Nearly 15 years ago, I read George Barna's amazing book, "Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions" for the first time. This thought-shifting book would change my entire approach to ministry to students. So many of the things I read resonated strongly in my heart and have continued to influence the way I encourage and instruct next generation leaders today. If you have not read this book, I cannot recommend it enough. It is a MUST read!
In one particular chapter, Barna uses a simple phrase that inspired the model on which I lean the most, the "Clay Vs. Stone" model. He simply said that by the time a student reaches the age of around 12, their moral and spiritual foundation is set in stone and that they will spend the rest of their lives chiseling away at what they already believe.
The mental picture of chiseling away at a stone was precisely how I was feeling at the time I first read this book. So much of what we do in equipping and developing young leaders requires the work of a hammer and chisel. This is also the foundational premise behind the KUEST Solution. The idea is that we have a chance to shape and mold young leaders BEFORE they become set in stone; while they are still clay. The clay / stone analogy has become the basis for all of our efforts and resources.
What I want to encourage you with today is the idea of shaping the stone. Much of our work is done with students whom we did not have the chance to influence when they were younger. They come to us in their middle to late teen years, which means they come pre-formed. Their thoughts, attitudes and habits have already been molded and, for the most part, "set in stone." We then have the challenge of chiseling in an effort to unlock their greatness. For some, their experiences have been so rough and unshaped that there is little semblance of a foundation from which to work. Some have been given great direction and only have some rough edges here and there to tend to. The majority, for now, are in-between; not completely unformed, but not greatly formed either, though this trend is drifting, if not fully leaning, toward the unformed. There is little argument that the challenges our students face early in life are quite severe in today's reality. In a recent conversation with a local school administrator, they were quick to recognize that teaching staff today are more social worker than classroom educator.
In the church, we face similar challenges, which underscores the point and encouragement of this post.
As sculptors we must strike precisely.
There are three things I want to briefly highlight about sculpting that apply directly to our work:
1 : The subject starts out rough. No block of granite, slab of marble or boulder of stone comes pre-fashioned into a finished product. All of them have little form and lack a refined shape. It should be no surprise that some of our students are going to be in rough shape. Given the choice, we would love for them to come to us in better condition, but it is rarely the case. Unless you have a strong leader in the more formidable years - and I hope you do - you are likely going to be working with a largely formless, unrefined slab of a young leader. That rocks!! (pun intended!)
2 : The sculptor sees the finished product before the first blow of the hammer. Great sculptors can see the full potential of the stone - and they see it before they begin their work. This is not stuff we can make up as we go along. Clear vision of a desired outcome is critical to success. Leaders who are in it for their own glory are likely to do more harm than good as they hammer away without regard to what's inside the stone. Great sculptors have often been quoted as saying that they are not the ones sculpting the stone, rather, they are simply unlocking what is already inside.
3 : Every hammer strike is done with precision. The care and passion behind a masterpiece is evident in the strikes that sometimes barely register. Sculpting is not always about a jack-hammer mentality; it is about very precise strikes that have the exact desired effect. Great leaders understand that the wrong strike can ruin the whole stone. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit in unlocking the greatness inside our students is of paramount importance. Today you may be required to bring the hammer, tomorrow may require a gentle brushing away of lose pieces here and there. This is why I say, "Strike Precisely."
Yes, as our students age, there is less chance to simply add a clump of clay and mold a little more. As they become more set in stone, we will need to chisel and hammer and brush away debris. Along the way, we will be helping to unlock the greatness God has designed into every of one of the masterpieces He has asked us to sculpt, so Strike Precisely.
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