Lev-er-age
Verb: Use borrowed capital for (an investment), expecting the profits made to be greater than the interest payable
- What are you willing to do to get something you really want?
- Are you willing to finish a project or lose some weight before the new Xbox one comes out?
- Are you willing to put away some money now so you can retire later?
- Are you willing to sacrifice the state of your house, so youth can feel welcomed and loved by you?
My guess is that you have a lot of things you are willing to give that cost a little now, in order to see big rewards later. So why do you think it would be any different with the students you work for.
You want them to read their Bibles more, you want them to pray. You definitely want them to show up to small group, events and services. But what is in it for them? Sure they have a vague idea that God is going to “bless their lives” or “they will be closer to God than ever before”. But what does that look like. How is that tangible for them?
I feel like a big problem for getting students to actually engage with spiritual habits is for them to actually understand in a concrete way what it will do for them. Maybe that is some real life examples through someone sharing. Maybe you need just the right inspiration visually.
I haven’t got this one all figured out just yet. But I know I am a lot more likely to do something if I know what I am getting and I like it, then if not. So I know for my ministry I need to come up with some ways to work on this.
What ways are you leveraging your knowledge for students? What are some ways you show the tangible effects of what devotions can do for your life?
Kyle Corbin has been serving youth as a volunteer or pastor for over 10 years. He is currently the youth pastor at the Bridge Church in North Vancouver B.C. You can follow his blog at: kylecorbin.blogspot.com or Twitter: @CorbinKyle