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What "image" do children have of your church?

Tweens and Discipleship. What "image" do children have of your church?. “Images bombard children from all directions so that perceptions of reality are conditioned by the power of image.” Francis Bridger, Children Finding Faith, SU/CPAS, 2000. Tweens and Discipleship. What is a disciple?.

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What "image" do children have of your church?

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  1. Tweens and Discipleship What "image" do children have of your church? “Images bombard children from all directions so that perceptions of reality are conditioned by the power of image.” Francis Bridger, Children Finding Faith, SU/CPAS, 2000

  2. Tweens and Discipleship What is a disciple? “Discipleship is not a question of our own doing; it is a matter of making room for God so that he can live in us” J H Arnold (Bruderhof Community) “Discipleship is . . . The process of establishing Christ in the person. That’s all there is. Dallas Willard When does the process of discipleship / spiritual formation start?

  3. Tweens and Discipleship Some of the issues / world views the church faces today • The Centrality of change in modern life • The nuclear family no longer the only type of family • Marriage as a lifestyle option • The idolisation of personal choice • The pursuit of pleasure as a legitimate goal in itself • Belief in material acquisition as a way of life • The dominance of computer / information technology • Pick n Mix moral and religious beliefs where all views and practices are regarded as equally valid

  4. Tweens and Discipleship Our values - how are we? • BLESSING tweens in our community • Helping them to BELONG in our community / church • Helping them to BELIEVE the claims of Christ • Helping them to BECOME all that Christ wants them to be. • AWARENESS – Children are not in a vacuum – they have a family, a home environment etc. • SENSITIVITY – The norm of “family” does not exist anymore. • INCLUSIVE – Are activities geared to those who are most like those children we have already – or aimed at all who might come?

  5. Tweens and Discipleship Key areas of work Programme – What you do Process – How you do it Context – Where (Geography, Time, Age, Ratio, Social dynamics, Heating, Lighting, Space) Identity – Shaped by the above, the interaction of young people to each other and the leaders – the formation of a group / individuals within it

  6. Tweens and Discipleship Traditionally expressing our values - learning about God through • PRAYER – Jesus encouraged His disciples to pray. Luke 11 1 -13. • STORYTELLING – Jesus was a great story teller. Universal truths were related to the everyday experiences of his listeners. • CONVERSATION – “Impress these commandments on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road” Deuteronomy 6:7 • CELEBRATION – Exodus 12. The Passover meal, a feast that reminded Israelites of their history – Jesus used the feast and gave it new meaning.

  7. Tweens and Discipleship Who are you? Where in your life did you stop singing? Where in your life did you stop dancing? Where in your life did you stop telling stories? Where in your life did you stop listening to silence? Mike Yaconelli, Contemplative Youth Ministry allowing God to love us - is at the heart of effective discipleship of others

  8. Tweens and Discipleship Anxiety or Love? Anxiety seeks control Love seeks contemplation (How do I make kids into Christians?) (How can I be present to kids and to God?) Anxiety seeks professionals Love seeks process (who is the expert that can solve it?) (What can we discover together?) Anxiety wants products Love desires presence (what book, video, resource?) (Who will bear the life of God among teenagers?) Anxiety lifts up gurus Love rests in guides (Who has the charisma?) (Who has the gifts for living alongside?) Anxiety rests in results Love rests in relationships (How many?) (Who are they?) Anxiety seeks conformity Love brings out creativity (Are they meeting our expectations?) (In what fresh ways is God challenging us through our young people?) Anxiety wants activity Love brings awareness (What will keep them busy) (What are their real needs?) Anxiety seeks answers Love seeks questions (Here is what we think. This is (What do you think? As Jesus would say, “Who do you who God is) say that I am?”)

  9. Tweens and Discipleship In addition expressing our values - living for God through • Helping our young people answer the question: • What kind of person am I going to be? Example - who you are / what you say. Encounter - opportunity / possibilities / expect? Engage - the place they inhabit. Experiment - try stuff out. This takes: personal, dedicated, relationship focused work – it is not having the material your group need, it is about being the person they need you to be.

  10. Tweens and Discipleship What must we do - getting practical • Join things up – 9 to 13 (or 0 - ?) • commitment and continuity, from the ground up • every generation expression of church / worship • Commitment and Attendance are not the same thing • availability / realistic / Jesus or Church / flexibility / visit them! • Think next year not just next week • next 10 minutes • planning • Worship • passive consumers / active participants • Service • what can they bring / they need to do something – faith without works is dead!

  11. Tweens and Discipleship What they need Love John 3 verse 16 Acceptance John 1 verse 12 Guidance Romans 8 verse 11 Significance Philippians 2 verses 15 - 16 Will they remember what you have taught them or who you are and what you have done?

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