This is the final installment of the series on Teen Challenge discipleship. We have discussed the following topics. All are available for review on this blog.

• Introduction to TC Discipleship
• Prayer
• Preach the Word
• GSNL
• PSNL
• Training Phase Curriculum
• The Work Program
• Recreation
• Free Time

I want to wrap this series up with a core characteristic that ties it all together: Relationship!
From the first article on discipleship:

For TC to be a discipleship ministry every staff member must see themselves as an important part of the discipleship process. It is NOT just the GSNL and PSNL teacher or the person who preaches chapel. Each and every staff member is a teacher, a mentor, a discipler, from the staff member who does wake-up, to the work supervisor and the recreation supervisor. If we see work and recreation and free time as just “time fillers” we are missing some of the most important discipleship opportunities.

It all hinges on YOU and ME! Sure we are absolutely dependent on the Holy Spirit, but He works through us, the church, the body of Christ – you and me! We are the ones who model, teach, correct, care and love. We can be a poor example or a good model. We are dependent on God to help us be the latter of the two. As we make a conscious decision to give our lives for Him, we are channels of the fruit and gifts of the Spirit, modeling godly faith and character. As we yield our lives to God and allow the Holy Spirit to work through us we can accomplish much more than we ever could on our own.

By this all men will know you are my disciples? The answer – see John 13:34-35

1 John 4:12 says, “No one has ever seen God but if we love one another God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.”

Our students are looking to see if it is real in our lives.
A few ideas to consider:

1. Love – is an action word
   It’s the staff who spends time with a student who is leaving the program while he waits for the bus.
   It’s the staff who goes into the kitchen and washes dishes for or with a student while he listens and laughs with him.
   It ‘s giving a warm smile and “good morning”, a pat on the back, an arm around the shoulder, rather than walking through the center avoiding eye contact hoping no one stops you with another stupid question.
   It’s praying with the students in prayer time and not leaving to answer the phone.
2. Respect
   “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
   Staff tend to believe, “They should respect me because of my position.” We can force them to do what we tell them but we cannot make them respect us. We must earn respect. Respect them first.
   1 John 4:19 (NIV) “We love because he first loved us.” Read it again only replace the word “love” with “respect.”The students love because we first love them; they respect because we first respect them.
3. Authenticity
   They need to know we struggle and how we deal with our struggles.
4. Apologize
   When someone blows it with me my respect may go down, but if that person apologizes my respect goes up higher than it was before they blew it because they are humble and authentic. DO NOT be afraid to apologize when you blow it. You model proper Christian character and gain respect.
5. Listen
   Undivided attention. Get to know them. Listen to their story. Your lips sealed about yourself. Only use comments and questions that encourage more information from them.
6. Take care of yourself
   This may sound a little out of place but you and your ministry to the students suffer when you do not take care of yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually and relationally. I have seen too many staff become stressed and their ministry suffers.
   Take your day off! Get out! Develop godly relationships outside of TC.

Teen Challenge is a discipleship ministry. If you believe otherwise, you should go work at a secular drug program.

Think about it –

• What is a tangible specific way you can show love (see #1 above)
• What are other things you can add to this list?
• For further thought:

Philippians 3:17
1 Timothy 1:15-16
1 Timothy 4:12
2 Timothy 2:23-26
1 John 4:12