Articles on Discipleship Worth Checking Out

I recently read a few articles online that speak to the subject of discipleship, especially to younger generations. I encourage you to have a look at them as each offers something unique to help us think through what it means to disciple others.

First… How to Disciple Your Children over on Ligonier Ministries site. It starts… “Our children will be discipled by someone. In Scripture, God gives parents the primary responsibility for their child’s discipleship (see Deut. 6:6–9; Ps. 78:5–7; Prov. 1:8–9; 22:6; Eph. 6:4). If parents do not assume this role, then friends, peers, social media, and secular ideologies will. To neglect this parental duty is to surrender our child’s heart to rival gods. Our children were made to worship the true God.” The author then goes into 5 considerations for parents in discipling their children.

Second… What Does Relational Discipleship Actually Look Like? over on the Rooted Ministries site. In this one, my friend Mike McGarry explores what discipleship is and what settings it takes place in. Hint… it’s not always one to one. Mike shows how discipleship is not always a program.

Third… Also by Mike McGarry (he happened to have these posted on the same week) Not Everything is Discipleship. In this one he suggests that lots of good ministry with people may be pastoral or relational but discipleship is a very specific thing.

One other thing I noticed in the past week or so was a graph that Ryan Burge posted to Linked In relating to young adults who fall into the category of “Nones”. It would suggest that the most important window in their lives was childhood and early teen years. Ryan Burge is a sociologist who looks at religious trends.

We asked the currently non-religious: At what age were you the most religious? Zero meant "I was never religious." 17% of nones chose that. The most popular age range? 6-10 years old. Followed by 10-15 years old.