by Patrick Dirrim
Whether you are a parent of students or are a youth worker in your local church it is important you know where you are aiming. God’s Word says children are like arrows in the hands of a warrior and it's important we don’t just sling our arrows anywhere. We need to aim at a specific target if we want to actually hit that target.
The target we are aiming at is a discipled student who is strong in their faith. But how can we tell where our student is on the "discipled scale?” I believe there are four main spheres that all students—Christian or non-Christian—relate to as they grow and mature. They relate to God’s Word, the church, other people, and the world. A discipled student is one who relates to those four spheres in particular ways which demonstrates they are different than those around them and different than they themselves used to be.
I want to stress that there is no “arriving” at the completed state—so no student (and no 70-year-old man) is ever fully discipled. This is a continuous ongoing process of life-long conformity to the character and priorities of Jesus Christ. We look to Him to see how we are doing and we also look at ourselves now to compare our current status to ourselves six months ago, a year ago, or more. The goal is a continual gradual upward trend in our conformity to Jesus Christ.
The Word
The first and most significant relationship a student will have is with the Word of God. A discipled student rightly relates to God’s Word by viewing it as the authoritative standard which shapes and molds their understanding of who they are, what they do, and where they are going.
Here are some characteristics to look for in your student to help determine how rightly they are relating to the Word. Such a student…
- has a God-centered vision for their life (1 Cor 10:31; Ps 86:12)
- is firmly established in the faith and in doctrine (2 Tim 3:14-17)
- clearly understands and embraces the Gospel (2 Cor 4:3-4; 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 2:8-9)
- clearly understands and embraces a Biblical worldview (2 Cor 10:5; Eph 4:22-25)
- firmly grasps what Biblical manhood and womanhood are (Gen 2:15; Eph 5:22-33).
The Church
The second relationship a student will have is with the church. A discipled student rightly relates to the church by being fully integrated into the life of the local church and by using their gifts within that church. They understand the value and significance of the church as Christ’s body where His people come to worship and serve Him.
They understand that church is more than simply coming to get but is also where they come to serve just as Jesus served. Such a student…
- is fully integrated into the life and ministry of the church (Eph 4:11-14)
- understands and fruitfully uses their gifts within the church (1 Cor 112:4-26; Rom 12:3-8).
This is fundamentally different from how many churches view the next generation in their church. Too often they are cleaved from the body, taught separately or even worse, only entertained. It is important that parents and workers with students do all they can to foster a high view of the bride of Christ both personally and within their family and church.
Other People
The third relationship a student will have is with other people. A discipled student rightly relates to other people in a way that reflects God’s design marked by honor, wisdom, and love. In general, “other people” in the life of a student can be broken down into three categories. Such a student…
- has a balanced and healthy relationship with parents (Eph 6:1-3; Lev 19:3; Prov 20:20)
- has a balanced and healthy relationship with peers (Prov 18:24; 27:9; 17:17)
- has a balanced and healthy relationship with other adults.
This student realizes that their most important relationship is with the parents God gave them as they seek to obey and honor them. They further understand both the value as well as the potential danger of their peers and choose wisely whom they will spend their time with. Finally this student also recognizes the value of other adults and how they can be used by God to help conform them into the image of Jesus.
The World
The fourth relationship a student will have is with the world. A discipled student rightly relates to the world with prudent confidence knowing that it has both common grace benefits while at the same time can be equally dangerous to them and their faith. Such a student…
- lives courageously in the world (2 Tim 1:7; 1 Jn 4:18; Ps 119:80; Rom 1:16)
- seeks to deliberately engage others within their sphere with the Gospel (Matt 28:18-20)
- is informed about and invested in proclaiming Christ to the nations (Acts 1:8).
This student does not shelter herself from the world. Rather, she seeks to live boldly for Christ while participating in the world whether that be on a sporting team, in a club, at work, at school, or with her peers. She is intentional in sharing the Gospel with her unsaved friends and also seeks to apply Gospel truths to the lives of her Christian friends.
Conclusion
No one ever arrives at being fully discipled. Likewise, no one will ever be discipled if we don’t know where we are aiming. May the focus on these four spheres serve to clarify what the target is as we seek to raise the next generation to set their hope in God.
The content of this blog was largely drawn from a document created and shared by David Michael. For more on setting a target for youth discipleship, watch the webinar The Four Relationships of a Well-Discipled Student.
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Patrick Dirrim is Pastor for Students and Families at Grace Fellowship of South Forsyth and is Chairman of Truth78's Board of Directors.
