If you do youth ministry and you haven’t read Simple Student Ministry I would commend it to you. It challenges you to answer the question, “what is your discipleship process?” At Oneighty, we basically have two weekly programs that are intended for discipleship: our large group meetings and our small groups. In our large groups, we will preach through particular books of the Bible or topics. In small groups, we discuss and apply the biblical content that was covered in our large groups. Small groups are an integral part of how we disciple our teens for a number of reasons. But here are three.
-
Small groups allow us to see how much our teens caught from the sermon. One of the earliest measures of a sermon’s impact on our teens is how the discussion goes in small groups. For example, one time I used the analogy of our growth in grace as being like a seed growing. We may water or ensure sufficient sunlight, but God produces growth. One teen was able to remember the seed and the plants, but didn’t remember how it connected to the big picture. This communicates to me that I need to do a better job of connecting the biblical content to the illustrations I use.
-
Small groups allow our teens to connect with an adult leader. Our discipleship process is dependent upon teens building meaningful and Christ-centered relationships with adult leaders. In these mentor relationships, teens are encouraged and challenged to grow in their faith, and provided with some accountability.
-
Small groups allow our teens to connect with one another. One of the most spiritually formative times in my life was in college when I met with other brothers in Christ, praying and seeking God. These relationships shaped my love and pursuit of God. And while we aren’t working with college students, I want for our small groups to be a similar environment of spiritual growth, where teens “stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24, ESV).
Certainly small groups are not the whole of our ministry. But they are an integral part. Do small groups play a role in your discipleship process, and if so, how?