Mentoring the Younger Generation: UP..The Movie

As a way to celebrate the end of the school year, Julie and I decided to take our kids to a movie. We had been waiting for the new Disney movie called UP to be released so that is what we agreed upon. Without giving to much of the movie away...UP is about the journey of a man who spends his entire life in the pursuit of one dream, and in the process he learns a valuable lesson. He forms an unlikely relationship that reverses the old man's mindset. At the end of the movie, the old man does something he never dreamed he could do.... step out of the past in order to change the future.

One of the greatest needs of all the needs in our nation is for adults to step out and be willing to change the future. Somehow we have lost sight of the a necessary component in the Bible: mentoring. We are told in the Old Testament and New Testament to train the young so that they will have faith in the Lord. Parents have left youth ministers, clubs, schools, and organizations to devise programs for mentoring. While it is a great idea for these groups to come along side of parents, nothing can replace the parent as the primary spiritual developer of students.

I believe one of the reasons young people graduate from church when they graduate from high school is because they have not had a significant adult relationship to help mold and shape appropreiate decisions and actions. They have not been held accountable.

If we are to see a change in future generations, we must be intentional about forming mentoring relationships that hold students accountable. It takes letting go of our dreams and investing in the future of our faith. It means seeing the dreams of our young people and partnering with them until it comes true.

Like the movie, UP, as well as in the Bible, our future will depend on our willingness to do all we can to partner with students. They need adults to lead and cherish being with them in everyday situations. Young people need adults to intentionally disciple them so that students are prepared to disciple the next generation after them.
We have allowed the generational gaps to exist for far too long. As a result of the generational gaps, students who have been discipled are nearly extinct. In order to prevent extinction of discipled students, we must bridge the gap with intentional discipleship.
So how does the gap begin to close? I believe every adult should seek to be discipled themselves so they are equipped to invest into students' lives. Discipleship requires time with God, consistently applying godly principles, and selling out to the heart of God. So get discipleship for yourself now and prevent extinction of discipled students in the process!