One of the greatest tragedies today is to see a culture young and old excusing their selfish desires and wants… not realizing that the decisions and compromises they make today could be someone else’s struggle tomorrow. You are always leading someone… the question, what way are you leading them?
So what does this generation need?
+YOUR TIME+
They need relationship… not just a hello at home or church but someone who will be there and who genuinely cares. They desire authenticity and someone who truly shows they care. Yes, that may mean you now like to do TikTok trends with your student, or maybe you now have to play the sport your student likes to play, maybe that now means you like to listen to rap or play his/her favorite video game… but your time will be the greatest investment into their lives. I believe one day we will all look back and we won’t say… man, I spent too much time with my kids… but instead, we will wish we spent more time doing what they love and investing our time there.
+YOUR WORDS+
Speak into/over their identity - from the moment they are born… the world is speaking over their identity. So help your student KNOW who Jesus created them to be, who they are and how incredibly unique they are. Know your word! I’m just not willing to read between the lines and make my own assumptions of what the word says… but rather… let it continually transform my thinking, and my life everyday. Some people spend too much time defending their stances or what they believe the Bible is saying about hot topics for someone else’s life and not enough time letting the word transform their own life. So let it transform you and out of the overflow let it transform your student.
+YOUR GRACE+
Speak into their purpose and calling even before they see it in themselves. Naturally they won’t see this… they won’t see their influence… so speak that into them and consistently point out the greatness you see in them even when its foggy to see yourself. Extend grace and watch for self righteousness. Remember they are young adults, learning and growing is key to their development but if all we do as adults is sit back and critique or get frustrated with them without speaking over them, leading them with grace and mercy… then we will only push them away. Students will not turn to someone who is unapproachable or who is self righteous. So be cautious and ask the lord to help you lead the way he would.
+YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY+
Although many would say this generation has a problem with authority, I believe this started first in the home. Parents have more and more become more like friends and less like parents. Which in turn has caused students to lack accountability in their homes. Deep down, they want parents who care enough (in love) to confront, who care enough to hold them accountable and who care enough to protect them if they are headed the wrong way. Deep down, they want parents… not friends for parents.
+YOUR EXAMPLE+
This generation is sick of hype is ready for hope. The biggest thing we hear from students is that they are living in environments where parents are not practicing what they preach or in environments where parents are acting one way in church/outside the home and not the same at home. Realize they are watching you. Realize that you are leading more with your actions/responses then your words. So pull your bible out and read in front of them, pray with your students before school, talk about scriptures/God with your student, go to church regularly… and cut out the things that you know you shouldn’t be doing, watching and listening too. They see it all and your compromises today can be their struggles tomorrow and if something doesn’t have your full attention, it doesn’t have your full affection. So take some steps and make Jesus #1 in your home.
Below you will find continued helpful tools to help you lead your student
They need relationship… not just a hello at home or church but someone who will be there and who genuinely cares. They desire authenticity and someone who truly shows they care. Yes, that may mean you now like to do TikTok trends with your student, or maybe you now have to play the sport your student likes to play, maybe that now means you like to listen to rap or play his/her favorite video game… but your time will be the greatest investment into their lives. I believe one day we will all look back and we won’t say… man, I spent too much time with my kids… but instead, we will wish we spent more time doing what they love and investing our time there.
+YOUR WORDS+
Speak into/over their identity - from the moment they are born… the world is speaking over their identity. So help your student KNOW who Jesus created them to be, who they are and how incredibly unique they are. Know your word! I’m just not willing to read between the lines and make my own assumptions of what the word says… but rather… let it continually transform my thinking, and my life everyday. Some people spend too much time defending their stances or what they believe the Bible is saying about hot topics for someone else’s life and not enough time letting the word transform their own life. So let it transform you and out of the overflow let it transform your student.
+YOUR GRACE+
Speak into their purpose and calling even before they see it in themselves. Naturally they won’t see this… they won’t see their influence… so speak that into them and consistently point out the greatness you see in them even when its foggy to see yourself. Extend grace and watch for self righteousness. Remember they are young adults, learning and growing is key to their development but if all we do as adults is sit back and critique or get frustrated with them without speaking over them, leading them with grace and mercy… then we will only push them away. Students will not turn to someone who is unapproachable or who is self righteous. So be cautious and ask the lord to help you lead the way he would.
+YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY+
Although many would say this generation has a problem with authority, I believe this started first in the home. Parents have more and more become more like friends and less like parents. Which in turn has caused students to lack accountability in their homes. Deep down, they want parents who care enough (in love) to confront, who care enough to hold them accountable and who care enough to protect them if they are headed the wrong way. Deep down, they want parents… not friends for parents.
+YOUR EXAMPLE+
This generation is sick of hype is ready for hope. The biggest thing we hear from students is that they are living in environments where parents are not practicing what they preach or in environments where parents are acting one way in church/outside the home and not the same at home. Realize they are watching you. Realize that you are leading more with your actions/responses then your words. So pull your bible out and read in front of them, pray with your students before school, talk about scriptures/God with your student, go to church regularly… and cut out the things that you know you shouldn’t be doing, watching and listening too. They see it all and your compromises today can be their struggles tomorrow and if something doesn’t have your full attention, it doesn’t have your full affection. So take some steps and make Jesus #1 in your home.
Below you will find continued helpful tools to help you lead your student