5. Ideal for Teen Guys
I wrote another devotional for guys called The Guys Guide to God, Girls…and the Phone in Your Pocket.
6. Don’t forget the Bible!
But I also like to use Scripture. Sometimes I’ll just walk a teen through the book of Matthew or Galatians or Ephesians. Check out my website for loads of free Bible-based resources.
How to Disciple a Teenager: A Few More Tips
In all these situations, I like to meet with the student regularly in a casual place (ice cream shop, Taco Bell…) and talk about real life. If we go through a book, we’ll say, “Read chapter 1 by next week and let’s talk about it.” When we meet, I start with laughing, joking, asking about his week (doing way more listening than talking). Then we review what we read. If it’s a book with discussion questions, I’ll go through those.
Discipleship goes way beyond youth ministry. Followers of Christ will be compelled to use the model that he used so effectively: Go and make disciples.
Right now, my church is learning how to disciple a teenager. We’re developing mentoring programs that go beyond the typical “youth leaders.” We’re training adults from all over the church and connecting them with young people who want to grow in their faith. Our hope is to have these 30 people sitting in coffee shops and Jamba Juice with a kid several times a month this next year. They’ll talk about real life and even use some of the materials I recommend above to help young people grow closer to Jesus.
What tips do you have for how to disciple a teenager? What resources do you use?
