Disciplemaking Ministry: Communication of the Word
In this youth ministry equipping and training series, we are now focused on ways youth ministry workers and leaders may help to create environments in which ministry development may flourish.
Looking at the ministry of Jesus and the New Testament church, we observe important disciplemaking ministry foundations—essential environmental factors that facilitate healthy growth. In this article, we examine prayerful dependence, the third of six foundations.
Inspiring event
This article continues a series examining the foundations of disciplemaking youth ministry. These foundations are essential characteristics that establish ministry environments within which the Holy Spirit advances our Lord’s Great Commandment-Great Commission work. In this article, we look at communication of the Word—the foundation that leads to Word-directed disciples.
In writing that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16a) Paul reminds us that God inspired the writing of the Bible. He also notes that the Spirit uses Scripture to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (3:15b). Indeed the focus of the Bible is the gospel—the good news of God’s gift of salvation in Jesus. This salvation is a gift (we can’t earn it), and we receive and continue to experience this gift as we place our trust (faith) in Christ Jesus.
 |
| Scripture is a tool of the Spirit to bring us to Jesus. To study Scripture apart from this purpose is to miss its message. |
Within this essential Christ-centered, gospel-focused context, all Scripture (including the Old Testament to which Paul specifically refers) is, indeed, “useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work” (3:16b-17, NRSV).
A disciplemaking youth ministry cooperates with the Holy Spirit in this equipping by skillfully and persistently presenting the gospel through the teaching of Scripture. As young people encounter the gospel, many who are lost are found; many of the found begin to grow; and many grow to where they become equippers of others—ably using Scripture to advance the Lord’s disciplemaking good work on earth.
As youth ministry workers and parents, our challenge is clear. We must present the gospel through the teaching of Scripture in ways that engage our children, teens and college-age young adults. Thank God that we have access to many great teaching resources to assist us.
If you haven’t done so recently, why not visit a good Bible bookstore to examine some of what is available? If you’re looking for resource recommendations, feel free to contact me at Ted.Johnston@gci.org. Also, I encourage you to attend one of our regional conferences, which have displays of youth ministry teaching resources and some breakout sessions concerning teaching children and teens. In addition, you may have the opportunity to attend one of our YouthBuilders seminars in your area.
Let me hasten to add, however, that there is no magic teaching resource or method out there. More than any specific resource or approach, we who are teachers (including parents) need a profound and continuing personal encounter with the Word of God.
Effective teachers prayerfully spend time getting to know God in the Scriptures, and then share how his Word has impacted their own lives. This is essential because our goal is to see Scripture transform lives, not merely inform minds. And so we, as teachers, must personally study the Bible and allow it to transform our lives.
Filled with God’s Word, we then seek to teach effectively the gospel-centered message of Scripture to our students. In that regard, let me share an approach that I have found to be quite useful in teaching youths of all ages (and adults too!). It’s a way to structure your lessons with your students in mind. This approach is summarized in the acronym HBLT, which stands for hook, book, look, took.
Hook
With any audience (youths in particular) you have only a short time to connect. The purpose of the hook is to grab attention. In designing your hook, ask yourself, how will this lesson be relevant to my students? How can I help them become excited about this lesson?
In short, start by connecting with the real interests and needs of your students. What’s on their minds? What are they struggling with? What are their joys? Their sorrows? Their frustrations? Connect using a hook—often in the form of a story, perhaps a piece of music, maybe a testimony from one of the students or from your own life.
Book
The focus of our teaching must be Scripture. Our goal is to get youths into the Word so that the Word might get into them. But a word of caution—the Bible is diverse; it covers a lot of territory and spans thousands of years. Certainly all Scripture has tremendous teaching value—but remember the purpose for all Scripture—it is given to us to lead us to Christ.
Jesus himself told some experts in the Hebrew Scriptures (what we call the Old Testament): “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39-40).
Scripture is a tool of the Spirit to bring us to Jesus. To study Scripture apart from this purpose is to miss its message. So get your students into Scripture, but do so to get them connected with Jesus’ life and his gospel. To do so is to have what might be called a Christ-centered, gospel-focused approach to teaching. That’s what we want because that’s what our students need.
As you discuss a particular passage or story from Scripture, make it interesting. Make it an experience—not merely a presentation. Remember how students learn at various age levels and teach in ways that will involve and excite them at that age. Drama is a wonderful tool. Rather than merely reading a passage of Scripture, lead your students in enacting the scene.
Also, don’t be afraid to help your students memorize passages of Scripture. Young minds are like sponges, and helping them soak up Scripture will help plant gospel truth into their impressionable minds.
Look
The purpose of the look step is to provide a bridge from Scripture into the lives of the students. It’s vital for students to understand clearly how the wisdom and power of Scripture applies to the real issues they face day to day. By constructing this bridge you’ll help students understand that Christ is the living Savior who cares about them personally and that his way is relevant to their daily lives.
A helpful approach is to share your personal stories (and those of others) to illustrate how the gospel has changed your life. It’s also helpful to engage them in a group discussion of how the passage of Scripture being discussed relates to contemporary life.
Took
In the final step the teacher moves from illustration to application (from look to took). An encounter with the Word of God is not complete without an appropriate response. And so the teacher lovingly, yet clearly invites a response by presenting example applications of what is being addressed in the passage being discussed. Multiple examples are best, because it is rare for one application to be universally relevant. By offering multiple examples, students are encouraged to be open to the work the Spirit will do to apply the teaching to their individual lives.
To help in the application process, it’s effective to provide follow-up opportunities to implement the lesson learned. For example, a service project might be conducted through which students live out a teaching on serving others.
As youth ministry leaders and workers, let’s commit to growing in our ability to establish and maintain the ministry foundation of the communication of the Word. As we do, we’ll see our students become more and more Word-directed in their daily lives. In this way they will mature as disciplemaking followers of Jesus Christ.
I crept closer to the circle of about 20 adolescent boys to listen in on their conversation. They were standing in a circle, hands clasped. And they were praying. As I stood and listened to these 14-, 15- and 16-year-old boys pouring their hearts out to Jesus, tears filled my eyes. The notion that they would be praying at all was something to celebrate. That they would do so with others like themselves was even better. But to listen to the intense, focused prayers that they offered was truly inspiring.
Jesus created an environment punctuated by prayerful dependence. I have often mused over the fact that Jesus, fully God and fully man, would put such a premium on prayer. His desire to be fully connected to the Father should be a powerful reminder of our need to, as Paul said, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
One of the most remarkable insights on Jesus’ priority of prayer is found in Mark 1:35. Here, after a day of preaching, driving out demons, healing Peter’s mother-in-law, then performing miracles on behalf of the “whole town” (verse 33), Jesus must have been exhausted. Surely after a day like that, he had every right to sleep in.
Instead, we find Jesus getting up “very early in the morning, while it was still dark” to go to a solitary place to pray. The Gospels have numerous references to Jesus’ praying.
What others have said
Much has been said and written about prayer. Evangelist Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) wrote: “Some people think God does not like to be troubled with constant coming and asking. The only way to trouble God is not to come at all.” Further, Moody said: “We are not told that Jesus ever taught his disciples how to preach, but he taught them how to pray. He wanted them to have power with God; then he knew they would have power with man.”
Corrie ten Boom, who offered refuge to Jews in Holland during World War II, said the following: “As a camel kneels before his master to have him remove his burden at the end of the day, so kneel each night and let the Master take your burden.” Ten Boom continued: “If you have some time on your hands, spend part of it on your knees.”
Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910), one of Britain’s most famous preachers, wrote: “The true end of prayer is to get our wills harmonized with his, not to bend his with ours.” And author C.S. Lewis wrote: “If we were perfected, prayer would not be a duty, it would be delight. Some day, praise God, it will be.”
How important is prayer?
So the question is, how much emphasis does your youth group, your congregation or your family place on prayer? How important is it to you? How important is it to seek an audience with the all-powerful, almighty God? What does it mean to us that, under the new covenant, we have instantaneous access to the throne room of the universe?
One thing that can be said with confidence: a youth group or congregation that places a premium on prayerful dependence will enhance the likelihood of growth for the congregation or youth group.
A key suggestion with respect to this topic is to enlist concerned adults and students who will pray specifically and consistently for the needs of youth ministry. One way to do this is through the formation of what are called prayer triplets. In a prayer triplet, you identify two other people who will gather 20 minutes a week to pray specifically for spiritually lost friends and one another’s growth.
Another idea is to conduct a concert of prayer, where a facilitator leads a group through a series of focused prayers. Some have chosen this format to do nothing but pray in either a congregational setting or at a youth activity. Others sprinkle appropriate worship and praise music that corresponds to the focus of the prayer. Some congregations with few youths may wish to discuss whether they truly are interested in growing youth ministry. If the answer is yes, the next positive step would be to bathe the issue in prayer.
Regardless of format or approach, prayer means spending time with God. Talking with him. Listening for his response. Sharing with others who are interested in communing with God.
Being intentional in prayer is one of the most important hallmarks of an environment that is likely to enjoy tremendous spiritual growth. It is also an important way to fulfill the Great Commandment. Certainly talking to and with God is a tremendous way to show him that you love him with your whole heart, soul and mind.
