Thanks to a new leader (and parent) in our group who is passionate about teaching, I have been trying to discern where God might be leading us in terms of teaching and discipleship. Here are some principles I believe come from the Bible about the subject:
Discipleship occurs in relationships, usually one-on-one (for example, Paul-Timothy), and when in groups, the groups are smaller rather than larger (Jesus and the 12).
There is something to be said for learning content (such as facts or where different passages appear in the Bible). However, Jesus always accompanied such teaching with illustrations and parables, and connected the dots for his hearers from the abstract (such as the fact that God has forgiven us a whole lot of sin) to the concrete (such as the idea that if we don't forgive a brother or sister, it's like being forgiven a debt of millions and millions of dollars, then turning around and making a big deal over maybe a few hundred dollars we are owed).
Jesus welcomed interaction, and this often helped those he taught to discover the truth by working through it. Example: Matthew 19:16-30.
Jesus was not afraid to point out incorrect thinking (see Matthew 16:23). No matter how laid back we try to be as youth leaders, there is something to be said for being clear and firm from whatever pulpit God has given us, whether it's a booth at McDonald's or up front on a Sunday morning. I did not grow up in the church, so I am at times surprised by the weight a student will give what I say simply because I am a licensed pastor.
So, for three weeks this Spring, we will do an experiment that we may keep: instead of a large group gathering, we will have four "learning groups" (they are not small groups, we already have a "GO Group" ministry) consisting of 20-30 students led by qualified teachers. Students will choose one of those groups to be a part of during those three weeks, and in those groups, they will have a chance to really dig into a particular topic. The idea is that there will be room for interaction, discussion, and discovery. My hope is that there would not just be more learning taking place in these groups, but that students would learn how to learn, and how to apply what they learn to their walk with Jesus. We're still fleshing out the details, but I'm excited to see where this experiment will take us. Because I'm just not that convinced that our large group gathering does a great job enriching our students' relationship with Jesus every week or helping students who don't know Christ to learn more about Him and begin a saving relationship with Jesus.
