Christ for Disciplers

Who is Jesus? Good question to ask, but even a better one to know the answer to. What will our kids answer? How do we train them know just what the answer is but how to express it in a way that others will be interested in? Our children will hear many different answers to this question and need to be ready to love the answer God’s word and the Holy Spirit has given.

The new generation is growing in a post Christian world where secularism dominates. Christian teachers, parents and mentors need to acknowledge this and disciple accordingly. This new world offers threats and opportunities. Our children are less likely to be half-hearted Christians. They will be all in or not in.

James Emery White says the youngest generation sees themselves as sexually fluid. Young celebrities have stated as much. They do not want to be forced to choose between boy or girl or for their partner to choose. We need to be diligent is discipling our children to love their gender and God's invention of marriage and evangelize those around them.

Will racism ever disappear? There will always be sin and sinners who love to push others down. But the next generation will not fit into the checkbox racial categories and will have global connections to all types of people.  Perhaps this will bring the world together in a a way that has never happened before. Whether this will be good for the spread of the Gospel will be seen.

How often are your children online? When they are not online, how long would it take for them to be? 10 years ago Google wasn't a verb -- now it takes my children 10 seconds to Google something. This means something good and bad for discipling our children in Jesus.

Our children are so different than us!  If you have ever said this, you are not alone and it is not your imagination.  James White writes about this in his book, "Generation Z." In my podcasts this week I will apply his five identified generation markers to our current work of discipleship.

Many people - church attenders and otherwise - have the wrong idea of what congregational life is. They might think church is for the cleaned up and to hang out with other good people -- like a country club. Jesus describes his church as a hospital with an emergency room and rehab. We need to train the next generation to see church Jesus' way.

Ever heard the advice, "Begin with the why." That guides leader to not be distracted by the end product or activity but focus instead on the core of what is happening.  The why motivated people.  Jesus knew his why and call us to have the same one and train the next generation in it.

God could have invented a world where eating was not necessary. But eating is a gift from God where we connect with others and open up lines of discipleship with mentees, children, and scholars from your classroom. Listen to hear about Jesus' discipleship dinner.

Whom do you follow on Twitter? Would you want to be like them or are you just curious enough to keep your distance. Jesus' call to discipleship is no distant call but a tight jump of no return. We need to follow Jesus closely if we want our children to follow Jesus by following us.