Tim Hawkins - disciples who will last | Birkdale Baptist Church

intimacy: sharing at every level
talking about how we're feeling on the inside: vulnerable, exhausted, etc.
Your youth ministry must have discipling of ALL NATIONS as its goal - kids must know they are becoming world-changers.
By discipling those 12 dudes, Jesus actually achieved what he was trying to accomplish!
3 steps (from Matt 28.18-20): bringing in, building up, sending out
You know you're doing the one thing that Jesus wants when your kids are MAKING DISCIPLES.

This is especially important at the beginning: i.e. Make THE GOSPEL clear.
Make the move from activity-based ministry to Gospel-based ministry. (Rom 1:16-17)
Not a lot of kids can articulate the Gospel. MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS CAN! Don't assume they understand what they responded to.
Make the cost of discipleship clear: repentance (Mt 4:17), sacrifice (Mt 4:21-22; Mt 9:9; Lk 5:28), ministry (Mt 4:19), every relationship (Mt 10:34-37), total surrender (Mk 8:34-37)
Jesus is not a hobby you can tack onto your life!
Make the invitation clear: make sure you ASK; make sure it's not vague; make sure you're not pushy.
Make the response clear: they must know what to do next.

The right environment: put 80% of your effort into the leaders and the keen ones.
The right students: pray, put challenges out there, invite the ones who have potential, don't make it too easy (e.g. "You get yourself here, and i'll get you home"), help them work out if they're ready.
The right program: one on one - not recommended; weekly home group (not on church property, not on the same night as youth group)
Youth should be in church services with adults! Friday Night youth group is NOT for Christian kids to have fun; it is for them to serve.

Students who are ready
Keep parents informed
Make first meeting a good one! Refreshments first, then put them away and get on with the business
Set the vision of what is possible - "Wouldn't it be awesome if ..."
Set the values: e.g. be one time, show up every time - no unexplained absences, hear God, confidentiality, honesty - no pretending, communication rules - listening to others, make it a priority, work as a team, respect, membership by invitation only, reach others!
Set the standards - what is acceptable and what isn't? Think about what a sporting coach would accept: the standard for success is not having fun, it is winning matches.
Most groups work best if they are single-sex.
Tim asks leaders to take year 7s all the way to year 12!
Kids have ALREADY DECIDED whether Jesus is worthwhile by the time they've finished year 9!! Don't neglect the junior high years.
You must develop the leadership team before you grow the youth ministry. You can't sustain high growth in the absence of leaders. Crosswire starts their leadership training at year 10.

Your new life: What has happened? What is a Christian? Assurance. What is God like? Your mission - Jesus has a job for you! You are a steward (servant), and a witness.
G R O W T H (habits are 2nd nature): gather with other Christians, Reaching others, Obeying Jesus, Willing to give (learn generosity when the money is low), Talking with God, Hearing God speak

The Discipling Relationship:

You must be reproducing yourself in other leaders!
Reproducing, not teaching: you teach what you know, but you reproduce what you ARE. (This is why we discipline leaders who fail morally.)
Bible teaching - you don't have to be a gifted teacher to teach the Bible
Whole of life, long-term relationship; you must have 3 contacts per week to register a genuine relationship.
Committed and intentional
Two-way relationship: you are not Yoda!
Accountability
The pressure is on you to live a life worth reproducing! If kids become Christians just like you are now, are you OK with that?

The faithful discipling leader:

discipling by imitation
Christlike character: servanthood, slow to anger, humble, teachable, obedient, loving, self-controlled, etc.
If you see a problem in your leaders or your kids, look first for the problem in yourself - followers will always reproduce and exaggerate the characteristics of their leaders.

The effective discipling leader:

available: it must be your top priority!
discerning: decide what to pick on and what to leave
organised: you need to be organised enough to give your team confidence in you
adaptable: especially in learning styles
sense of humour: especially in not taking yourself too seriously
listening: if you don't listen, you might just miss what they really want to tell you
questioner: people own answers which they work out for themselves