Leadership: Virus Alert: The

Virus Alert: The "Itises" of Outreach

You can’t get it from downloading a bad file. It doesn’t creep in from an infected disk. Yet these viruses exist invisibly, silently sabotaging the “hard drive” of our disciplemaking efforts. Yes, undermining many potentially effective strategies and approaches are two common outreach “viruses” that can limit the scope and impact of any disciplemaking effort.

“Programitis” - The mission is clear: “Go and make disciples.” So we plan special events and design promotional gigs, encouraging our teens to go, find their friends, and bring them to our evangelistic appeals. Once it’s over, we take a break, only long enough, though, to plan another one and do the same thing again. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach, it can self-destruct if our students only feel called to evangelize when the program deems necessary. If this is the extent of our going, our approach is too ritualistic, veering from the relational base upon which disciplemaking is best built. Slowly but surely, our schedules, not the Spirit, take charge; we live and die by the calendar. Programitis has crept in, bringing with it the small and unhealthy bacteria of this outreach virus.

A closer look at Matthew 28:19-20 reveals that the word “go” in v. 19 is a participle (going), and the emphatic words in the construction are “make disciples.” In other words, Christ was saying “while you are going, make disciples.” He expected these disciples, in the daily routine of life, to keep disciplemaking as their number one priority, not just when there was a big-ticket show in town. Consequently, for the words of Jesus in Matthew 28 to be obeyed, we must weave into the life-fabric of our students a disciplemaking way of thinking and living that occurs during the normal course of everyday life. When, in the life of our students, programmed events replace personal connections, we have moved from a relational approach to a programmatic one (i.e., Programitis). Over the long haul, this is harmful to the mindset Christ was emphasizing.

A blend of both has proven beneficial by many ministries. In this scenario, a quality event is married to weeks -- even months -- of training and emphasis in the area of our natural friendships. Still, be careful! The perception that making disciples only takes place when the church schedules it can spawn an infection of Programitis.

“Segmentitis” - It is unfortunate that we’ve seen such a sharp and distinct dichotomy between the words evangelism and discipleship. The two are married, not divorced. And together they form the one goal we’re pursuing: Making disciples. Splitting them leaves us heavy on one end, the state of most youth groups and ministries. We should look at both as imperative, the two necessary components of a disciplemaking group.

Sure, some are better at one than the other. These people are called specialists. And while specializing in one area can prove productive if we keep an eye towards the entire process, it can also breed the beginnings of Segmentitis, which ultimately leaves us dysfunctional. Too often, we unknowingly separate the various elements of disciplemaking into such categorized units that none work together. Instead of various parts making up the whole, we have many “wholes” trying to do their “part.”

In John 4, when Jesus insightfully corrected the disciples about their false view of sowing, watering, and reaping, He clearly pointed out, though all the elements are crucial, “being glad together” regarding the harvest was most important. He refused to allow His followers to segment and prioritize their roles. Essentially, Jesus proposed not only a team mindset, but a league mindset. Making disciples requires more than one’s own unique ability (player) and extends beyond our own community (team). It involves the input of people from the past, present, and future (league) who humbly do their part with a “big picture” mindset.

Most often, Segmentitis occurs in post-event connection. Because typical event planners and leaders spend the bulk of their time on things prior to and during the event, we mentally begin to view the event as the closing ceremony to weeks of work. In reality, the event is the opening ceremony, an orientation to a potential relationship with God that lasts a lifetime. Yet, many close up the file just at this critical point and tuck it away for future reference. “It’s over,” we say. “On to the next one.” We’ve been infected by Segmentitis.

Wondering how you can avoid prolonged contact with these viruses? What steps can you take to remove the unhealthy presence of these spiritual bacteria from your disciplemaking intentions? Here are some reflective questions to help you diagnose any current infection.

Programitis

• Think about the flow of seekers/guests to your youth ministry and/or church. Does it stop when the activity ceases? What implications can you draw from this regarding how your students view the need others have for Christ? For His church?
• If one of your teens led a friend to Christ at school apart from a program or promotion, would he or she readily know the next step to take to see this friend assimilated and integrated?
• What percentage of your students witness, and what percent invite? If the vast majority only invite, what are the implications of this in regards to their ability to lead others to Christ apart from your involvement?

Segmentitis

• What are the most common words used to describe outreach in your ministry? Do any of these words unknowingly give greater attention to a segment of disciplemaking, or are they indicative of the entire mission? How can you begin to define and teach a more accurate concept of Matthew 28:19-20?
• Think about your next outreach effort. Evaluate where you’re spending the majority of your preparation time. Is it balanced between all aspects of the disciplemaking process? If you’re looking to simply “pull it off,” what does that tell you about how you view this biblical process?
• If you see you’re a specialist in an area, does this negatively flavor the tendencies of your group? What can you do to compensate for your weak areas without shadowing your strengths?

Consider these “prescription” tips for overcoming the viruses and restoring health.

1. Commit to long-term evangelism. Generally, students are won to Christ and brought to maturity over a period of time. Add to this the natural ebb and flow of ministry, and you can see why maintaining the candle approach to making disciples (i.e., long, bright, and steady) is a far better idea than using the firework model (i.e., short, flashy, and loud).

2. Build life awareness among your students. The tendency is to let events build excitement, capitalizing on the hoopla a special person or show brings. The truly special one, however, is the person we’re targeting for Jesus, that individual we have grown to love who needs Christ. Seek to generate and create expectancy about the opportunities we have each day in the normal course of our life to bring Jesus into the hearts of lost people. Celebrate these occasions publicly. Talk about them. Let it be known that, if we’ll simply open our eyes, potential disciples are all around us constantly, not just when the “big-name speaker” is in town.

3. Design a process that matches their life awareness. The tools you have to mature and grow students (i.e., your programs) should reflect the value of life awareness. Put yourself in the shoes of a new convert or guest, or in the skin of a friend brought by a student, and ask yourself:
   • Did I meet a “live” role model of the kind of person this group seeks to build? This addresses the WHO issue and helps to establish value.
   • Was I “clued in” as to why I was here? Did I sense an overall direction and feel like I was headed there? This addresses the WHY issue and helps establish vision and mission.
   • Were the expectations explained clearly? Was the “code of conduct” properly explained? Did I know where to go, when to go, and what to do? This addresses the WHAT issue and helps establish strategy.

4. Keep a margin in your calendar/schedule. It’s tempting to overcrowd the calendar, looking busy and important on paper. However, running from one thing to the next, prepping while in transit, is hardly a way for our students or us to establish rapport with others in our circle of life. Learn to flow with the yearly cycle of your group, leaving room for them to have other networks of relationships and interest.

Todd
YLC

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