You, Faith

and engaging with teens

Frame

1:9 If, instead of trying to teach good news to children (and young people), the Church tries to become good news, it will need such fresh eyes to see itself. Such a church would need the confidence to deal with questions rather than always having to find the answers. It would be prepared to surrender its life and lets its institutions be transformed..

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Our story and why are we here?

Myths & Legends

We have a problem

Articles of enquiry 2011 • Does your church have faith based work with 11-14 year olds? Yes No N/a 36% 60% 4% • Does your church have faith based work with 15-19 year olds Yes No N/a 23% 71% 6%

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1:9 If, instead of trying to teach good news to children (and young people), the Church tries to become good news, it will need such fresh eyes to see itself. Such a church would need the confidence to deal with questions rather than always having to find the answers. It would be prepared to surrender its life and lets its institutions be transformed..

What are our hopes?

What are our fears?

Anxiety seeks control

Love seeks contemplation

(How do I make kids into Christians?)

(How can I be present to k ids and God?)

Anxiety seeks professionals

Love seeks processes

(Who is the expert that can solve the youth problem?)

(What can we do together to uncover Jesus’ way of life?)

Anxiety wants products

Love desires presence

(What book, video, curriculum will teach kids faith?)

(Who will bear the life of God among teenagers?)

Anxiety lifts up gurus

Love relies on guides

Anxiety wants activity

Love brings awareness

(Who has the charisma to draw kids?)

(Who has the gifts for living alongside k ids?)

(What will keep the kids busy)

(What are the real needs of the youth?)

Anxiety rests in results

Love rests in relationships

Anxiety seeks answers

Love seeks questions

(Here’s what we think. Here’s who God is.)

(What do you think? Or as Jesus said, ‘Who do you say that I am?’)

(How many kids have committed (Who are the kids we’v e to the faith?) befriended?)

Anxiety seeks conformity

Love brings creativity

(Are the young people meeting our expectations?)

(What’s the fresh way in which God is challenging us through our youth?

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“Escape the Circus and live beyond the limits of the imaginary lid” lid” Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the FULL!” FULL!”

Yaconelli and Creasy Dean

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Why?

How

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What’ What’s gone wrong?

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Talking over listening Teaching over learning Dualistic Programme Orientated Black and White Hierarchical Material Dull Set ecclesiology Conformist Wedded to modernity Informational not spiritual Default to attractional model

Recent research and writing

What do we need to explore?

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What

• • • • • • •

It’s Biblical! Because there’s a need! Because it’s fun We can learn a lot from them To train future leaders It’s what being church is about? Understanding young people gives us warning of changes that will impact the whole culture • Youth led services engage 20’s – 30’s • A prophetic voice into a youth rejecting culture

"The young, with their strong loathing for the unauthentic, quickly detect any dichotomy between the church and its founder“ founder“ John Stott

What’ What’s right with what we are doing at the moment?

Spirituality Faith needs to be Authentic. It’ It’s 24/7 or 0 It’s about experiencing and knowing God It’ That fuels a wanting to know about It’s about How it works for you and for me, It’ not abstract ideas of truth It’s about all of us learning, not just being taught It’ at! Listening, sharing, doing, reflecting

• • • • •

Community All age The possibility of spirituality A concern for young people Relationally based

Spirituality isn’ isn’t just words, it’ it’s all senses and action.

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A Theological Underpinning 1. There is a creator God who is on the move to find those who are lost (Luke 15) 2. God's heart is decisively compassionate towards children and young people (Mark 10:13ff) 3. God loves people enough to invade human history via the incarnation (Phil. 2:52:5-11) 4. Followers of Jesus Christ are likewise called to love and pursue those whom God loves, and therefore called to "go" into the world of the young (John 17:8) 5. The message of the Gospel, focused on the Incarnate Word brings hope and healing to every person regardless of race, culture, ethnicity or age (Romans 10:1210:12-13) Chap Clark

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