Theology, Worldview, and Discipleship

The relationship between theology and worldview is essential to effective discipleship. Theology is the knowledge revealed concerning God's identity, his attitude about us, an explanation of his actions, and his will for our life. Worldview is an individual's picture of how the world works.

When it comes to my day to day life, I act according to my worldview. I put my faith in what I have accepted as the way things are. I study the Scriptures because my worldview was built in ignorance. I understand a bit of what I see around me, but I have no way to know my Creator except through his revelation. In a fallen world I must work to understand that revelation. It's a task that I never complete.

Students need theology in order to reshape their worldview. Without the content of theology, there is nothing to reshape someone's picture of the world. If a theological education is not part of a student's education, then don't expect long-term changes in his or her life. Without theology, our culture's worldview-with all it's explanations, values, and expectations-will win out.

Discipleship is taking theology and understanding the difference God makes in our day to day life. This is a work of renewing our mind as well as applying the teachings of Scripture through purposeful obedience. In short, discipleship is applying what we learn in Scripture in order to change our worldview. That is important since our worldview determines the course of our lives.

Discipleship is not a solo activity. It is best done in a community of support, encouragement, and accountability. In Chi Alpha, this usually happens through small groups and one-to-one relationship.

Theology can be learned in a classroom environment, but discipleship requires something more personal. Discipleship speaks of shared lives, of a shared journey, knowing someone has your back while you have theirs. Discipleship relationships build a trust that allows confession, exhortation, and meaningful encouragement.

Theology represents truth regardless of what we believe, but our worldview is what I really believe. I confess that my worldview and my theology are not in sink. Neither is yours. Only Jesus succeeded in perfectly bringing both together. I study theology, apply Scripture to my life, pray, worship, and live in active Christian community so that my worldview might be transformed to reflect reality.

Students need to begin to experience this before they are sent away to college. They need theology. It is the raw material of a healthy worldview. They need some kind of discipleship relationship to help them apply Scripture into their daily life. If this doesn't happen, then they will have religious knowledge but retain a worldly worldview.

I believe it is the lack of theology and discipleship that is largely responsible for the majority of our youth leaving the church at their first opportunity. In the following blogs I'll expand on the discipleship theme.

Feeding the Mind

There is a story I hear over and over again from students who have left the church. They begin to have questions based on things their friends say, what they have heard in class, read in books, or just thought up on their own. They bring these questions to their pastor or a Christian they respect. At first, that pastor or respected voice listens and even tries to answer a question or two. But then, they are meet with the same response. "it's not good to ask too many questions. You should just have faith."

It is at that point that the student checked out of his or her young faith. Why? Because what they heard that leader say was, "Christianity has no answers for your very real question, so stop thinking and just believe."

This response is not unreasonable. As a student grows up the world gets bigger. They encounter people with new ideas and beliefs. It is natural that they would look for answers. Student's questions do not necessarily reflect doubt or rebellion. They honestly need more information to deal with the challenges life throws at them. For most of them it is a shock to be told to stop thinking and just have faith. They had believed that God was big enough to deal with the hard questions. But when they are told to just have faith, they interpret faith as a shame to cover for a religion that can't deal with reality.

I don't always have an answer for my students' or even my own kids' questions, but I have a responsibility to find one. The Apostle Peter exhorts me to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)

"I don't know," is a legitimate and honest response. Students really don't expect us to know everything. But that response needs to be followed by, "but I'll find out."

Unexamined and unchallenged faith is weak faith. I have seen it rocked by things like the ridiculously bad scholarship of Dan Brown's Di Vince Code. The challenges of the self-titled New Atheists are simplistic and ill-informed, but powerful against ignorant Christians. As a pastor, it's my responsibility to make sure that those under my care are not ill-informed or unprepared. If I am not willing to take up the challenge, then I'm not fit for the calling.

Faith should never be equated with being stupid. I serve a God of truth, a God who has called me to love him with all my mind, a God who is up to any human challenge.

This may seem a bit strong, but perhaps I am not being strong enough. This is the most Biblically illiterate generation in the last 500 years of American history. It's not their fault. The generations that proceeded them had the responsibility to teach them. No one prepared them for the challenge, and we are losing our youth in record numbers.

If you want to see revival then start a revolution of responsibility. Start with prayer, but then get off your knees and study and then begin to answer the questions of a new generation.

Faith has to do with trust and risk. It should never be equated with ignorance.

Beginning Well

This last week I wrote about conversion, and now I'd like to recommend a book on the topic. The book is Beginning Well, by Gordon T. Smith.

It is worth picking up this book for the chapter on second-generation Christians. A lot more energy has been devoted to reaching those outside the church than has been given to the conversion of the children of believers. There are clears rights of passage for those coming to faith from outside the church, but we often expect the children of believers to somehow slip onto the faith. Smith explores some positive ways we can help the children of believers navigate their own ownership of the faith. This chapter is very practical and a must read for parents, pastors, and anyone concerned with youth.

Beyond that, I highly recommend the rest of the book. Evangelicals value the transformational work of Christ. It is one of our defining beliefs. Yet, very little has been written on conversion lately. Smith believes that an incomplete understanding and exposition of conversion leads to incomplete transformation. I have found that current students coming from Christian backgrounds have a surprising small understanding of what a life of Christ brings with it. Their idea of conversion often begins and ends with an intellectual accept to God and a few moral principles. A clear idea of how God wants to work in their lives, an understanding that to follow Christ entails a personal commitment to change the world, or that conversion includes a solid, local commitment to the body of Christ.

Smith gives several biological sketches to demonstrate how prominent Christians, such as Augustine, Ignatius Loyola, John Wesley, and Dorothy Day, had more than one conversion (conversion, not salvation) experience that shaped their lives. He then gives us tools to examine our own spiritual autobiography to reflect on our growth and to see if we have embraced Christ in all parts of our lives.

The combination of strong theological content, historical observation, and personal insight make this an insightful and very helpful book.

Expanding Conversion

The way we define conversion (the expected transformation of our lives rather than, just requiring salvation) does a great deal to define the Christian life. What is the scope of the transformation? How long does it take? Can we help it along? The answers to these questions should describe a dynamic and every-changing relationship with God and life.

Ever-changing. I have found that idea to be met with suspicion, but we should find hope in this idea. God is not ever changing, but I am. God has perfect knowledge, but I am still learning. God's character is perfect, but mine needs constant transformation. To know and to pursue God is to invite change into your life. Conversion is not a single act accomplished in the past. It is a way of life with God.

It is also important for students to know the scope of conversion. There is a temptation to divide our lives up into many small boxes (work, school, family, church, science, etc.), but God transcends our boxes. He calls for every part of our life to be under his Lordship.

Professor and author, Gordon T. Smith, has described conversion in terms of seven elements. He does this for descriptive purposes. He doesn't argue that his description (and labels) is the only one or that it is used in Scripture this way. But he does argue that all these elements are reflected in Scripture as part of Biblical conversion.

The seven are: Belief (in Jesus and in good theology), Repentance, Trust and Assurance of Salvation, Commitment, Water Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and Incorporation into Christian Community.

Some of these occur once. Baptism is not a repeated act. The same is true of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Here he is speaking of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The gift of becoming a new creation in Christ. But while the gift of the Holy Spirit is part of salvation, the submission to the Spirit's guidance and empowerment to God's mission are ongoing activities of conversion.

One of the problems with some our bare-bones gospel presentations is that they leave out major portions of the call of Christ. We can give the impression that the Jesus doesn't care about every part of our life or that only part of our lives need to be handed over to him. In some cases the picture is reductionist. Jesus can be presented as desiring our hearts, our soul, and our strength, but our minds are left out or even preached against. Don't expect college-bound youth to respect a picture of conversion that doesn't include and value the mind (don't expect Jesus to be too excited about that picture either).

Conversion needs to be defined to counter some of the damage our marketing campaigns can do as well. Our culture currently distrusts organizations and institutions. I can't say I blame them, but we need to be careful that we don't emphasis this prejudice in our gospel. I have heard many Christians say that they don't believe in organized religion. That Christianity is all about a personal (insert "private") relationship with God. The Scripture does present the idea of a personal commitment to God and promises personal, direct access to God, but it also insists that we become part of the body of Christ. Commitment to a local body of believes is not merely an option. It is an expectation of obedience. In the same way, conversion does not present the repentance of sin as a health option for a successful life. It is part of our commitment to obey Christ.

If these seven elements of conversion are not a spoken part of our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ, then we shouldn't be surprised when those around us fail. But it might surprise us to learn that a gospel that doesn't present the possibility of conversion for every part of our life over a dynamic lifetime of obedience isn't enough to capture the hearts and minds of most students.

Emphasizing Conversion

The word salvation describes the forgiveness of sins and the union with God that has been made possible through Jesus' death and resurrection. Conversion speaks of the changed life that results from the freedom from sin and the transforming power of God's Spirit. While salvation is a gift from God that is delivered all at once, conversion is an ongoing work that touches many aspects of our lives. As we minister to youth it is helpful to recognize the different aspects of our lives that need conversion so our approach will be balanced. If we don't communicate this clearly, we will frustrate students with a cheap gospel that will be too weak and discouraging to sustain them into adulthood.

Our understanding of conversion shapes our view of the Christian life. William Wilberforce's Christian faith prompted him to commit his life to the abolition of slavery. At the time, many Christians in England believed that salvation by intellectual belief was possible, but they did not expect any real change to occur in their life. They believed in salvation but did not expect any real conversion. Wilberforce came to understand that Jesus was calling him to turn away from his former life and become an active follower of Jesus. While this was considered boorish and crude by proper society. Wilberforce saw it as a lifestyle that brought meaning and liberation.

Our definition of conversion is important. If we equate it entirely with salvation, then the act of new birth becomes everything. There is an expectation that suddenly everything in life will change and everything will become easier. Unfortunately, the result of that vision of the Christian faith leads to frustration. The new birth is important, very important, but it is the beginning of an empowered Christian experience and not the end. Students need to know from the beginning that the quality of the experience with Christ is dependent on ongoing conversion that is directed by Scripture, implemented by the Spirit, and realized by obedience. If they expect all the promises of the Christian life to become available at the moment they pray the believer's prayer, they will be disappointed. The full freedom and blessing of the Christian life come from a life devoted to God. They are the result of an ongoing conversion that begins with salvation.

I was at a baptism recently. The candidates for baptism had some preparation, but at the last minute anyone who was present was invited to come forward and take the plunge. There was no additional presentation of the gospel, no explanation as to what Jesus was calling them to or how we are to respond to Christ. There was no discussion of discipleship or obedience. No understanding of what belief is from God's point of view. There was just the invitation to take the plunge if they were so inclined.

This seems to do two things. One, it reduces baptism to a magical ritual, nothing more than cheap grace. Just come forward and be dunked and God will do the rest. That seems far less than Jesus' call to follow him, a call that led him to turn people away if they were not ready to follow on his terms. Second, it conveys a complacent faith. We come to believe that we have arrived. We have responded fully to the call of Christ and have entered in to all that Jesus has earned for us.

The Apostle Paul desired to know Christ, the power of his resurrection, and the righteousness that comes through faith. He believed that he had been united with Christ through salvation, but he did not believe that these desires had been fulfilled. "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)

Over the last decade marketing the gospel has become popular. How can we package the gospel so that it is easier to swallow? If we can just get them to buy the product, then everything will come together later. I want to make sure that we communicate the gospel in ways that preChristians can understand; that we become conscious of our church culture and not let it stand in the way of God's work; and that we are ready to sacrifice and become all things to all people so that some might be saved; but that is different than marketing. A great deal of modern church marketing is dumbing down the gospel. We don't want to scare people away the way Jesus sometimes did (we also don't want to become self-righteous Pharisees who scare people away as a sign of our own righteousness, but we'll save that for later).

Marketing is most necessary where Christians are distant, where they keep their distance from "sinners", and where they are afraid to represent Jesus openly to their friends and neighbors. The only real sign we have that God is active is a people of faith who are experiencing conversion. The dynamic and ongoing change revealed in love and service is God's advertisement. That is where we see the strength of the gospel. If we are not living it openly, then there is little to inspire to students. If they don't understand this ongoing conversion and the life necessary to experience it, if they believe all the blessings of Christ come through the believer's prayer alone, then they will be quickly disillusioned and will most likely walk away from a faith that doesn't work.

In Gordon T. Smith's very helpful book, Beginning Well, he

Critical Concerns: Answering Questions

A question and answer time need to be both safe and dynamic. No question should be off-limits or ridiculed, and questions should be answered quickly and to the point so boredom doesn't set in. If I am successful, I may learn a great deal about the people I am working with. The issues that trip people up are unique and you should not assume you know what they are until you are told directly. Students have heard many voices in their life, they often mishear information in church, and then they come up with surprising and creative (although not always helpful) ideas on their own.

Set the Atmosphere
First, I am responsible to set the ground rules and establish the atmosphere for the dialog. I let everyone know that differing opinions will be expressed and that I think that's okay. My ground rule, though, is that we work to understand each other and treat each other with respect. I don't believe that everyone's opinion on a topic of truth is equally valid. Some people are going to be in error. But if there is not an attitude of respect and an attempt to understand each other, then no one's mind will be changed during the dialog.

It is usually the Christians in the audience of both believers and seekers who are the greatest hinderance to good discussions. I do not tolerate believers who are dismissive or make fun of seekers questions. I also have to work to balance some of the easy answers believers want to offer. Easy answers are often easy because they are incomplete or wrong.

If I fail to set up a safe atmosphere that promotes questions then little that is meaningful will occur. If I end up sounding like Rush Limbaugh or Al Sharpton, then I will have alienated those that Jesus called me to reach. Choose your ministry role models carefully.

Did I Understand the Question?
I restate the question to make sure I have it right. One of the last things I want to do is answer a different question than the one asked.

Affirm the Question
It is important that I am constantly returning positive and honest feedback. People risk looking like idiots when they ask questions. I need to let them know that I respect them for their inquiry. This will embolden the timid. In addition, I never make generalizations about a person based on their question. A question does not necessarily reveal someone's personal struggles or character. In fact, I often have students ask me questions that their friends have brought up and they didn't have an answer for.

Identify Any Assumptions Behind the Question
It is interesting how often Jesus does not answer the exact question he is asked. What's that all about? If you look at his answers, you will find that Jesus understands that the questions are based on assumptions that need to be answered first. In fact, the assumptions are often more important than the actual question. So I always ask myself, "What does this person have to believe to be asking this question?"

Most of us have heard the middle school challenge, "If God can do anything, can he create a rock too large for him to lift?" The problem with this question is that the assumptions behind it are all wrong. First, God has expressed himself as a God of order. He has told us that he doesn't do the absurd. It is the fact that he doesn't do contradictions (such as create square circles) that allows us to trust him. Second, God doesn't have a body. He is Spirit. He is not like the Greek gods, some kind of superhero parody.

Questions are often based on assumptions, often false, about God's nature, his commands, Biblical morality, and the behavior Christians are called to. This shouldn't surprise us. Biblical literacy is at an all-time high for Americans. This is true of church-going Americans as well as preChristians. The theology of rumor reigns at the moment, so listen for those assumptions.

Answer the Question Quickly, Giving Room for Followup
This is where self-control comes in. I have done a great feel of study and preparation, but no one wants to see a question and answer time become a lecture. I try to answer a question in about two minutes. That is not always possible, but it is a worthy goal. I leave the question open to follow up. If my answers generate more questions that is a good thing. It is more dynamic to have questions and answers whizzing back and forth. If there is interest, then a great deal will be covered. What I want to avoid is eyes glazing over.

Critical Concern: Research

When I first arrived at Boston University, I found the Christian students were often involved in theological debates. Unfortunately, Scripture was seldom referenced in these debates. They made reference to sermons and rumors they had heard. I refer to this as pop theology, the theology of rumors.

I often hear believers speak about the importance of truth. That is commendable. What is disturbing is how often our behavior incurs that belief. Recent surveys have shown that biblical ignorance is on the rise, even in the church. Why is this important? For a lot of reasons, but when youth begin to learn that what they have been taught in small things is in error, then they begin to question everything they have been taught about the faith. We have a responsibility to check out what we teach. We can't just repeat what we have heard.

This is more than merely practical advice. There is a spiritual principle here. The apostle Paul gives us an example of how we should treat the things we hear: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11) We are responsible for our growth and learning. We are called by God to do extra homework. How important is God's truth to us? Is it important enough for us to spend time actually studying it? Are we willing to invest the time to read Christian authors who have passed the test of time? If we are not, then that alone speaks volumes to our youth concerning just how important Jesus is to us.

I have to balance two things as I prepare for a presentation. One one hand, I want to be as prepared as possible. Not only do I want to be able to represent truth, but I have also opened myself up to questions. I need to anticipate and prepare for those questions. On the other hand, I have a limited time to prepare, so I will make the most of the time I have. I can't expect myself to become an expert on everything, but I will do the best I can. It helps to remember that you don't need to present yourself as the Bible Answer Man. It's okay to say, "I don't know." In fact, it will earn you some respect. But try to follow it up with, "I'll try to look that up for you."

Do not start your serious research on the Internet. It's okay to go there to look for some ideas on where to start your study, but the Internet is notorious for bad information. Wikipedia is very helpful for facts since it is heavily monitored, but you will need to go elsewhere to develop your theology.

Where do I go for my research? I start with a concordance and with trusted authors. The concordance helps me to find individual scriptures that deal with my topic. That's helpful, but if I look up "the problem of pain," I won't find too many entries. Trusted authors are often my first helpful source. I test what they say against Scripture in order to be a good Berean, but some books that deal with the topic I am going to cover are a good place to start.

Here are some recommended authors that I often start with. It is by no means exhaustive, and I find that I seldom agree with everything an author has to say, but that doesn't make them unhelpful. Two apologists you should have in your library are C. S.Lewis and Peter Kreeft. I recommend Lewis' essays even more than his books. If you don't check these two out, then you are not even trying. Other authors include: Timothy Keller, N. T. Wright, Stanley Grenz, Eugene Peterson, Alister McGrath, Gordon Fee, John Stott, and F. F. Bruce. For science and faith I recommend Francis Colins, Kenneth R. Miller, and John H. Walton. Again, this is a very short list. Later I will give some author recommendations based on topics.

I do not restrict myself to Christian books. If I am going to deal with a scientific topic, then I better understand at least a little of the science involved. If I am going to respond to a book such as The Da Vince Code, then I need to read that book. Always go to source material. It is irresponsible to read about someone else's work without reading that work yourself.

I want to hear from at least a couple of people who discuss the subject in book form. After I've understood what they have to say and done my best to test it against Scripture, I will use other resources such as the Internet, friends, and pastors. As I develop my presentation, I'll test out some of the ideas with Christian friends. This can sometimes alert me to some blind spots.

I should have grown through this process. Only God has a full handle on the truth. I don't. I do the best I can with what I know, but it's my goal to continue learning. If I am not open to having my mind changed, then I have stopped listening to God. That sense of life-long learning and openness to God is another thing I want to communicate to youth.

I always have more information to share than anyone should be forced to sit through. I will have to cut most of it out of my presentation to keep within my time limit, but that research won't be wasted. You never know what is going to come up in the question time. I believe that the question and answer time is more important than my presentation. It's when people start talking about what really matters to them. So I do extra research to prepare for that time.

Critical Concerns: Positive References

I often use pop culture as a reference point. I will use a TV show, a movie, song or performer as a hook. In each case, there is one rule of thumb I try not violate. I don't use a reference I can't say something good about. People expect me to be negative, but I live to thwart people's expectations. It forces them to listen.

I will now date myself.

In the eighties, I did a talk entitled Spirits in a Material World, featuring the music of The Police. Students came from across campus to defend their favorite band from the fundamentalist preacher. I began the talk by telling them how much I liked the thoughtful music of The Police. We then listened to some of their lyrics. I used them because they were very insightful about the problems of the world. Unlike most bands who point at others as the source of the world's problems, they pointed back at themselves. They knew that we were all equally guilty. We discussed this as a group.

I then turned to the answer to the world's problems. I let everyone know that this is where I parted ways with the band. I explained their gnostic approach and then shared with them what Jesus had to say. We then discussed the options before us.

I used the music of The Police because I genuinely liked it. Once I established that, no one complained that I disagreed with the band in part. They expected narrow-mindedness and negativity. Once they saw that wasn't the case, then critique was okay.

I did something similar with The X-Files. I don't agree with everything The X-Files conveyed, but it's main question week in and week out was, "How do we define truth?" and "Is scientific truth all there is?"

A good persuasive opinion begins by finding some point of agreement with the person you are trying to persuade. This is then followed by an argument for an even better way or deeper truth. You need to establish common ground. If you begin by ridiculing something you audience holds dear, you will lose them right from the start. If you don't have something good to say about your hook or primary reference material, then don't use it.

This isn't always easy. I was asked to speak on The Da Vince Code. The research in it is appalling, but it was influencing many people. I could at least give it credit for being a fast-paced book. Faint praise, but it was all I had. I used a short overview of the plot to bring some entertainment value to the introduction and at least demonstrate that I had read the book.

Which leads me to my last point. Don't use any reference materials that you are not familiar with. It should go without saying, but don't speak on a book you haven't read, a film you haven't seen, or music you haven't listened to more than once. It should go without saying, but sadly, I've seen it done often. The smoke from someone's credibility going down in flames can be suffocating. These kinds of accidents are preventable. Don't let it happen to you.

Critical Concerns: Topics & Hooks

Whether you are a parent, pastor, or youth leader, the challenge of generating enough interest to get a hearing is important. As a campus pastor and a parent of high schoolers, I want to effectively communicate Jesus and the life he inspires us to on campus and at home. Good intentions and prayer are necessary, but they are not enough. We need to use the tools of good communication.

Youth have questions, and we should be supplying answers. As I look for topics I am concerned with both their questions and what I think every Christian should know about their faith. My presentation schedule will reflect both.

The list of things every Christian should know about their faith does not change, but the questions that students are asking changes with the times. There may be nothing new under the sun, but the focus of our culture is always changing as are the issues that capture the heart and the mind at any given moment. The issues of the 1960s really were different than those of the 80s or the 90s. I don't want to be answering yesterday's questions, so I need to keep up.

How do I know today's questions? The first rule of thumb: Don't listen to the Christian cultural commentators (you might as well stop reading now). Why? Because they are usually twelve to fifteen years out of date (who, besides Christians, talk about postmoderns anymore?). So why are you still listening to me? Okay, not everyone is so far behind, but how would you know? Christian commentators should not be your first source of info.

Your first source should be the students. If you need to read a book to know what your neighbor is thinking, then you don't understand the call of God on your life. We are all called to minister to the people around us, to love and serve them. The first step, of course is to get to know them. The same is true of students. Get to know them. Listen to them. Let them tell you who they are and what their questions are.

Secondly, keep an eye on their media. What films and books are they involved with? What television shows and music is popular. What are the messages, if any that are being shared? What I am looking for here are trends. I could care less about fads. Fads are here today and gone tomorrow. By the time I prepare to address them, no one cares anymore. But trends have a shelf life. They reflect things people really care about.

What I am looking for are felt needs and interests that are either entry points to topics I want to cover or reflect questions that Scripture speaks to. I know what students need to hear to prepare for adult life, but it will be hard to get them to pay attention unless it connects to something they care about.

I then boil that down to a title that will intrigue and provoke my audience. This is the hook. It has to reflect what I will really be talking about and it must also connect with a felt need or interest. This helps to generate interest in regular attendees as well as in their friends who are still outside the faith (My personal belief is that everything I do should be open to preChristians. Evangelism should not be out of the ordinary).

So where do I go for ideas? The bookstore! The headlines in the magazine racks can be helpful. Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stones usually have good film, TV and music reviews that discuss content as well as style. I check out what books are selling and which are being promoted. Checking these out regularly helps me to see trends.

Here are Some Popular Topics: Problem of Pain; Is God Really in Control?; What Difference Does Jesus Really Make?; Science & Faith; the Holy Spirit; Heaven & Hell; How to Make (Good) Choices; Finding the Will of God; Social Justice: Jesus Style; Dating, Mating and Waiting; Women & Ministry; Where Did the Bible Come From; How Can Jesus Be The Only Way?; How Can Jesus Send People to Hell?

Critical Concerns: the Concept

So, how do you apply these ideas I have been sharing? I want to begin with what I find to be the most successful approach. I'll call this approach Critical Concerns. These are usually one shot presentations on a topic that last from twenty to thirty minutes followed by a question and answer time. I'll give an overview here and then flesh out some of the specifics over the next few entries.

My strategy for a Critical Concern is to come up with a hook that connects the topic to a felt need or interest (more on this next time). I then want to create a short overview on the topic that covers the basic while hinting at bigger and, hopefully, interesting ideas that can be pursued in the question and answer time.

A successful question and answer time is dependent on a good presentation. If you don't set up the questions with content, you will find yourself staring at a sea of silent faces. People need a certain amount of information to respond to. So I don't begin with the questions. If I want my audience to respond, then I need to give them something to respond to.

The presentation needs to stay within the twenty to thirty minute time range if you really want discussion to take place. You will have more material, but this is a place for heroic self-control. I keep a clock close by. If I find I'm going long, then I create a quick exit point and go to questions.

Why questions? It's easier to answer real questions than it is to try to guess what's on people's minds. You will find that your audience's interest will be heightened if they believe their questions will be answered. Youth have questions. Lots of them. Some of the questions may seem silly to you. The first question I was ever asked during open-air preaching on a college campus was, "Isn't Jesus just a space alien from another planet?" I wanted to laugh, but this was a serious question for the person asking the question, and he deserved a serious answer. Students need some place where they can ask their questions (I will get to the art of answering questions very soon).

The first couple of times you do this there will be some awkward silence. I plan for this by seeding the audience with a few questions. We are herd animals. If students see some others asking questions and hear respectful responses, then more will follow suit. Still it will take a couple tries to catch on.

In the following posts, I will add details to this idea.