Salty Discipleship
John O’Hair, MEd
Headmaster, Desert Christian Schools, Tucson, Arizona
What do you get when you mix together a dozen seniors, two teachers, three days, no showers, and lots of challenging events? Salty discipleship. Jesus gave us a commission at the end of His time on the planet. Matthew 28:19–20 states the commission as, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (NIV). It is a commission for all the followers of Jesus at all times and in all places. Having that understanding, our school is working to apply the commission to all our programs and relationships. The result is all about discipleship.
Discipling can take place everywhere in a school setting—in class, in sports, in drama, through student council, through clubs, through class activities, during lunchtime, before and after school, on school trips. The word go in Matthew 28:19 literally means “as you go.” Discipling takes place in life as we go along the way!
For 20 years, our school community has been wrestling with how to make disciples of students in ways that are beyond the theoretical and in the context of providing the students with a liberal arts education. What are some principles we’ve learned along the way? First, discipling takes place best when it is one-on-one—time spent between a teacher and a student or between a student and a student, talking over life. Discipling requires a relationship, and it must be cultivated. Second, discipling is not just teaching what God has said, but it is teaching people to obey what God commands. The focus is on learning to obey what God calls us to do and teaching how to implement that obedience in all of life, in and out of the school setting.
One of the ways that we have found to be effective for giving students and teachers relational opportunities is to take our senior class to the mountains for three days and two nights before the start of each school year. We call the time SALT, which stands for senior attitude leadership training. Through teams of 12 students and two teachers, we set the stage for challenging and bonding opportunities that encourage students to have personal interactions with their classmates and teachers in the beauty of God’s creation.
Teams receive a set amount of food, and they are asked, “What would you plan with the combinations of tuna plus pasta plus carrots plus spaghetti sauce or cereal?” Who knew that pasta was good for breakfast or that cereal rocks for dinner? Each team sets up its camp, plans and cooks its own meals, and cleans up. Teachers are observers and facilitators who encourage their team members to take the lead and to see one another in a new light. Every team does activities: rock climbing and rappelling, teambuilding activities, an exploration hike—along with four hours alone with God and evening group-sharing sessions. Our stated aim is to help students look at how they can lead, encourage, and stretch one another.
Each night, students and teachers share their life stories with one another. Reflection and observation allow the group members to forge relationships that encourage a deeper understanding of themselves and of their impact on one another. An extended time alone with God gives all the students time to listen and give thought to what God is asking of them both for the present and for the future.
Jesus was always presenting challenging issues to His disciples as they went through life—issues of service, humility, and helping others. Our teachers look for opportunities to address things they see, good or bad, about Gods’ command to love one another. Through taking time to get to know the students and through the stories that students and teachers share with one another, the teachers make observations about the students’ behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs. The teachers teach students, as well as model for them, how to obey what God says.
To top off the time together, the last day starts at 5 a.m. and finds the entire class hiking 17 milesdown the mountain. The challenge, difficulty, and eventual accomplishment do much to weave relationships together in that class and to set the stage for the seniors to lead at school and to continue learning to obey all that Jesus commands. And isn’t that what discipleship is about?
Discipleship 12.3