God has made it clear that Bible engagement is to be a fundamental component of discipleship. When we survey the Scriptures that tell us how to interact with God’s Word (diligently, as if looking for treasure, meditatively) and couple that with all the things the Word of God can do in an individual (change, restore, refresh), we see that the Bible plays a paramount role in the spiritual formation of our teens. But it can’t be Bible study in name only, we need to make sure our teens our biting into solid food.
With Bible study, it’s easy to slip into default patterns that cater to expedience. Now that the school year is well underway, it’s a good time to pause and re-calibrate. The questions below will give you an opportunity to give your discipleship efforts a quick check up with regard to giving students opportunity to engage in Scripture in life-changing ways.
- Do you have a Bible study with voluntary sign up?
With voluntary sign ups, you are giving God a chance to attract the hungry students. This also provides you with a qualified group that is giving you permission to go deeper. In turn, this gives the hungrier students an opportunity to get fed, an opportunity they are likely not to get in your other ministry programming.
- Does your discipleship effort allow for personal discovery in God’s Word?
Think about your deepest, most intense Bible time for students. Is it a small-group Bible study? Is it a talk by a leader? Is it retreats? In that time, is there opportunity for students to have solitude time with Scripture when they are in position to hear, without distraction and dilution, from God through His Word?
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- Do you program time to allow God’s Word to do what it says it will do?
This question may be the motivation behind question 2 above. Recall for a moment what the Word of God says it can do: revives the soul (Ps. 19:7); discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12); makes one wise for salvation (2 Tim. 3:15); equips for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16), to name just a few. If God’s Word can do all those things, when in our programming do we allow it to happen?
- Do students have opportunity to process with each other their personal discoveries in God’s Word?
Key phrase, “in God’s Word.” You’ll find an attractive dynamic to your group when students compare notes on their personal discoveries in Scripture. This also helps discussion stay Bible focused in that the key question becomes, “What is God saying?” rather than “What do you think about this?” The question of “what do you think?” is important, but it begs a richer answer when asked after the question “What is God saying?”
- Do students have opportunity to ask the basic application question of: What do I need to do?
If we have allowed students to engage first-hand in Scripture and have given them opportunity to hear from God through His Word, it boils down to a fundamental question for students: What do I need to do? The action may be an internal adjustment (accept who I am in Christ), or an external behavior change (lose the temper), or an outward act of obedience (feed the hungry). As leaders our role is to provide a clear pipeline between Scripture engagement and application.