Like gardeners care for their plants, teachers equip their students. With work, planning, and the Spirit’s power, you can help each member in your group develop strong, sustainable roots that lead to growth—not just in the classroom, but in their everyday lives.

It may be difficult at times, but growing your group requires tending to your students’ needs without neglecting your own spiritual well-being. As you flourish, you are healthy enough to give each member the tools they need to grow. Jeremiah 17:7–8 says, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and never fails to bear fruit” (NIV). As you think on this verse, ask yourself this question: Does my classroom feel like a steady, flowing stream, or has it become stagnant?

Maybe your answer to this question is not what you were hoping for. If you’re in a season of struggling to steward growth within your group, here are four steps to help you create an environment where students thrive.

Evaluate your own garden.

The first step is a spiritual self-check. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Not only will you feel exhausted and drained, but your students won’t receive the spiritual nutrients they need to survive.

God has equipped each of us with the tools to fulfill His call, but it’s up to us to continuously sharpen and prepare those tools. So stop and assess the state of your garden. Has it become dry and barren, void of God’s Word? Or are you allowing Scripture to water the soil, fostering growth and fruitfulness?

Evaluate your group garden.

Now take a step back and assess the condition of your group. Who is growing spiritually, and in which direction? Who seems to have stopped growing? Remember, some plants need a little more care and attention than others.

The fact that you’re using this Teacher Guide shows that you are planting the seeds of God’s Word. But don’t expect those seeds to grow and flourish completely on their own. Instead, tend to the seedlings with God’s help.

Sometimes we can get out of step with the Holy Spirit and unintentionally end up stunting new growth. After all, overwatering is just as deadly as not watering enough. Follow the Spirit’s leading and encourage your group to do the same. Make sure they are taking ownership of their growth and soaking up God’s Word outside of your time together.

Keep fostering growth.

Cultivate unity in your group, encouraging students to support one another inside and outside the classroom.

Growth is our goal, but it can bring its own unique challenges. When seedlings begin to outgrow the space where they are planted, they need new support. The same trellis that used to hold them up may not be enough anymore. Be sensitive as students go through the growing pains of walking with Jesus. When differences arise in the group, seek the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, pruning away any weeds that would try to choke out the Spirit’s fruit. It can be easy to be discouraged by disunity, but keep tending the garden and don’t lose heart!

Expand the garden.

Not only will a well-tended group grow spiritually, but it will likely grow numerically. Don’t be afraid to welcome new people to the garden! Everyone in your group is uniquely designed by God and is in a specific season of growth. No two people are in exactly the same place. Each person’s perspective is something only they can offer.

As we plant, water, and monitor our garden’s growth, we should also be preparing for the harvest. We may not always see the direct results of our labor—sometimes the seeds

are growing beneath the surface—but it will become clear in eternity. As author Mary Davis writes, “We can’t change people, but we can plant seeds that may one day bloom in them.”

As you follow these steps, God will cause your group to flourish in new and unexpected ways. As Paul explained to the Corinthians, “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos

watered it, but it was God who made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:5). So don’t be discouraged if change doesn’t happen overnight. Growth is not an instantaneous process. “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up" (Galatians 6:9). 

WHITNEY LEE is an editor for Radiant Life adult curriculum.