Develop as a confident disciple maker through His Word
“Equipped for every good work”
I remember sitting in 4th grade as my teacher explained an input-output chart. Whatever you put in determines the result. The phrase stuck with me: what you input, you output.
So here’s the question: do we truly want to be confident disciple makers? If we barely input God’s Word, how can we expect his word to flow out of our lives?
With charts, a few boxes make it obvious whether the numbers are rising or falling. But discipleship isn’t that simple. We’re not numbers—we’re people, with emotions and distractions, easily drifting from what really matters.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 lays out how the word is beneficial in our lives.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The best way to grow in confidence as you disciple teenagers, is allowing the word to teach you, rebuke you, correct you, and train you. This is the Input that has the result of transforming not only your life, but those around you.
Here are three things you can input to have a better output for discipling teenagers (or anyone)
Surrender to God through prayer
Think about the first thing you do when you wake up. Have you considered thanking the Lord in prayer before you even touch the ground? That expression of gratitude that you proclaim to God is inputting an act of surrender and praise to the God who sustains and protects. It is setting you up to put God first. And when he is first He becomes the topic of many conversations. As you go about your day, set times to intentionally thank God - not just during meal teams, but other times as well. One other thing you can start to do is pray through the scriptures. Resource Here. Getting in this habit of praying scripture will help you as you have opportunities to pray for teenagers and others. And lastly as you pray continue to ask the Lord to open your eyes to all the moments throughout your day to share the message of hope with others.
Study God’s Word
As you pray, spend time reading or listen to the Bible. In order to keep a rhythm of reading and studying your bible it's helpful to have a plan and a place, then you find purpose in your study. After reading think through it, process it, and share it
Seek the Lord in Worship (always)
If every moment is a recognition of praising God, that is worship. In all things we praise God not just through singing but through every aspect of our life. This is when others around you, especially teenagers, catch on and begin to ask you where your joy comes from and how they can obtain that kind of joy
Take time today and ask yourself, what am I inputting in my life that is keeping me from being the best disciple maker I can be and then ask how can I input those things from above?