, Aaron, as always.
A wise friend of mine, who was also my youth pastor, once told me, "You have to realize that, by and large, youth ministry across America..." and throughout the world "...is a ministry to lost people.”
That has stayed with me. Youth ministry occupies such a vital place in a young person’s life. The work we do must reach beyond creating memorable moments and continually point students toward a deeper relationship with Christ and a growing dependence upon Him. We must teach them how to know the truth, discern what is false, and faithfully walk with Jesus when the excitement fades and ordinary life begins.
The world will continually pull impressionable minds toward its ways, often through enticing half-truths. Those ideas are especially dangerous because they are rarely presented as blatant lies. They often contain just enough truth to appear trustworthy while quietly leading young people away from Christ.
What you have described here is the kind of discipleship that prepares them to recognize those distortions and remain faithful through every season of life. Praying for you and your faithful work, brother.
I agree, man!
Youth ministry is a huge part of the reason why I'm here.
It's specifically because of people I encountered when I was a young adult, and in youth, that helped shape me into the person I am today.
They set me off on the path, like Obi-Wan Kenobi says to Luke, "You've just taken your first step into a much larger world."
Thanks for the encouragement about the work here!
I definitely have a lot more to say on this topic, and a lot more I want to write about it.
Bro, you get it. Also I love the words of your former youth pastor, so good. Thank you for the encouragement