A New Resource for Student Discipleship

If you had asked me to recommend a resource this time last year on discipling students, I would have thought long and hard about it, and probably not given you any great answers. It’s not because I’m not passionate about evangelism and discipleship. It’s not because I’m not “all in” for encouraging the next generation and equipping leaders, parents and students to be fruitful in their Scripture mandated calling to make disciples though. It would have been because I just didn’t have any great resources to recommend to you. Thankfully, times are a changing. If you were to ask me that question today, I would tell you, it’s finally here! At least if you’re reading this after November 11th, 2024. "Sprouting: Discipleship Workbook for Students" by Cameron and RoChelle Crow is that resource! Around 2017, I was serving as the Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church Big Spring, TX and I was beginning to put together some things for our Disciple Now Weekend that would be happening in a few months. Myself, and a couple of other churches in our area were working to do this event together and my phone rings, it’s a number I don’t recognize, but I answer it, and this guy named Cameron is on the other end of the phone. He explains to me that he has just accepted the call to be a youth pastor at another Baptist church in our city and will be there soon and wants to know about how the churches in the city work together. We began to talk and after not too long, we come to the conclusion that this d-now weekend is going to involve him and the church he is about to come serve with. I had never met Cameron in person, and I hung up the phone and had two thoughts. First, how can anybody have so much energy?!? Sidenote, if you’re wondering how I could pick that up via a phone call, you’ve never met Cameron Crow before. 2nd, I was thinking, this d-now weekend is going to be great. We had been wanting to expand from two churches to more, and now it was going to happen. Cameron and I got together shortly after he arrived in town, began to plan and talk with others about the weekend, and we were excited. And just in case you’re wondering, my read on how somebody could have so much energy was right via a phone call, yes, yes it was. Cameron Crow is fueled by two things, The Holy Spirit and Red Bull. That energy and passion is on full go mode towards, first leading his family and then leading in student ministry. That d-now would be the beginning of a great friendship, lots of fun, and many great times in student ministry. The biggest challenge in student ministry is not introducing students to Jesus, it’s what to do after they accept Christ. Discipleship is hard. It takes lots of effort, it takes long hours, it involves being there in both the good times and the bad, it involves the ministry of presence and the ministry of equipping. Discipleship is Scripture mandated, and it is the hope for the church today, and in the future. It is the method by which God has ordained for us to look more like Jesus and to help others do the same. If you want to know how to do that better with your kids, you need to pick up Cameron and Rochelle’s new book. If you’re a youth pastor looking to do discipleship effectively, you need to pick up this new book. If you’re a church leader who wants to equip the parents, or even grandparents of students and older kids to be lifelong, devoted followers of Christ, you need to pick up this new book. This book is not a substitute for the Bible, it’s a practical resource that will help you walk through Scripture and make disciples. I look forward to using it with my own kids and I hope you will as well. Sprouting: Discipleship Workbook for Students Book