Man! I just LOVE teenagers and 20-somethings! Lot's of folks have called me crazy for the teenager part, but I cannot deny it or even pretend it is something it's not. And I love every minute of it.
For around 5 or 6 years I have been involved in the local high school band as a volunteer and my church's youth group. Through these decisions I come in contact with many, many teenagers plus the occasional 20-something. In 2011 the Lord led me to begin a small discipleship/bible study group. As much as I love teenagers I thought I had lost my mind. Huge consistent responsibility, and I had never stepped out in a formal way like this to actually teach in a small setting. I do not consider teaching to be one of my gifts. Discipleship, however, IS, and I have been discipling teens for a very long time. And so AMPliFy was born.
I believe discipleship isn't about sitting down with the bible and learning. I believe it is time spent and invested in relationship. It's coffee at Starbucks, hanging at my house cooking together or watching movies. It's extending invitation after invitation to just be together even though I know I may get rejected some. It's about responding YES to the last minute phone call for a ride needed when I can, a quick hug at school when the day isn't going well, and shutting up and listening when a teen just wants to talk.
Bear with me as I jump around a bit....
A few months ago I was invited to attend a small, college aged group called Captivate. I politely declined the first few times [ I am 43, although I don't think the group leader has NOTICED haha ] but the group leader [an awesome 20-something himself!] was very persistent. Finally I reminded him that I was not the right age for this group and he assured me that neither he nor the group cared. He just wanted me to come. So I went. And kept going. Eventually I felt like the Captivate was a good fit for a couple of my AMPliFy kids so I took them one Tuesday evening. They loved it and kept going back on their own.
Individual prayer is often given at Captivate and one of the AMPliFy kids, whom I have known for 4yrs now, came straight to me to pray for me at prayer time. His prayer was simple, powerful and sincere. I know that the Lord heard it and answered it. He was so bold and it really wowed me. My investment of time, teaching, discipling and prayer came back around to me in a powerful and definitely unexpected way. Talk about coming full circle!
1 Timothy 4:12
New Living Translation (NLT)
12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
Blessings, y'all!
Robin
