INFLUENCE

I have stood before young people to preach, lead a fellowship, and encourage them to pursue God. I have been in the ministry since I was a teenager. But the longer I serve in ministry, the more one question continues to challenge me: What do they see when the preaching is over? It is one thing to stand behind a pulpit and tell young people to live for Jesus. It is another thing to let them see what following Jesus looks like in everyday life. Because young people are watching. They are watching how we respond when things do not go our way. They are watching how we treat people who disappoint us. They are watching what happens when no one is applauding and when there is nothing to gain. They are listening to our sermons, yes—but they are also reading our lives. And sometimes, what they see can speak louder than what we say.

Being a godly model does not mean never failing. It means being honest enough to acknowledge when we do.

This generation has no shortage of information. A young person can open a phone and access sermons, Bible studies, podcasts, Christian content, and answers to countless questions within seconds. Information about God has never been more accessible. Yet access to information does not automatically produce faith. Sometimes, what young people are looking for is someone who makes the message believable. Someone worth following.

As someone who has spent years serving in ministry and walking alongside young people, I have come to realize that discipleship is not only about what we teach. It is also about what we model. Whether I am preaching, leading a youth gathering, sitting in a fellowship, praying with someone, or simply having an honest conversation with a young person, my life is communicating something about the faith I claim to believe. That realization is both humbling and convicting.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Those are weighty words. Paul did not merely tell believers to listen to his teaching. He invited them to observe his life. His faith was not confined to his message; it was evident in the way he lived. This is the kind of model our young people need today. Not perfect people. Not Christians who pretend they have never struggled. Not leaders who appear spiritual in public but live differently in private. They need authentic people.

One of the greatest dangers facing the Church is when there is a visible gap between what we proclaim and how we live. We preach grace but refuse to forgive. We speak about love but treat people harshly. We call young people to holiness while quietly tolerating compromise in our own lives. We teach humility but become defensive when corrected. Young people notice these contradictions. And for some, hypocrisy becomes louder than the Gospel they hear. This does not mean that mature Christians must become flawless before we can lead others. If perfection were the requirement, none of us could disciple anyone. Being a godly model does not mean never failing. It means being honest enough to acknowledge when we do.

A mature Christian should also know how to say, “I was wrong. Please forgive me.” That, too, is discipleship. When young people see us repent, they learn that following Jesus is not about maintaining a perfect image. It is about continually surrendering ourselves to Christ and allowing Him to transform us. Authentic faith does not hide behind a title, position, or ministry. It walks in the light. Paul told Timothy, “Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Notice that Paul did not only tell him to preach well. Timothy was called to be an example. His words mattered, but so did his conduct. His faith mattered, but so did his love. His ministry was inseparable from his life. That should challenge every mature Christian.

What kind of Christianity are young people learning from us? Are they seeing us remain faithful when life becomes difficult? Are they seeing us serve without needing recognition? Are they seeing humility when we are corrected? Are they seeing love that goes beyond the church service? Are they seeing integrity when no one else is watching?

Because whether we intend to or not, we are teaching through our lives.I have seen that some of the most meaningful moments in ministry do not happen when I am holding a microphone. They happen in conversations after a gathering, in moments of prayer, in listening to someone's struggles, and in simply being present. Programs and events are important, but young people also need relationships. They need to know that faith is not merely something we perform on a platform; it is something we live out with people.

Jesus modeled this perfectly. He did not only teach crowds from a distance. He walked with His disciples. They saw Him pray. They watched Him serve. They witnessed His compassion. They saw His obedience to the Father, even in suffering. His life gave weight to His words. As mature Christians, we must remember that our goal is not to make young people dependent on us. We are not the destination. We are only meant to point them toward Christ. John the Baptist expressed this beautifully when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Perhaps that is the heart of true spiritual influence.

Not becoming someone famous enough for others to follow, but becoming someone whose life makes others want to follow Jesus. Perhaps young people are not simply looking for more voices telling them what to do. Perhaps they are quietly asking, “Can someone show me what this faith actually looks like?”

May our answer be found not only in our sermons, Bible studies, and social media posts, but in our speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. And may we live so faithfully that if the next generation follows our footsteps, those footsteps will lead them—not to our name, our platform, or our accomplishments—but closer to Jesus.