Older men are responsible to model Christlikeness to the younger men. However, growth in their part also happens when they start applying the things that they have learned.

Discipling younger men is both a challenge and a delight. It is a challenge knowing that these young men have so much room for improvement so one needs to patiently bear with their shortcomings and immaturities. It is a delight knowing when we see them grow through us. God is gracious to use flawed people like us to the disciple the next generation.

I have been discipling younger men for almost three years now. Allow me to share some of my realizations for these three years.

1. Focus on establishing a good relationship with them. Younger men find it hard to listen from someone whom they do not have a close relationship with. So establishing a good relationship with younger men is my primary goal. I want to offer counsel in light of God’s Word through our close relationship. I don’t want to just be merely a teacher, imparting information to them. I also want to be their friend or older brother whom they can share their struggles and their problems. One of the ways to connect with younger men is to ask genuine questions to them while having an interested posture.
2. Consistency is important. I want to consistently meet up some of the younger men at church at least once a week. Consistent meetups are the means through which our relationship is developed and deepened. As they grow more mature in their walk with God, I could lessen the number of times we meet up, knowing that they could stand on their own. However, the way I see it now, the younger men whom God has placed in my life needs to be consistently met so as to provide insight, guidance, and knowledge steadily.
3. Assign tasks to them. One of the ways we help younger men to follow Jesus is by setting a Christlike example to them. Older men are responsible to model Christlikeness to the younger men. However, growth in their part also happens when they start applying the things that they have learned. A lesson about prayer is useless when I don’t assign them to pray and even encourage them to pray daily. I try to delegate the opening and closing prayer to them for them to participate in our discipleship. Encouraging them to read God’s Word and to share the gospel to their classmates are also good assignments to increase their growth.

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