What does Radical Discipleship look like on our kids?
In our ministry we really zeroed in on creating opportunities for this generation to have incredible encounters with God. But according to the statistics, even some of the choicest Christian kids show little difference in conduct compared to their unsaved friends. It’s bad enough to hear this about the general population of Christian youth, but I began hearing very troubling reports about some of the young people who have been raised in a supernatural environment that are also succumbing to lifestyles at odds with their biblical upbringing—some we know can hear God’s voice, heal the sick, give prophetic words, have been praise and worship leaders, etc. They aren’t the kids who’ve been on the sidelines of their Christian faith. They are the ones who’ve really been engaged in walking with Christ.
Asking Hard Questions
I began to ask myself some hard questions. Have we worked so hard to make sure they could hear God’s voice and feel his presence that we forgot to mention scriptures to them like, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Have we been so anxious to see the power of God at work in their lives that we forgot to tell them that if you love the Lord you will hate evil and that you must be holy in everything you do, just as God — who chose you to be his children — is holy?
Have we pushed so hard to raise a revival generation that we forgot that when true revival comes true repentance also comes, and that it means turning your back on sin and going another way.
A Coddled Generation?
I have often wondered, especially with this Millennial Generation, which has also been nicknamed the “Coddled Generation” because they have been the most coddled, protected, and babied generation in history—and that’s according to the secular experts.
Have we been so anxious to make sure they knew that there was nothing they could do, no sin so great, that Jesus would still forgive them and love them. I’ve actually watched that played out to mean, “I can do anything and get away with it, because all I have to do is ask Jesus to forgive me and he will.
If I had to choose between a generation of kids who know how to heal the sick, speak in tongues, do signs and wonders, give prophetic words and a generation of kids who will live radical, holy lives laid down as sacrifices before God, I’ll take the holy generation any day of the week.
What Is Radical Discipleship?
I want to raise up a generation of RADICAL DISCIPLES. Do you know what radical discipleship is? It’s not teaching kids to jump and shout when they sing. It’s not teaching kids to pray loudly in tongues. It’s not waving their arms crazy in worship. That’s not radical discipleship.
In fact, may I suggest to you that those things are simply learned behavior in a specific cultural stream in the body of Christ?
Radical discipleship is living a laid down life before God, putting his will, his commandments before our own desires. Radical discipleship is going against the flow of culture that is in conflict with the commands of our God It’s raising up a generation of kids who love God’s word more than they love to see visions.
Do our kids have enough personal encounters with God to let them know He’s real, and that He is worth laying their lives down For? Your thoughts?
(To hear this entire message, see “A Holy and Righteous Generation” in our School of Supernatural Children’s Ministry. Now $2 off full retail price.) Click Here for Details.
Kids in Ministry International
PO Box 549 * 111 Collins Avenue
Mandan, ND 58554
701-258-6786
Email: kidsinministry@yahoo.com
You would enjoy The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler in your arsenal :). Our family has purposed to raise 6 kids who know & love the Lord, seek His Kingdom & His ways, to be positioned in the world without being compromised/corrupted by it. It’s been a rather lonely journey, but I wouldn’t trade their relationships & maturity in the Lord, not to mention the amazing way He has gifted, & through their own diligence in following His leading/disciplines, skilled each one of them for ‘mighty exploits’ in areas of influence in our culture (music, art, design, missions). They love The Explicit Gospel by the way…ages ranging from 15-22.
Thank you for the book tip. The book Sound of Heaven, Symphony of Earth by Ray Hughes is an awesome book on worship. It explains worship in a new powerful way.
Holiness is viewed in the wrong light as being cold, stick up, and full of legalism. The church as a whole views the non-saved people as having leprosy. Would love to see a church fill with the Word of God and full with the Holy Spirit come to a New Age Church and just love on them and pray over them when given the chance. Let them hunger to be prayed over. If a whole church comes to the New Age church to just love on them, listen, and pray for them. Then they will know that their are Chirstians that cares about them. Then they will ask you about the gospel if they know a church cares about them. Jesus went to the lepers, sinners, and tax collectors without because he knew who his Heavenly Father was, he knew the Word, and he was in prayer. He waited on the Lord to anoint Him and did not make a man made program that was not anoint and was not God’s will.
Oh yea…and lack of parents spending time with the children…that is also what I meant by “that sort of thing” and loss of family…..
I would take the heal the sick, do miracles, signs and wonders kids over the holy generation kids…but that being said….I don’t think there should be a choice.. It would never be an either or. It is both or you are missing the mark. The kids from the non-charasmatic churches are in much worse shape…even the ones going to church are locked into a life of legalism, religiosity and ultimately pride.
The kids problem is lack of self-discipline which comes from lack of discipline do to the loss of family in society and veering away from spankings and that sort of thing from parents..plain and simple.
Lois S. emailed us:
Kris Vallotton’s book ‘Spirit Wars’ will provide some insight on the battles faced by believers–including kids– in these days.
some insights from the book:
page 41–Adam and Eve proved you don’t need a sin nature to sin.
page 42 ….all you need to sin is a free will and the capacity to believe a lie.
page 43…all it takes to sin is a free will and the capacity to believe the lies of the enemy—- and believers possess both.
page 45 Misguided teaching had convinced me that my tormenting thoughts, night terrors and intense fear were the manifestations of the war we all have with our old man. Nobody ever told me that this terrifying season was actually a war with demonic spirits whose goal was to steal, kill and destroy my life.
I think you will find this book very helpful.
Arlene . Emailed us:
Some of us did not leave out the other side of things, but the challenge is not the teaching,
its the society’s culture.
it is seductive, pervasive and invasive
it has infiltrated our schools our homes and our habits.
It is hard for the kids to resist if even adult christians are failing.
Radical means accepting the persecution that comes with being different.
Not easy for the microwave, at home alone generation.
We need a different way of doing kid’sministry. Explore what is happening in technology.
The cyber guys know us and our kids better than we do, and they adjust everything to get us going the culture’s way.
Becky,
You are so right on with this! I think it goes a bit further too, what is discipleship? It’s easy to become discouraged when we look around and say “Where is the Body? Where is the help?” Not only do we need to teach the Word (and teach them how to study on their own!) but we, adults & leaders, need to model the life laid down. Our kids need to know in these coming days that we better know the Word, the will, and the Only way to God! We cannot go this alone. We MUST lay down our lives for each other! Thank you for your heart and your ministry. May God continue to bless you as you model the radical life in Christ.