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youth worker, youth ministry, mentor

Discipleship is Leadership

By Doug Franklin August 18, 2011

This is an activity to do with your adult volunteers to help them see how important discipleship is to student leadership development.

Purpose: Discuss the impact discipleship has on leadership.

Directions: You can use this sheet with your adult volunteers to facilitate discussion. Hand this sheet out and have them read the verses together out loud, one verse at a time per person. Then discuss the debrief questions together.

Read Psalm 78:4-8 NIV
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their forefathers– a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

This is a Psalm of Asaph. Very little is known about Asaph except that he was a priest from the tribe of Levi and closely worked with David as he wrote songs and psalms. Here in this passage Asaph is reflecting back to what Israel has experienced in their journey with God. He is telling the people of Israel that they must continue to tell the coming generations of God’s glorious deeds, his power and wonders that he has done (v.4). Asaph has seen the unfaithfulness of his people and the faithfulness of God. The Israelites are witnesses to who God is and His love for them. They must remember to disciple their children, teaching them and showing them a relationship with God. God established his law with the people of Israel and those who are born after need to know and understand who this God is that they serve (v.5-6). The next generation needs to know the hope of the Lord. And unlike their forefathers, the Israelites, who were stubborn and rebellious, the next generation will know the history of God and his people. They will put their trust and hope in God and be faithful to him (v.8).

Debrief Questions:
1.    What would happen if the Israelites did not tell the next generation about what God has done?
2.    How could the next generation of leadership be impacted without knowing what God has done?
3.    What impact does your relationship with God have on the others around you?
4.    How can you use your testimonies of God to be a leader and disciple the next generation

About the Author

Doug Franklin

Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, an innovative leadership development organization focusing on students and youth workers. Doug and his wife, Angie, live in West Chicago, Illinois. They don’t have any kids, but they have 2 dogs that think they are children. Diesel and Penelope are Weimaraners  who never leave their side. Doug grew up in…  Read More