As you read through the Teach One Reach One website, you may have asked yourself if it’s really worth it. After all, you may only see your students once a week or less. Maybe you have heard Christians say things like “It’s really only glorified babysitting.” or “Just keep them alive and give them this coloring sheet.” or one of my favorites “It doesn’t really matter what you do. It’s the responsibility of the parents to make sure they learn about God anyway.”
Satan hates people who volunteer their time to teach kids and teens about God. He knows at their young ages, kids are so open to learning about God. He knows most of them are excited about loving God and worshipping Him. He knows the groundwork laid before the age of eighteen has the most profound effect on their future faith journey.
So Satan lies. He makes you think you can’t make a difference. He tells you it really isn’t your responsibility to make sure the young people you know are getting a solid faith foundation. He encourages you to binge watch shows on Netflix instead of spending a few extra minutes preparing for class or spending time with your students. He lets you hear discouraging comments made by others about volunteers or Sunday School. If Satan is having a really good day, he can even convince you to resign or retire in despair.
We did a lot of research before starting Teach One Reach One. We wanted to find out if things really changed in the spiritual education and preparation children and teens received, would the outcomes be better? Would young people be more likely to stay faithful when they reached adulthood? Would they be active, productive Christians instead of pew warmers? Would they be better prepared to become servant leaders in the Church? Would the church begin to grow rapidly again?
It’s too early to tell if our research and our ministry will bear fruit for God. What we did learn from one source in particular though, gave us hope that every little thing any of us does to point a child towards God can drastically change everything.
I heard a Holocaust survivor speak about his experiences living in a dozen concentration camps during WWII. He spoke of many horrors, but then he shared something you need to take to heart. He said that Holocaust survivors spent a lot of time over the years after the war talking to each other about their common experiences. Needless to say, those experiences were a lot to process and try to understand in some way. He said he found the survivors all had one important thing in common. Each survivor had one person who said or did one seemingly tiny thing that gave them the hope and will to survive.
That’s it. To survivors that one tiny sentence or action meant they were able to survive when others died. Talk for very long to anyone who has overcome a rough start and almost to a person, they will tell similar stories.
You can be that person. Better yet, you have God on your side encouraging you to be that person. You have a Bible full of the very things you can say that will change not only someone’s life, but where they spend eternity. You can make the most incredible difference in the world in the lives of your students! So the next time Satan tries to discourage or distract you, ignore him. Remember the Holocaust survivors and do something to make a difference in the lives of your students.
Teach One Reach One would love to help you make a difference in the lives of your students. Check out all of our free resources to help you. Contact us for more information on how you and your ministry can receive personalized assistance with your ministries to children and teens.