In planning a disciple now you have many things to consider and plan. One the biggest things you have to consider is how to fill the traditionally large gap that exists between lunch and your evening rally or bible study times. Luckily for you I have had years of experience in filling that gap. In this article I will share with you some of the ideas that I have used so that you can best plan your event and make this year’s event your best one yet.
The first idea is to have your students’ do a mission project in your community. This not only teaches them the importance of service but also shows them that they can do this service right in their own backyard instead of having to go on a big trip somewhere. The activities you do will depend on your students’ age, their talents, and their interests. The other thing you must consider is your community itself. Each community is unique and has specific needs, but with a little research and awareness you will be able to find the right mission project for your ministry. A few things we have done are cleaning a park, collecting canned goods for a local food pantry, or feeding the homeless. But again these are just ideas. What you do depends on your students and your community.
The second idea is evangelism. There is nothing more important than sharing the Gospel so why not incorporate it into your disciple now weekend? You could send your students to the parks in your area, into the neighborhoods they are staying in, or even to the mall. This will be a great experience for them and a huge milestone in their lives. Not to mention the impact it will have on your community. I will share a word of caution for you. This will be the first time many of your students have done something like this so you will probably want to have a brief training of some kind before sending them out.
The final idea is to just let your students have free time at their host homes. This may seem like a waste but it is actually a very valuable experience. Many of our students do not have real relationships and do not understand how to live in community. Therefore this is actually a great learning experience for them. If you use this option I do encourage you set some guidelines if you have not already put these in place before the weekend started. Do not let students get on their phones, play video games, or watch movies. Encourage them to play games or sit around and dream and talk. You also can give your leaders ideas of what to do or equip them with games and other resources.
Every student pastor planning a disciple now runs into the same problem. What to do with all of that time on Saturday afternoon. Hopefully these ideas will help you make the right decision so that this year’s event will be the best one yet.