To ask youth workers, educators and parents:
1. All churches try to “hand on” Christian tradition to new generations and newcomers to faith–a process the early church called catechesis. Sunday school, Bible studies, confirmation programs, songs and hymns, involving youth in Christian advocacy and service, even the liturgy of worship itself all help “catechize” young people. Yet important as this teaching is, Dean reminds us: “Catechesis does not guarantee that teenagers will follow Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit ignites faith, transforming human effort into holy fire that comes roaring into our lives at the first hint of welcome, insistent on igniting us, sharing us, and being shared.”
- Have you ever poured a lot of effort into catechizing a young person who winds up walking away from Christianity? How did you make sense of that?
- Does your church tend to assume that catechesis will make children and youth into Christians? If faith is the Holy Spirit’s gift and not ours, why do we spend so much energy catechizing teenagers? (page 63)
- Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit came roaring into your life? Did any human effort help you recognize God in that event?
2. Dean states: “Every teenagers recognizes the equation: True love inspires sacrifice. True love is ‘to die for.’ Anything less is not true love.” Is she right? If so, why aren’t more teenagers sold out on following Jesus Christ, who gave everything out of love for us? (page 64-65)
3. Look at the African Christian’s words on page 65: “You Americans think of Christianity as a farm with a fence. Your question is, ‘Are you inside the fence or outside of it?’ We Africans think differently. We think of Christianity as a farm with no fence. Our question is, ‘Are you heading toward the farm, or away from it?’’
- Based on this statement only (and you may want to disagree with it), do you think your congregation is more of an “American” church or an “African” church? Give an example to show why.
- Being as honest as you can, what or who do you think functions as your congregation’s center? Are you okay with that? (page 65)
4. What does Dean mean when she says that, in Christian tradition, God’s power is love? What does it mean to say God is love? Does a loving God ever set limits? What does the power of God look like? (page 70-71)
5. Caring congregations help teenagers feel a sense of connectedness—both interpersonally (connected to others) and spiritually (connected to God). How connected do teenagers feel to your congregation? Is their sense of connection more interpersonal or spiritual? (page 72ff.)
6. Read through the list of characteristics of highly devoted teenagers on page 80.
- Do you agree with this list?
- Does your own faith look like this?
- What about the faith of the teenagers you know best?
- Think of one teenager you consider highly devoted. Would s/he be considered highly devoted by the NSYR? (page 80)
7. Dean writes: “Scripture repeatedly describes God’s preferential option for the unlikely as God calls people not for what they have, but for what they lack. Empty hands can receive, empty wombs can be filled, empty tombs can proclaim resurrection—and the unformed selves of adolescents can make room for Christ in ways that are difficult for hardened, formed egos.”
- Have you ever considered God’s penchant for using unlikely or “empty” things to communicate God’s love and power? Have you ever felt like an “empty” vessel that God has used anyway? (This is a deep question, but your group will be blessed if you share your experience.)
- How does God’s “preferential option for the unlikely” give adolescents a unique capacity to bear Christ in the world? (page 81)
To ask teenagers:
1. When you think about God, do you think God is: (a) waiting for you to grasp God, or (b) already grasping you? What is the difference? Does it matter to the way you live as a Christian?
2. Pool time (this is a good time to give everybody Lifesavers):
- Is God more like a cosmic lifeguard (sitting on the edge of the pool, watching over everything to be sure people are safe, ready to dive in when somebody gets into trouble) or a divine swimming teacher (somebody who gets down in the pool with you, shows you the strokes, holds you up while you try them out, then watches you swim on your own)?
- Do you envision God as being actively present with you as you walk through the hallways at school, caring for you in your daily life? Or do you think God cares but isn’t really involved in your daily life (maybe because God has bigger things to worry about)?
3. What does Dean mean when she says that, in Christian tradition, God’s power is love? How is love powerful? Does a loving God ever set limits? What does the power of God look like? (page 70-71)
4. What is the most compelling thing about Jesus for you? (e.g., his birth? The miracles he performed? The way he preached and taught? The way he talked to people? His death? His resurrection?) Does Jesus…amaze you? …compel you? …annoy you? …intrigue you? …convict you? …inspire you? …enjoy you? …interest you? …do nothing for you? …okay with you? Pick a phrase that describes your reaction to Jesus.
5. Dean states: “Every teenagers recognizes the equation: True love inspires sacrifice. True love is ‘to die for.’ Anything less is not true love.” Is she right? If not, what do you consider the measure of true love? If she is right, why aren’t more teenagers more sold out on following Jesus Christ? Isn’t Jesus an example of true love? (page 64-65)
6. Look at the African Christian’s words on page 65: “You Americans think of Christianity as a farm with a fence. Your question is, ‘Are you inside the fence or outside of it?’ We Africans think differently. We think of Christianity as a farm with no fence. Our question is, ‘Are you heading toward the farm, or away from it?’’
- Based on this statement only (and you may want to disagree with it), do you think your congregation is more of an “American” church or an “African” church? Give an example to show why.
- Being as honest as you can, what or who do you think functions as your congregation’s center? Are you okay with that? (page 65)