Small Group Settings Allow For Discipleship

February 22, 2022

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By Tom Cook, Sioux County Area Director

When my sons were younger and couldn’t feed themselves, it was vital for me to spend time with them feeding and teaching them that valuable skill. At the Teen Center, we see the same need for the students we minister to – but they need spiritual food. They need to be taught how to feed themselves spiritually through the Word of God.

In a large crowd setting during our Thursday night programming, it is difficult to truly get to know someone’s hurts, struggles, and accomplishments in their lives. The Teen Center is an excellent tool for meeting new students and hitting the surface topics in their lives. But in order for us to reach deeper spiritual and emotional moments, it’s crucial to form small groups to dig into the scriptures.

In order for us to embark on this new journey with the students, we need faith-filled leaders walking alongside them on a weekly basis, sharing in their lives, and teaching them about God’s Word. To start this new endeavor, we need an additional six leaders to spend at least two hours each week with their small group. We would love to start up separate girls and boys small groups if there is interest from the students.

We already have one Teen Center leader, Cherdian, who is ready to serve and lead a girls small group.

I have been a small group leader in the past for another organization and absolutely loved it! It is so beneficial for the kids to spend quality time with God in smaller groups. It helps them feel more comfortable asking questions, telling their stories, and I’d love to share the word of God within smaller groups in our community.

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus shares that part of our role as believers is to make disciples. What better way to do that than studying God’s word weekly with our students, and raising up the next generation of disciples.