Discipleship in the Classroom
““Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus tells us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Note that Jesus mentions teaching and discipleship in the same thought. That is because teaching is vital to the discipleship process. In the New American Commentary, Dr. Craig Blomberg writes, “The verb ‘make disciples’ also commands a kind of evangelism that does not stop after someone makes a profession of faith.” Blomberg describes the meaning of making disciples: “’ baptizing’ them and ‘teaching’ them obedience to all of Jesus’ commandments. The first of these will be a once-for-all, decisive initiation into Christian community. The second proves a perennially incomplete, life-long task.”[1] As teachers of God’s Word, it is clear that our job extends much further than a conversion date, but Blomberg says, “an incomplete, life-long task.” If we are faithful in our pursuit, we will successfully build the foundations of faith in our students, be mentors and role models, and pass on Biblical truth to a new generation of believers.
Building the Foundations of Faith
I remember my Old Testament Survey class in bible college; it was my first real step into Christian higher education, and honestly, I was intimidated. I had never sat under bible scholars and wasn’t sure if I was prepared for such a class. I quickly realized that those weekly Sunday school lessons had paid off! It seemed like I knew at least a portion of every lecture. My Sunday school teachers had planted the seeds of Biblical knowledge, and I didn’t even realize it then. I am thankful for the teachers who invested their time and effort into my discipleship process. Much of this blog talks about bringing excellence and getting better at the craft of teaching, but let’s not forget that we operate under God’s grace. Many times, we fall short of God’s standards, but His grace is sufficient. We can do our best, make mistakes, and trust that the Holy Spirit can take our little and do great things.
Mentoring Your Students
When I reflect on my time in youth ministry and think about the individuals who have filtered through our programs, I am encouraged by those who have decided to accept the call into full-time ministry and those who have committed be ambassadors of the faith in their professions and their households. I like to think that we, as a church, played some role in guiding their decision-making. I often analyze what my responsibilities as a pastor are. I am continually reminded by the Holy Spirit of the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:11, which says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” As a pastor, shepherd, and teacher, I see it as my responsibility to use my giftings to equip the coming generation to do the work of the ministry. We all have the opportunity to pitch in and make a lasting impact on the lives of our students. Let me encourage you to be faithful in everything you do regarding raising the next generation of believers.
Passing Wisdom to a New Generation
One of the saddest portions of the Old Testament is the back and forth in Judges that occurs through the generations. People would see God act in mighty ways, and the entire population would see and believe in God, but then a couple of generations would pass, and they would be wicked in the eyes of the Lord because they did not know the things of God. I would like to think that if the Israelites had a strong Sunday school program, this wouldn’t have happened! Undoubtedly, we see trends in our culture that trouble us, and many of us agree that our culture needs a shift back toward a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. One of the best avenues the church has for bringing about this type of shift is Christian education, and unfortunately, many churches are leaving this ministry on the sidelines. Young people today are left to sift through mountains of information they find on social networking sites like TikTok, where influencers who master algorithms gain traction in the minds of our youth. We must carry the mantle of teaching the Bible and raise sons and daughters within our church and greater community.
“Young people today are left to sift through mountains of information they find on social networking sites like TikTok, where influencers who master algorithms gain traction in the minds of our youth.”
When we accept the Great Commission, we commit ourselves to helping others become the people God has called them to be. What an incredible responsibility, but as Jesus closes out His Great Commission, He reminds us that we are not alone and that He is with us even to the end of the age. Ministry in all contexts can be extremely lonesome, and sometimes, we feel wholly inadequate, unqualified, and an imposter in our classrooms. We must remember that we have an adversary who will try to talk us out of what God has called us to do. Listen to the Word of God and what it tells us to do, and God will take care of the rest.
[1] Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 431.
