Discipleship on a Youth Group Level

By Greg Stier, Op-ed Contributor Friday, March 13, 2009

Discipleship on a youth group level is much more than helping teenagers to understand God's Word and live godly lives. It is the process of inspiring and equipping teenagers to embrace the cause of Christ as their very own.

Until they embrace His personal cause they miss the point of all their theological training and lifestyle choices: to glorify God by exponentially advancing the kingdom of God in their circle of influence. Jesus Himself said that His purpose was to "seek and save what was lost." In other words, discipleship means more than helping teenagers adopt the theology and characteristics of Christ but His cause as well.

Behind each of His powerful miracles, simple parables, gentle touches and scathing rebukes was a heart that beat, burned and broke for those who were lost. His unparalleled passion to rescue the perishing transferred in full force to His disciples. The book of Acts is proof of this. Since the time He walked the earth until now every great spiritual awakening has reverberated with prayer, personal holiness and His unchanging cause as it's evangelistic epicenter.

If we want our youth ministries to experience true revival that echoes the great awakenings of old, then evangelism must be more than a casual outcome of our discipleship strategies. It must be the driving force behind them.