Discipleship is one of those buzz words you hear around church a lot, and despite our best intentions to keep it simple, we tend to overcomplicate it. It's in those moments I find it helpful to think back to what mattered when I first experienced discipleship.
Inherent in discipleship is relationship…someone saying, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” With that relationship established (including parent-child), a non-negotiable is grounding everything in the promises of God. This is not just giving good advice. It’s way more than offering the wisdom we’ve “gained throughout the years.” Discipleship is opening up the Bible together, reading it, pushing into doubts and questions, claiming the Spirit’s promises, and demonstrating that His Word truly is living and active. Students need to see that His word is relevant, and we do that best when we talk specifically about how Jesus (the Jesus revealed in Scripture) has changed our lives.
One of the first verses I was pointed to in my discipleship journey was 1 Corinthians 10:13. Paul writes, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” How awesome is that?!
I’ve steered many a student to this passage. Why? Because it changed my life. AND, God’s words are infinitely more powerful than anything a pastor, a parent, or a leader can offer. For over 10 years I have claimed this promise. God has come through for me in some crazy ways, always providing a way out. And inherent in this promise is the reminder that we are not alone. The feelings of isolation that can be so destructive have no hold on the child of God.
Just yesterday, a leader and I met with one of our students. When we opened to this passage (and Galatians 5), the sense of relief, peace, and awe was tangible. But it wasn’t us. It was truth. It was the God-breathed words coming off the page and beginning to sink in.
1 Corinthians 10:13 is powerful. I encourage you, share it with your child. And if you’ve never claimed it for yourself, press into a new promise that God has for you to experience full freedom and victorious living.
With that being said, I know many Eagle Students’ parents have their own examples of encounters with truth. As you disciple your children, enjoy the times when you get to share specific passages. Reject the pressure to always have the right words. Use God’s words. We can’t go wrong when we’re constantly returning to that, and we can’t go wrong when we put our lives on display for our students to see.