There is a huge need for making more disciples! There are 1.6 billion youth globally, and Jesus loves them all. That number is vast and overwhelming! How can we reach so many?
Discipleship is Making Disciples
God desires for each and every individual to have a personal relationship with Him. That is why NNYM holds a core value: "A LIFE OF DISCIPLESHIP which is reproducing an on-going chain of maturing believers." We will not reach every young person unless our networks cooperate to develop more teenaged disciple-makers.
The other day, Cat, 19, shared with me about the internship program she had joined at her church. "It was the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. We had a tight community and there was accountability. I grew so much." Through this opportunity, she joined our network, helped with a community-wide worship night and equipped teenagers to share Jesus on campus.
Young women like Cat give us hope of fulfilling God's call in Matthew 28:18-20:
"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
Students, like Cat, that live out their commitment, character, competence and connections are transformed by Jesus into disciple-makers. So how can our ministry networks help equip more young leaders like that? Consider these four qualities:
Commitment
A disciple is one who follows his or her leader in every aspect of their life, not on just one day a week. Jesus says "I am with you always." He is fully commited to us. In order to make disciples we also need to be fully commited to Him. As we abide in Christ, we present a model that helps others to do the same. It is the overflow principle. Our lives need to be solidly connected to Jesus so that His love overflows into those we are discipling. Our ministry networks need to be vehicles to encourage each of us in our walks with Jesus - even as we equip teenagers in their walks with Christ.
Character
From our commitment comes our character. It is the reflection of God's attributes in our lives. And our character influences those around us.
We can only multiply the kind of person that we are. The Apostle Paul said, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1). As we live life in front of teenagers, personally applying Scripture, they can catch what we are modeling. As we are daily being transformed by the truth of God's Word within you, teenagers will be attracted to Christ.
And, our networks are simply an extension of that — living out the life of Jesus together to our community. Jesus said that doing that collectively would draw people to Him (John 17:23)
Competencies
As we make disciples, we need to equip them with the skills they need to equip others. Cat was able to equip others because she had been equipped herself. We glorify God by using our talents, treasures and time to serve others. We need to build into teenagers the life skills and evangelism skills they need to thrive. In the same way, one measure of our disciple-making in our networks is when equipped teenagers are equipping others to share their faith.
Connections
In most communities, there is "one church and many congregations." We need to connect with one another in order that others will know Jesus is God. And we need to empower those in our community around us so that they, following our example, can also live out commitment, character, competencies and connection in their sphere of influence. In this way, our ministry network becomes the reflection of the Church with a big "C" rather than just our own individual churches.
Working Together
Working together is the only way we can ever reach and disciple 1.6 billion young people!. God intends to use the interconnectedness of the entire body with its gifts to make disciples of all nations. For Cat, it was her connection with her church and ministry network that empowered her to equip disciple-makers.
If you need some encouragement about disciple-making within your network, connect with a network coach who can assist you in the process. Also, you can refer to the article "Why Equipping is so Important" or, use the following interactive handout to help you implement these truths into your ministry network.
Disciple-Making: Interactive
As you consider how to disciple youth in your community, here are some questions to encourage others to live out a lifestyle of reproducing disciples. You'll find this applies both to you individually as well as to your network.
Commitment
- How would you evaluate how you are doing in your journey to "abide with Christ?
- How can you help others around you connect deeper in their relationships with Christ?
Character
- What examples can you give of how your character reflects to those you are discipling?
- What character qualities do you want to instill in those you are equipping to make disciples?
Competencies
- What skills do those you are leading need to sharpen?
- What skills do you see youth workers needing to develop in your community?
Connection
- How can you work together with others to equip teenagers to be disciple-makers?
- What can your network do to encourage disciple-making?