Quite a while ago I was called up out of the blue by one of the students from my first youth ministry. She’s 20 now and calls up very excitedly asking if she can take me out to lunch to tell me about all the great things God is doing in her life since I finished my role at that church over two years ago
Now, we all know the VERY first rule in youth ministry is “don’t turn down a free lunch”, however it wasn’t the free food that got me excited about this meeting. It was the chance to hear more of her story and hear how Jesus had totally transformed her life since we last saw each other.
Over lunch she tells me of all the great things that have happened. About how she’s loving reading her Bible, about how she’s using her gifts in the church, about how she’s beginning to lead a small group and sing in the band. However, she also opened up and shared some of the harder times of her journey with Jesus and shared a genuine vulnerability about how it’s incredibly hard to be a Christian in her family. Yet in spite of whatever hardship and difficulty, her hope was in Jesus.
As I was sitting there listening to her story and I was absolutely overcome because this student, this ratbag rebel, too-cool-for-youth-group kid I’d had the chance to lead a few years ago, had learnt to really follow and trust in Jesus. She’s become more than a “youth grouper”… she’s become a disciple. Seeing discipleship come to life in her is one of those sweet moments for a youth leader, and I couldn’t be happier we had lunch.
As we were walking back through the car park to go our separate ways, she grabs my arm and with tears in her eyes says “Brad, I can’t thank you enough for being the person who showed me Jesus.” I was speechless. Now, because we hadn’t seen each other in a few years, and at that stage she was still very new in her faith, I was slightly confused. I asked her what events or activities or things she attended where she heard me teach about Jesus that made such an impact on her? And she said this one line which I’ll never forget. “No one event. You just made me feel like I belonged from the very first night at youth group, and every night since you showed me how to follow Jesus…just by being you.”
And this time I was REALLY speechless. It’s like all I’ve ever had to offer God was pocket lint and dryer fluff, yet still He comes and makes something beautiful out of it.
There would be HUNDREDS of discipleship strategies about how we as youth leaders can engage our students in following Jesus. So when the Apostle Paul writes “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 11:1 perhaps one of the best strategies is revealed?
Belonging Before Believing is really about Followship.
From my experience it’s got nothing to do with what program we do, or how many kids are in the band, or what small group curriculum we use. But if you as a leader can be a person secure in Jesus that they can follow and you can SHOW them what it’s like to be a disciple, then I’m convinced God will do something beautiful with that.
Love liberally, forgive freely, give generously. Follow Christ and show them!
Express kindness, explore vulnerability, serve humbly. Follow Christ and show them!
Weep publically, take offense lightly, be genuinely empathetic. Follow Christ and show them!
When we live life openly and with integrity for our students to see and have character that’s rooted in Christ, we’re already modelling what it’s like to walk the way of Jesus. Then whatever tools, or programs, or events we run beyond that will enhance what Jesus is already doing within us (and if you’d like a book that explains the importance of character, check out Integrity by Dr Henry Cloud, brilliant read!).
So my tip for young youth leaders is find yourself a mentor. Find a coach who sets the example and follows Jesus in everything they do and then imitate them as they imitate Christ. Walk with them and follow in their footsteps until you too learn how to follow Jesus.
And when you’ve journeyed with your mentor for long enough for you to have an inkling what it’s like to follow Jesus, take them out to lunch and thank them for showing you. Because when we begin to move next to someone and journey towards Christ side by side as disciples, it’s like iron sharpening iron…and THAT’S the sweetest spot I’ve discovered in ministry so far. And imagine if we could discover that with our students.
Article written by Brad Case. Brad works with SU Qld and loves to talk youth ministry and brainstorm all kinds of different ways to engage in discipleship and leadership. If you’d like to catch up with Brad, feel free to call SU and he’d love to connect with you.
