By Rick Rosati, Associate Pastor of Students and Outreach at Lancaster Alliance Church
Although discipling students can be challenging, it is a worthwhile investment when done effectively. This begs the question what does effective disciple-making look like in student ministry, and how do we go about it?
Even though caring adults have invested in student ministry for years, several nuances in our current culture are worth exploring as we seek to lead students and their families in following Jesus.
Nuance #1
Making disciples in student ministry is highly relational. However, the relationships are unique. Adolescents often ask themselves, “Is this a person I should invest my time, energy, and effort with?” Additionally, parents often ask similar questions related to who they trust with their students.
For example, a few years ago, I was meeting with a student we will call Michael. Michael was having some challenges with his parents. Although the issues were significant, his parents saw small changes when I spent time with the student. This interaction developed trust and opened opportunities to work through the challenges on a deeper level and a chance to share the gospel with everyone involved.
So, as we engage in disciple-making, a question to ask ourselves is, “Is the relationship I am providing worth their investment?”
Nuance #2
Making disciples in student ministry is about Jesus. This statement might seem obvious, but there is often a communication gap between what we say and what others hear.
One time I was teaching a class of students who had grown up in church. I asked the students what it meant to be a disciple. Their response varied from “wasn’t Moses a disciple?” to “were those the guys that followed Jesus?” In digging deeper, it became clear that their definition of disciple-making was limited to certain people at certain times. They did not realize that their relationship with Jesus involved disciple-making.
As we engage in disciple-making, a question to ask ourselves is, “How often am I talking about Jesus when I communicate?”
Nuance #3
Student ministry discipleship starts where the student is. At one point, I was consistently meeting with a student who faced several high expectations. His parents were in ministry and strongly felt that God was calling their son to ministry. As a result, they continued to push him toward vocational ministry.
The challenge became that he was not sensing a call in that season. God may call him into ministry, but that is not where he is currently. Jesus meets people where they are at throughout the Gospels, not where others think they should be. Meeting people where they are at is where disciple-making starts.
As we engage in disciple-making, a question to ask ourselves is, “Am I attempting to lead students from where they are or where I (or anyone else) think they should be?”
These nuances are not earth-shattering, but our understanding of these things has significant implications. The desire to share and demonstrate the gospel as individuals who lead and represent Jesus to our current generation is essential to student discipleship.
