For more than 25 years, John Fitzpatrick served as executive director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. Although his primary passion was the study and conservation of birds, Fitzpatrick also enjoyed golf.

While watching the 2000 PGA Championship on television, Fitzpatrick noticed something strange — not about the tournament itself, but about the bird songs in the background.

Fitzpatrick recognized the distinctive call of the white-throated sparrow. He also knew this bird’s range was nowhere near Louisville, Kentucky, where the tournament was taking place.

A perplexed Fitzpatrick contacted producers at CBS, who admitted the chirping came from a recording they added to the program’s audio. The embarrassing incident prompted networks to abandon the practice of enhancing golf broadcasts with canned nature sounds.

How did Fitzpatrick recognize this media sleight of hand? In short, he knew his birds. Fitzpatrick spotted the lie because he understood the truth.

Biblical Lens

In a world of confusing and often deceptive messages, young people need the foundation of Scripture. As youth leaders, we want students to become so familiar with God’s truth they will recognize the world’s lies. This requires intentional discipleship.

According to the apostle Paul, when Christians grow “in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,” they will no longer be taken in by “deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:13–14). For that to happen, believers need church leaders investing in their lives, equipping them, and building them up in the faith (verses 11–12).

This text is both exciting and challenging. We are eager to see students become Bible engaged and mature in their faith. But we also know what we’re up against.

American Bible Society’s 2023 State of the Bible Report revealed that Generation Z adults were less likely than older generations to interact with Scripture. Just 30% of Gen Z members (aged 18–25 at the time of the survey) reported reading the Bible at least three times during the past year, compared to 33% of millennials (26–41) and 48% of the oldest respondents (77 and older).

Leading the Way

To develop long-term habits of reading Scripture and applying the truths of God’s Word, young people need role models who are actively demonstrating these things.

During my childhood, I often heard my grandfather, George Westlake, tell the congregation he pastored, “As your children get older, they will not do as you say. They will do as you do.”

In other words, people need more than just a mandate. They need a template. Whether we’re leading a youth group or parenting our children, who we are will ultimately make a bigger impression than what we say.

As leaders, we must prioritize daily time in God’s Word and talk with teens about the difference it makes in our lives.

Five Steps

While leading by example, help students take specific steps toward greater Bible engagement. I always emphasize the following five principles:

1. Choose a time and place. One of the keys to building a habit is consistency. This applies to spiritual disciplines as well.

Encourage students to block out time in their daily schedules for prayer and Bible reading. They should find a quiet place for regularly meeting with God and studying His Word.

We must not fail to engage students in Scripture and integrate them into the life of
the Church.

2. Take notes. Teenagers hear and read countless messages every day — from social media, texts, conversations, advertisements, classroom lectures, and more. Amid this information overload, it can be difficult to remember anything for long.

Hand out blank journals, and challenge students to jot down some notes or reflections on each day’s reading. Recording what they notice God saying through His Word will make it easier to recall and review the insights gleaned.

Follow up by providing opportunities for students to discuss what they’re reading and ask questions.

3. Set boundaries. Some say constant distractions are simply a reality of modern living. It is often true — but only when we allow it to be.

Ask students what keeps them from focusing on Bible reading, and brainstorm steps they could take to minimize those distractions.

Silencing phones during their devotional time — or, better yet, leaving them in another room — is an obvious example. Turning off the television and turning on worship music is another.

4. Involve others. As students establish devotional habits, encourage them to hold one another accountable for sticking to their commitments.

We all need someone to walk with us on our faith journey. Remind students to seek the support of Christian friends.

5. Go to Scripture first. When believers face difficult situations or tough decisions, their first source of wisdom and inspiration should be the Bible.

Going to a search engine or social media app might be the initial impulse of many young people. But as they practice turning first to prayer and the unchanging truths of Scripture, they will learn to rely on the Lord’s guidance in all things.

Explain to students that God promises to provide wisdom to those who seek it (James 1:5).

Walking in Community

The goal of youth ministry is helping students become lifelong learners and followers of Jesus. Leaders want young people to develop great devotional habits, but we also long to see God’s truth shaping their everyday lives.

Discipling teens within the context of godly community is the best way to set them up for long-term spiritual growth. In a longitudinal study of Assemblies of God students, Steve Pulis identified involvement in Bible-centered small groups as a top predictor of continued faith after high school.

Beyond youth activities, we also need to encourage students to engage with the larger congregation. Scripture highlights the importance of participation in a local body of believers.

Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

My 6-year-old son, Jude, loves to explore new places. Jude gets so excited at times he outpaces the rest of the family. During a recent vacation, my wife and I constantly reminded Jude to slow down and wait for us. Sometimes Jude would stop on his own and look back at us, realizing he didn’t know where he was going.

Despite his enthusiasm, our son doesn’t yet know how to navigate the world safely and successfully. He still needs care and guidance.

Jude is beginning to recognize he can go faster alone but further when we are together. This is how community works, especially when it comes to next generation discipleship.

Youth leaders have the privilege of walking with students as they take their first steps in a lifelong journey of faith. We must not fail to engage them in Scripture and integrate them into the life of the Church.

As young people learn to recognize the lies of the world, cling to the truths of Scripture, and walk out their faith in Christian community, they will grow into the mature men and women God wants them to be.

This article appears in the Summer 2023 issue of Influence magazine.