I recall hearing stories about Word of Life’s co-founder, Jack Wyrtzen. His interactions with his staff and nearly everybody else he ran into included questions like, “What’s the Lord showing you in His Word through your Quiet Time?” Of course, he was speaking of Word of Life’s Quiet Time resource, which has been a staple of our discipleship toolkit for decades.
Jack’s words, then and now, are a great reminder of the importance of sharing your Quiet Time thoughts and insights with others. In your role as a disciple-maker in the context of leading a small group of students, I see a number of desirable outcomes from making this a regular habit.
- Dialoguing with your small group helps you focus on specific gems from the Word, and encourages a daily commitment to finding those precious gems. Let’s face it. When you’re committed to sharing some insight from the Word with others, you’re going to be more intentional in your own discipline.
- Sharing your fresh insights from a recent Quiet Time passage demonstrates that yours is a living, growing faith. Instead of simply telling students how important it is for them to be in the Word daily, you’ll be demonstrating that His Word is active and alive in your own life. That’s leadership by example.
- Hearing you boldly, confidently, and consistently share from your Quiet Time reflections may embolden your small group members to share their thoughts from their own Quiet Time, which is always the goal. Remember, it’s better when they do most of the talking when it comes to questions, answers, and insights into God’s Word.
- Gaining understanding and insight into a particular passage from your Quiet Time happens when you hear others’ take on that passage. Such sharing and cooperative learning encourages a sense of community—like, “We’re all in this together, looking for God’s truth through His Word.”
- Sharing with your small group opens the door for important teaching moments, especially when you’re dealing with a difficult passage or an intensely applicable passage that touches on areas where you’ve seen teens struggle (like obedience, purity, speech, trust, etc.). Talking through the passage in your small group may be the exact thing your students need the most.
The next time you meet with your small group, remember another quote I heard attributed to Jack Wyrtzen, and use it as your guide, “Your Quiet Time isn’t done until you share it with somebody.”
David Livingston has served youth and leaders in the local church for more than 25 years as a volunteer and full-time missionary. His life purpose is to teach and coach others in their journey together as fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. He and his wife of 41 years, Earlene, enjoy camping and hiking and being with their nine grandkids. They live in Oak Ridge, Tenn.