What I'm getting at is this - we fill the time with noise and activity. Our communal worship is now structured ahead of time so the musicians can practice the songs we are going to use, and so the presentation slides are all in order and ready to go. THIS IS A GOOD THING, but it can be a downfall. Have we allowed space for God to speak? Or are we so busy being talked to that God has to dramatically interrupt us before we even look for him?
Some of you who read this will no doubt respond, "Brian, we have only a short time together to sing and pray with each other. It is while we are alone during the week that we can spend time reading the scripture that we might expect God to speak to us." Fair enough. But do your youth know that? Or is the example of faith and worship they see on Sunday morning, or Friday evening, the only approach to worship that they know?This is where using the Contemplative Approach can be really important. Zirschky titles this chapter 'Revisiting the Contemplative Approach' because there was a time in the late 90s and early 2000s that such an approach was fashionable amongst youth groups. It has since died out, and I'm not sure why. Probably because it wasn't well explained, possibly because some people thought it was too Catholic. (I once read an article where someone wrote, "When the candles come in, the gospel goes out." It's complete tosh of course, but easy for youth leaders to take on board.)
Using a Contemplative Approach amongst the youth doesn't mean lighting candles or walking a labyrinth. It is much more than that. It means both allowing space for God to act, and looking/listening to what God is doing. Youth leaders can do this in some simple yet meaningful ways.
Preparing
Ask questions to get the teenagers thinking. "How is God present?" or "Where have you noticed signs of God?" People in the New Testament experienced the presence of Jesus while they were doing the most normal of things. Maybe it still happens today.Pointing
Your teenagers probably can't see what God is doing for them as clearly as you can. There's a few reasons for this, but I'll leave that to your thinking. You can help your teenagers by pointing out to them what they cannot see - God is working in their lives.Naming
How do you help teenagers describe what has been happening in their lives? Let me encourage you to take the time to give them the words to use. Don't just let them say 'lucky' when you know it is God acting for them. Tell them that. Was it really a coincidence or was God bringing things together?Nurturing
I'll just quote Zirschky here. "We nutrure the ability of teenagers to discern the voice and activity of God by providing opportuities for creative prayer and listening experiences. Leading students into contemplative practice in our formal teaching times nurtures their ability to listen for God in Scripture both individually and corporately."Is such an approach to scripture dangerous? Yes, I believe it can be, and for much the same reasons that using the Liberation approach can be dangerous. Without a solid grounding our teenagers can become too introspective and too lost. But, when this approach backs up the Instructional approach, I think you're on to a good thing.
This book has been a good one to read - I even read it twice - and I'm pleased to share some of it with other youth leaders. Let me encourage you to add this to your list of books you might read this year. It will do you well. If you do, let me know. I'd love to talk with you about it. You can buy it at Koorong in both paperback and electronic versions.
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| I had the chance to meet Andrew Zirschky at a Youth Conference in Jan 2017. |
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