In youth ministry today, we are working to become better "experts" at the things that are outside of the walls of typical youth ministry. We study culture, technology and even have begun to spend a considerable amount of time in understanding adolescent development. All these things are great and needed in youth ministry of today.
I wonder if there is an intentional discipleship formational process when we look at the way that Christ interacted with his disciples. So, often, I mock the disciples when they are asking questions that seem like they don't even fit the scenario or have nothing to do with what Jesus just taught them. Is that part of the discipleship development question?
Was the right question at the right time - "Jesus, I want to sit by you in heaven?" simply a developmental question by the disciples because they wanted to be near their friend not because they want a special spot.
Was the question at the second feeding of the 5000 - "where will we get some food" because that was simply the maturity of the disciples.
Yes, I know Jesus was Jesus but He also never got irritated by the question but would reframe a lesson so that the disciples would learn a deeper truth, but a truth for where they were at.
I wonder in youth ministry if we have to start to listen to the questions that are being asked so that we can diagnose the discipleship development of our students just like we work to understand the adolescent development of the teens we work with.
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