Jimmy Hudson’s Weblog

What if you could give up an entire week with no distractions?
We took 8 teenagers away from everything. We gave them food of course, but everything else was taken away. No cell phones, no internet, no boyfriends or girlfriends, no myspace, facebook, text message, Ipod, or email. The only thing we gave them that week was an opportunity to meet with God.

We prayed together, worshipped together, learned together, ask questions, did personal mentoring, mowed the lawn, and cleaned the church. It was incredible.

Biggest Lesson
The biggest lesson I took from the week was the church’s greatest weakness. The church might look great on the outside. Joel Osteen might be busting at the seems, and Rick Warren might have a best seller, but the American church is missing something. Might I dare say that one thing is DISCIPLESHIP.

I was shocked
at how little these students knew about basic Christian practices like prayer and bible study. They all knew we should be, but the how to was never explained. I mean basic stuff, like what do we pray about, how long should we pray. What happens when I get bored? Do I have to read the bible everyday? Why should I go to church?

…most faithful
I don’t say that as though these students are void of knowledge or passion for God. In fact some of these students were our most faithful. The problem was that as leaders we have not taken the time to ask the basic question of “Do you know how to…”

Failure to follow through
I think the reason we fail to ask is follow through. If I ask and find out, I am required to follow through. Discipleship is hard. These students lived at my house for a week! An entire week. We ate together, brushed our teeth together. I mean to get where we got took a lot.

I don’t say this all to push us down and shame us. I just personally came to the place where I realized I wasn’t doing anything to disciple my teens. Sure I preached and got em to the altar, but what then?

Jesus and the Disciples
I wish we could have done it with more. I wish all of the student could have packed into my house for the week. But reality says 50+ people would not do good in a 4 bedroom house.

I guess the conclusion that Tara (my wife) and I came to was that discipleship cannot work with the crowd. It can only work with the few. If we brought in all of teenagers the mix would not have been right. Bad attitudes and mixed emotions would have killed the momentum and in the end we would have had a week long “lock in”.

I think jesus knew what he was doing when he pulled 12 guys out of the crowd, away from the fishing net and into a holy huddle. Something incredible happens when you lay down your net and follow Christ. That something is discipleship.

The Masses
Although I want to reach the masses, I know the dynamic of people. Intimacy is not possible with dozens and dozens. Intimacy is only intimate if there are few. So next year although we want to grow, I want even more to disciple. We will pray that God gives us direction for next year’s God week. And I pray we don’t have to wait till next year to disciple again.