A burning question for believers

About fifteen of us sat together for almost three hours as we wrestled with the question: how do we make a radical difference in the spiritual growth of the next generation? The group included children’s workers, youth leaders and pastors, and senior pastors from various churches. We all agreed that we need to invest in the young people God entrusts to our churches. Everyone felt that mentoring and discipleship was the key. There was also a clear, rather desperate, consensus that the youth and children’s leaders and pastors cannot accomplish this by themselves. So the stumper question of the day ended up being: How do we help others in the church see the need, commit their time and experience, and help them know how to go about it? How do we involve others in the discipleship process?


We did not leave with a clear-cut solution. We left with more questions than answers. But we left convinced that somehow we need to find the answer.


What do you think? Please post your comments—the difference this discussion makes could be radical!

What am I full of?

She arrives late—or doesn’t show up at all. She’s too busy texting her friends to talk with me as I drive her home from school—even though I’m making a special trip because she wanted to stay for an activity after school and her parents weren’t available to give her a ride home.

It’s easy to feel used in a mentoring relationship. And the truth is that we do need to be careful not to enable irresponsible or thoughtless behavior. Yet somewhere in the frustrations of working with immature young people, the gentle voice of my Savior prompts me, “Show her what grace looks like.”

I hear the word “grace” a lot. It’s in the name of my college, my church, and the ministry I work for. It rolls off my tongue so easily! But when I stop to think, I have to admit that I’m quite far from understanding what grace really looks like.

John the disciple made it a point at the beginning of his gospel to tell us that Jesus was full of grace and truth. He emphasized that the law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Christ. Grace and Truth! What a powerful combination!

Responding to others with grace puts us in a position to speak the truth to them. It shows them that they matter to us, and gives validity to the truth we so desperately want them to know. Of the women who have made an impact for good in my life, the way each one related to me can be described with that life-changing word: "grace."

Do you have examples of how grace and truth have worked together in your life, or in a mentoring relationship? Please share your comments.