The title of this post may make it seem like this is a “how-to” on discipling students; however, it’s just a story of how I saw God move in a particular student. I learned a lot along the way.
In the first few years of marriage, my wife and I served in student ministry. We grew up immersed in student programs and had been deeply shaped by leaders and pastors who invested in us. We loved that season of growing up and wanted to give away what we had been given! So, we jumped in as small group leaders in our local church, her serving the girls and me the guys. We went into it with a shared, deep desire to see our students grow in hunger for Jesus and His Word.
Around the same time, Cortney and I had the privilege of walking through some of Dann Spader’s work on walking like Jesus. We were discovering in that season that Jesus was a master of asking questions—questions that were the right questions at the right time in the right way. “Questions seem to open doors in people’s hearts and minds,” Dann would say. We saw that to be true and began working on listening and asking good questions in our groups.
I was thrilled with the kinds of conversations we were having in our group, but it didn’t seem like anyone was having an “aha” moment where hunger was stirred within them for more of God. Until one day when we were reading in Matthew chapter 7.
It says in verses 21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
For one of my students, we will call Jason, the words “I never knew you” jumped off the page. Jesus opened a door in Jason’s heart to receive the truth that He wanted to know him personally.
Pause.
I shared all the things about the questions for a couple of reasons. I believe we were being obedient in following Jesus’ methods and model to create space and opportunities for getting to know Jesus. We prayed with intentionality and planned well. When we were in the moment, we paid attention to how the Spirit was leading. Those are good things, but those things alone aren’t what made the difference. Jesus used our obedience to set the stage for what only His power could do. It’s Him. It’s His power and His love. It’s not us. However, Jesus has invited us to play a significant role in partnering with Him to love, share truth about Him, and create space where He can come and do what only He can do.
Jason was ready to know Jesus at the level Jesus wanted to be known. There’s so much more to his story and journey, but I want to share one more part.
We began meeting regularly and diving into things like Bible reading, prayer, and identity. I noticed over time that no matter how much I told him or “taught him” about prayer and being with Jesus, it wasn’t quite clicking for him. He was still confused and not totally sure what to do in those alone times.
Then the Lord prompted me, “Stop trying to tell him what to do—just do it with him.”
“Aha” moment.
We went into the auditorium where we were meeting and knelt before the Lord. I brought him into what I do when I sit before the Lord and literally just had him do it with me.
It clicked. He said, “I have never experienced anything like that before. I didn’t know I could talk to God like that and that He would meet me here.”
I was being discipled as I was learning to disciple. Jesus is good like that.
I am encouraged as I remember this journey to keep asking for opportunities to share my life with others, and I hope you will too.
Jesus is on the move. Let’s move with Him.