Implement Intergenerational Discipleship In Your Church

God used life-on-life discipleship to grow my faith. He placed an older and wiser man in my life who somehow knew everything I needed to hear, even when I didn’t want to hear it. That man asked me the tough questions no one else would. He pointed me to Jesus through his words and life. I saw him repent from sin and seek out forgiveness. I saw him take God’s Word seriously and love others well.

At the time, I was an immature and selfish teenager. I needed this man in my life more than I knew. It still boggles my mind that amid his work, family life, and other responsibilities, he’d make time to pick up a high school student, take me to coffee, open God’s Word, ask me questions, and challenge me. But I know why he did it: Someone did that for him. He was the product of a generation of disciple-makers.

Could you tell someone your testimony without naming the people who shared the gospel with you? It’s probably impossible, because God ordinarily uses people to reach and disciple his people (Rom. 10:14–15). Now, when you think about the people God has used in your life, were they older than you?

The chances are good they were—and in many believers’ testimonies, they were much older. My faith journey includes five men the Lord placed in my life at different moments. Their spiritual investment shaped me into the husband, father, pastor, and friend I am today.

What might it look like to cultivate intergenerational discipleship for children and youth in your local church?

What Is Intergenerational Ministry?

In many evangelical churches today, discipleship ministries for children and youth are primarily age-specific. Yes, older volunteers serve in those ministries. But there’s often less intentionality about helping younger generations build relationships with older saints who aren’t in volunteer roles.

Intergenerational ministry, by contrast, strives to integrate kids and students into the life of the “all-age, all-stage body of Christ.” Intergenerational discipleship is one part of intergenerational ministry. It involves training every church member as a disciple-maker because every believing child and student is both a disciple and a potential disciple-maker. Jesus modeled intergenerational discipleship in his ministry with his followers. Paul also discipled Timothy, who discipled others so they could in turn disciple others after them (2 Tim. 2:2).

Here’s what I hope for your church and mine: Every church member should understand his call to disciple, and we should provide clear paths for all to pass on their faith to the next generation.

Let’s Get Practical

Here are four steps you can follow to launch an intergenerational discipleship initiative in your church.

1. Call your church to disciple.

All Christians are called to make disciples (Matt. 28:18–20). But we all need to be shown the importance of this ministry. Discipleship should be highlighted from your church’s pulpit, and you may also want to host a seminar that outlines discipleship’s biblical foundations. Help your congregation see how God works through his people to reach and disciple his people.

Every church member should understand his call to disciple, and we should provide clear paths for all to pass on their faith.

The success of an intergenerational discipleship initiative in your church depends on establishing a disciple-making culture. Through your teaching, you must show that it’s normal Christian practice for believers to invite others to follow and learn from them. As Paul put it, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1, NIV). Encourage your church to do the same.

2. Equip your church to disciple.

Give your church some handles to help them disciple others. A clear structure for discipleship meetings is good for both consistency and accountability. In our ministry, we train disciple-makers to P.A.S.S. on the faith:

Proclaim. Through gospel proclamation, the Holy Spirit brings transformation. But if God’s Word isn’t studied and taught during discipleship meetings, they’re just the sort of hangouts or mentoring times kids and youth can find anywhere. We provide our disciple-makers with a list of recommended Bible studies, group studies, books, podcasts, videos, and more for different ages, maturity levels, and genders.

Associate. Life-on-life discipleship takes significant time. It’ll involve disciple-makers checking in with those they’re discipling on Sundays, communicating with them throughout the week, and being involved in their lives—attending their ball games or recitals and remembering their birthdays.

Show. Disciple-makers must also model in their character, conduct, and disciplines what it looks like to live as a Christian. Often, what’s modeled sticks with disciples more than the words taught.

Supplicate. Disciple-makers should pray with those they’re discipling when they’re together, and they should pray for them regularly when they’re not together. Following up on prayer requests is essential so disciple-makers can celebrate with their disciples whenever God answers prayer.

When training your church in intergenerational discipleship, you’re free to use or adapt our P.A.S.S. framework or create one that fits your context. Whatever training outline you adopt, know that simplicity is better when starting a new ministry.

3. Match disciple-makers to those who want to be discipled.

Once your people have been trained in discipleship, create simple intake forms for those who want to disciple as well as for students who want to be discipled. Often, parents will initiate this ask for their kids, but you’ll quickly discover that many students want intergenerational relationships too.

When creating this form, you must decide whether you want to offer one-on-one discipleship, one-on-few discipleship, or a combination. Our church has found that most younger students prefer meeting in smaller groups, but as they mature, they become more comfortable with one-on-one settings.

In the sign-up forms, be sure to ask about each person’s availability, his interests, how he wants to grow in his relationship with Jesus, what questions he has, and anything else that may be helpful.

Ensure safeguards are in place for every ministry with minors, particularly for one-on-one relationships. Background checks, interviews, and guidelines for meeting times should be clearly communicated and agreed on by church leaders, disciple-makers, and parents. Be certain to fully comply with your church’s protection policies. Even with older teens, parents must be aware of discipleship relationships and meeting times.

4. Support disciple-makers.

Intergenerational discipleship is decentralized once disciple-makers and disciples are matched. Going forward, most communication is between the disciple-maker, the disciple, and her parents. That doesn’t mean you, as the church leader who initiated these relationships, can simply step back and relax. Your attention should shift to equipping, resourcing, and supporting the disciple-makers.

Once discipleship relationships are formed, a church leader’s attention should shift to equipping, resourcing, and supporting the disciple-makers.

Periodic check-ins are a must for accountability and encouragement and to address any issues that may arise during discipleship. Resource and check in with disciple-makers so they always know they have your support, especially when discipleship gets messy and difficult.

Our church hosts annual discipleship workshops, sends a monthly newsletter, and uses a two-minute online form to learn how often meetings take place and to hear any concerns, questions, or needs.

Enjoy the Fruit

You might think kids and teens would find intergenerational discipleship weird, but one student in our church says the “church grandma” who disciples her is her best friend. This ministry has become a joy for the young woman.

There’s joy for the disciple-maker too. As Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 (NIV),

What is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

Disciple-makers find joy in those they disciple, and by God’s grace, they’ll have the joy of hearing their names listed in the testimonies of many spiritual children.