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Joining Parents on The Spiritual Journey of Their Child
Several years ago, I was approached by a deacon’s wife in my church.
She said, “Clint, you are asking too much of these kids to require them to do a daily quiet time.”
She was a friend. I said, “Julie, it is a good thing for your daughter to have a daily quiet time.”
Well, about three month later, she came to me and said:
“You were right! I see a change in Amy’s life. You warned us not to give up, and you were correct.”
How dare me to require a child to do a daily quiet time! 😊
Step Five: Becoming an Effective Small Group Leader—"You Do!”
Don’t Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water
In ministry we must be cautious to make sure we are staying true to the calling of Christ to make disciples.
When I first started out in ministry, I was passionate about sharing the Good News of Christ with every lost child.
I would create fun events, lock-ins, retreats, etc.
Throughout the past 26 years, I led hundreds of children to Christ during these events.
As I have learned more and more about discipleship through the years, I realize I was not discipling the kids who were making decisions.
I was “throwing out the baby with the bath water.”
They would move up into the student ministry ill-prepared to face the battles they encountered as teenagers.
Step Four: Becoming an Effective Small Group Leader—"You Do, I Watch!”
One of my greatest joys in ministry is to watch children in whom I have poured my life flourish.
Watching them struggle with responsibility and then come out on the other side doing amazing things for the Lord is such a joy.
What I have learned in the past ten years is that when I incrementally give kids responsibilities beyond their abilities, they almost always step up to the plate.
One young lady who served with me for more than seven years told me during one of our mission trips, “I know what you are doing now.”
I said, “What’s that?” “You always give me the impossible, and after I go through it, I am looking for the next big thing that God will do in my life.”
She got it!