Disciple Now – Saturday Activities
When planning a disciple you now have many things to consider and plan. One of the most important things to consider is how to fill the traditionally large gap between lunch and your evening meeting or Bible study times. Luckily for you, I have had years of experience filling that void. In this article, I will share with you some of the ideas I have used so that you can better plan your event and make this year’s event the best yet.
The first idea is that your students do a missionary project in their community. This not only teaches them the importance of service, but it also shows them that they can do this service in their own backyard instead of having to take a long trip somewhere. The activities you undertake will depend on the age of your students, their talents, and their interests. The other thing to consider is your own community. Each community is unique and has specific needs, but with a little research and knowledge, you can find the right mission project for your ministry. Some of the things we have done are clean up a park, collect canned goods for a local food pantry, or feed the homeless. But again, these are just ideas. What you do is up to your students and your community.
The second idea is evangelism. There is nothing more important than sharing the Gospel, so why not incorporate it with your disciple now on the weekend? You can send your students to the parks in your area, the neighborhoods they stay in, or even the mall. This will be a great experience for them and a great 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 that many of your students have done something like this, so you will probably want to have a short training of some kind before submitting them.
The final idea is to let your students have free time in 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. So this is actually a great learning experience for them. If you use this option, I recommend that you set some guidelines if you haven’t already implemented them before the weekend starts. Do not allow students to use their phones, play video games, or watch movies. Encourage them to play games or to sit, dream, and talk. You can also give your leaders ideas on what to do or equip them with games and other resources.
Every student pastor who plans a disciple now runs into the same problem. What to do with all that time on Saturday afternoon. We hope these ideas help you make the right decision to make this year’s event the best yet.