I teach a youth ministry class at the Birmingham extension of New Orleans Seminary. This week one of the experienced students in my class raised this question: If I’m teaching a class of youth, I probably have two punching each other, three counting ceiling tile, and maybe one or two interested in Bible study. How do I help all of those students to grow in their faith?

That is an amazing question. In a small church, you may well have three 12 year olds, a 13 year old, and a 16 year old in your youth class. Even if your students were all at the same age, their development–emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically–would be at different stages. How do you engage all of them with the truths of Christ?

The work of spiritual development is really the work of the Holy Spirit. As a youth leader, you get to parnter with the Spirit as he works in students’ lives. Leading engaging Bible study is an important part of your partnership, but I am convinced that most youth need to see what the Bible looks like when it is fleshed out in real life. When students see you up close living out the principles of Scripture, they are often very open to what the Spirit would like to do in their hearts.

Good discipleship is not just a matter of good teaching; it is a matter of intentional relationships. Capture the flag may be the best ministry with the two guys elbowing each other in class. Show the students counting tiles how to share show Christ’s love to an underpriviledged kid and she may suddenly get why the Bible study is important. Youth who are ready to learn may need some new tools that allow them to dig deeper into God’s word. The relationships can be very different, but the goal is the same . . . to get students face to face with Christ so that his Spirit can transform their hearts.

Leading students to grow in their faith is a life-on-life issue. And the way the relationships get fleshed out will be as different as the students you are teaching.