Discipleship...what is it? And why would I want my student to be involved in it?
A disciple is simply a follower of Christ and discipleship is a fancy word to describe the process of spiritual growth as a disciple.
Christ had many disciples who would follow Him from city to city as He performed miracles and preached the saving truth of the Gospel. He also had a core group of twelve who He discipled in a smaller, more intimate setting. He was teaching these twelve individuals what it meant to be His follower and equipping them to live on mission to share the Gospel with the lost and to build up other believers in the same way He had for them.
Jesus was making disciples who make disciples.
This is exactly what our goal is with BY Transform. Our goal is to imitate the model of discipleship that Jesus exemplified for us with His twelve. All Christians are called to follow Him and lead others to follow Him as well. We have been called to be disciples who make disciples.
BY Transform
BY Transform is a brand-new ministry being launched this October in Berean Youth. It is intended for students who are ready to dig deeper into their faith. Committed students are prayerfully matched with a mentor and placed in a pair or triad depending on their preference.
BY Transform creates space for students to develop a meaningful relationship with a believer who’s a few steps ahead of them. Together, they ponder their personal testimony and flesh out what they believe on an individual level, making their faith their own. It also challenges them to consider how the Lord is growing them and the steps He’s calling them to take.
Students and mentors meet every other week over the course of one academic school year. During this time, they will have guided discussions, work through a Bible reading plan and explore different ways to interact with the Lord and other believers on a regular basis. Our hope is that as high school students grow through BY Transform, they will be equipped to disciple others, including a Berean middle school student in the subsequent years and others who cross their path in years to come.
This spring we soft-launched this new ministry and I could not be more excited about the fruit that came out of just six weeks of regular meetings. Much time, prayer and care went into making the student-mentor matches. But even so, only God could have perfected the smallest of details in these relationships. Unique and honest questions were asked and answered, and fueled students' desires for spiritual growth and learning. It has been a privilege to witness God’s hand from the beginning of this ministry.
Pray for Our Students
Join me in praying that through this discipleship ministry, students will become even more confident in what they believe and where they stand with the Lord. Let's pray that a passion for Christ’s mission to make disciples who make disciples would be ignited in these students and that they would be equipped to actively living out His mission.
Invite a Student to Participate
Along with praying, would you think of one or two high school students you know who might be ready for this next step in discipleship? A personal invite and following up on that invite may be all it takes to help a student get connected and take this next step in their faith.
Okay, now that you have those names and faces in your mind, would you invite them to be a part of BY Transform? Tell them why you think this would be a life-giving experience for them and share the application link. Join me on Jesus’ mission and be a disciple who makes disciples.
Find the student application and mentor interest form at the links below. Applications close on September 29th, 2021!
