New School Year
I think we can all agree that the past year or so has not been an easy one. Our country and our world has been faced with uncertainty and hurt that has caused division and discord among families, friends, churchs, schools, and communities. As your students head back into a new school year, they will be faced with controversy and worldviews that may cause them to ask hard questions. Being aware of this will help you to be proactive when it comes to answering those hard questions and will allow you to always bring your students back to the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ.
When the world is trying to tell your students how to think, what to believe, and who to listen to, it is crucial for the church, your student ministry, and even your office to be a place where your students know they can come to get solid, biblical advice from someone who truly cares about them.
Being a Christian student and being an ambassador for Christ are very different things, and believe it or not, your students are capable of understanding that concept. It’s time for student ministries to go deeper with their students and show them how to truly be on fire for the Lord. Part of this comes from discipleship, mentors, and accountability. Teach your students that they don’t have to go through the recurring pattern of being a fire for the Lord when they are around similar minded people, and then becoming lukewarm once they are back in school. Show them the importance of Christian community and fellowship with likeminded believers, but also teach them that being a Christian isn’t always easy and most times it will not look like summer camp. It can be lonely, hard, and it is a constant battle against temptation and sin. There is a war going on for each of your students’ souls, and they have to personally decide which side they want to be on. Your students will never mature in their walk with Christ if they are not taught past a surface level of faith. In Hebrews 5 and 6, Paul talks about this, saying
“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward into maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts the lead to death and of faith in God,” (Hebrews 5:13-6:1)
How are some ways that your students can begin to grow and go deeper in their faith?
Allow them to serve
When your students understand the importance of serving and getting plugged in, they begin to cultivate a deeper community built on service and humility.
2. Make available Bible studies that go deeper into a topic or book
There will be a variety of walks within your student ministry, and there will be new Christians who may need to start with the milk of Christianity. However, there are many students who need a push to dive deeper into their faith, especially as they head back to school. Have studies available to them that will allow for spiritual maturation and community that will continually hold them accountable to the Word of God.
3. Finally, implementing a discipleship program
Discipleship does not have to be just within your student ministry. Get the older generations of your church involved and allow your students to learn from those father along in ther faith. Allow your students to disciple one another and even mentor those who may be spiritually younger. When the church becomes cohesive, it becomes strong.
As your students start this new school year, walk beside them and help them become independent in their faith. Be upfront, speaking in truth and in grace. They crave something deeper than the surface level, and your job is to help raise them up as the next generation of believers on fire for t
