The Main Thing

During staff training, I had the opportunity to teach a session on discipleship, entitled "A Worthy Investment." This topic of making disciples has been a consistent theme of conversations, meetings, and times of prayer that we have been having as a Youth Outreach staff. Over the last few months, I have read a couple of books that have further fueled my fire to see disciples made in all nations. These two books are: “The Complete Book Of Discipleship” by Bill Hull and “Radical Together” by David Platt. Platt challenges us to think about what we as communities of faith (Churches, ministries, etc.) are devoting our time and resources towards. He exhorts us to ask ourselves, “Are these programs and activities the best way to spend our time, money, and energy for the spread of the Gospel in our neighborhood and in all the nations?”

As we read through “Radical Together” as a staff, we are asking ourselves this question. We recognize that making disciples is not an 8 week assignment, but rather a lifelong commitment to a lifestyle devoted to seeing “Christ formed” in others (Galatians 4:19). It is hard work. It is messy. Yet, it is what God has both commanded and created us to do. Living out the Great Commission, and devoting our lives to it, is in our DNA as Christ-ones! In the same way that Jesus called His disciples to Him that they might be “with Him” (Mark 3:14), we desire to make discipleship time with our youth a priority this summer. I like the way Paul put it in his letter to the Thessalonians - that we share not only the Gospel, but our lives as well (1 Thess. 2:8). Pray with us that as a staff this summer we would “spend ourselves” on behalf of others in life on life discipleship!

Dave Clark
Youth Outreach Director
You can read Dave's personal blog, "Continuing Education," here.