Spiritual Parenting

It sounds too good to be true. All three of the students with whom I meet individually here in Bonn have begun this month to disciple other girls. This is what I pray for when I take walks along the Rhine in front of my apartment. This is what I have in mind when I meet with them. This is the heart of what I do.

A “Zweierschaft” (tsvi er schafft) is a one-to-one discipleship relationship. This is happening as Christina is beginning to disciple Maria, Alexis is beginning to disciple Susanna, and Beate is beginning to disciple Sylvia. (Names have been changed to protect privacy)

Christina and Maria

Christina said of her first meeting with Maria, “She really has a lot of relationships with unbelievers. In our times together we have shared about our relationships with non-Christians and our conversations with them. It is not easy for Maria; her friends give her a hard time. But she hangs on. She is committed to sharing Christ with them. We plan to read in the Bible about how Jesus and others related with those who didn’t know Him. I am very excited to be talking about this with Maria. I hope it will be an encouragement to her for us to continue meeting together.”

Alexis and Susanna

Alexis was hesitant about asking Susanna to meet together to read the Bible. In the past, Alexis had a Zweierschaft that wasn’t a very natural relationship and she didn’t want that to happen again. When she did ask Susanna if she would like to meet regularly, Susanna answered with an enthusiastic “Yes!” The girls met together to prep to lead a Bible study for a group of young students. They talked about personal things. Alexis said of the time, “It was cool.”

Beate and Sylvia

Beate said of her Zweierschaft times with Sylvia, “I am challenged by her ideas! It scares me a bit because embedded in her ideas are some of my own deep questions about God, too. It is really different to have someone for whom you are ‘caring’ specifically; it makes me more serious in the relationship.”

The girls are learning what it means to be a spiritual parent. They are investing in the next generation.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2, NIV).