I was recently reading a helps sheet that came with a curriculum from Bill Wilson’s Metro Ministries in New York. They were detailing the difference between a “training” approach to classroom instruction and a “learning” approach. It brought to my attention the difference between the Mark 16 “Go ye” verse and the instructions in Matthew 28:19. In Matthew it didn’t just say go into the world and preach the gospel, it said to go “MAKE DISCIPLES.”
The essential difference between just teaching/preaching kids and discipling them is…relationship! Jesus was able to preach to and teach many, but the goal was to make disciples—those that would stay with Him and pursue a relationship with Him (there were actually more than just 12 by the way).
A preacher/teacher is necessary for the Word to be heard and understood! A preacher/teacher can make believers that do great works as we see in Matthew 28 (driving out demons, speaking with tongues, laying on hands, supernatural protection). But although being able to do great works may draw others to the gospel, it doesn’t necessarily cause them to continue in the Gospel. In fact, YOU can do great works and still have no ongoing relationship with Christ (see the sheep and goats story in Matthew 25).
A child discipler will go beyond teaching and preaching, they will make it their goal to effect a relationship between the learner and the Source of the wisdom and knowledge. That way the child not only applies the knowledge and wisdom to their lives, but they can continue in the relationship with the Source of it. In children’s ministries, our goal is not just to gain a number in our “audience” so to speak, nor is it to simply make “believers.” Our goal is to introduce children to their own personal, ongoing, committed relationship with Jesus Christ Himself.
What is required to be an effective teacher/preacher/discipler?…
1. You must know Him—His personality, His desires, His needs, His ways.
- That requires that you have a consistent, ongoing relationship with Him yourself. Think of this, you are representing the God of the universe and you are going to portray Him to others. You wouldn’t take it lightly if someone were going to represent you and your family, why would He take it lightly? You must have a heart to accurately and fully express Him.
2. You must love Him—enough to surrender your whole self to Him.
- Not hard at all if you know Him. He IS love! Think about what you do know of His personality, His desires, His needs, His ways and tell me that if everyone knew this about Him, they wouldn’t love Him too! It’s a no-brainer and yet, even our brains are capable of telling us that this God of ours has always had only our best at heart and has done all to prove it.
3. He must know you—your personality, your desires, your needs, your ways.
- Your commitment and consistency is required for God to trust you as well. He’s obviously not looking for a clone, simply a good representative that will carry forth His best. That should be someone that He can rest assured will continue with Him and consistently carry forth His heart as a faithful friend.
4. You must love others—regardless of their personality, desires, needs or ways
- You must make a decision that YOU want the best for others and that you want them to live the life that He sacrificed Himself for them to have. He has always been and will always be “all about us” so that we can be “all about others”!
Now don’t put undue pressure on yourself, we all GROW in our knowledge of Him, our love for Him, our commitment to Him and our love for others—IF WE STICK WITH IT! The amount of time that you have been with Him is NOT the main factor—check out the people that Jesus sent out to ministry, some of them had a ONE DAY turnaround. He healed their bodies, hearts, minds or spirits and then sent them out to tell others what they knew. Anyone that has been in ministry for an extended amount of time will tell you:
The more you know, the more you grow,
The more you grow, the more you flow,
The more you flow, the more you know,
and so on…
Children’s Ministries is obviously a big decision, to God and to us. But don’t just look at your past and what you know of yourself to determine whether you qualify, because it’s the relationship [with Him] that does the work! That will always be true—for us and for the kids!
Have a blessed week!
