experiencing truth into a culture of doubt

Experiencing Truth in a Culture of Doubt

Over the past chunk of years...

✤ “I have doubts but I still have faith”!

!

!

✤ “I have doubt so therefore I cannot have faith.”

Safety as a Value

Safety as a Value

Safety = creating an atmosphere where there is no !question students are too afraid to ask.

SORRY, YES YOU HAVE TO

✤ You have to find out if they doubt!

✤ You have to find out if they doubt!!

✤ You have to find out what they doubt!

✤ You have to find out if they doubt!!

✤ You have to find out what they doubt!!

✤ You have to tell them you know they doubt!

✤ You have to find out if they doubt!!

✤ You have to find out what they doubt!!

✤ You have to tell them you know they doubt!!

✤ You have to tell them it’s ok and that it doesn’t freak you out!

How an Atheist Student Came to Give the Benediction at Big Boy Church...

How an Atheist Student Came to Give the Benediction at Big Boy Church...

Simply, in terms of our !community and ministry,!

NOTHING WAS EVER OFF LIMITS FOR HIM

We need to provide

meaningful belonging

before we can expect belief.

New Definition of Success...

Are you moving forward in your faith?

Small Groups. Every. Time.

Small Groups. Every. Time.

✤ To Know & Be Known

Small Groups. Every. Time.

✤ To Know & Be Known✤ Safe space to ask questions, dialogue & wrestle

with faith

Small Groups. Every. Time.

✤ To Know & Be Known

✤ Safe space to ask questions, dialogue & wrestle with faith!

✤ They develop trust and mutual understanding with an adult.

Having multiple, trusted adult voices allows them to connect a whole host of

people that love, accept and respect them... to God.

OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them? (don’t actually try to fix them)

✤ Know your Sh&*!

OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them? (don’t actually try to fix them)

✤ Know your Sh&*! !

✤ Know the narrative story of redemption in Scripture!

✤ But know more!

OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them? (don’t actually try to fix them)

✤ Know your Sh&*! !

✤ Don’t water down what is presented!!✤ use explicit & direct language

OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them? (don’t actually try to fix them)

✤ Know your Sh&*! !

✤ Don’t water down what is presented!!

✤ Teaching “Rightness” more than an end-goal prayer

This Jesus thing is not about just going to Heaven when we die, but it is about being to this world what Jesus was the

world.

OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them? (don’t actually try to fix them)

✤ Know your Sh&*! !

✤ Don’t water down what is presented!!

✤ Teaching “Rightness” more than an end-goal prayer!

✤ Experiences matter. Be a Tour Guide.

Be a Tour Guide✤ Students exist in a culture of:!

✤ IMMEDIACY &!

✤ DISPOSABILITY.

OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them? (don’t actually try to fix them)

✤ Know your Sh&*! !

✤ Don’t water down what is presented!!

✤ Teaching “Rightness” more than an end-goal prayer!

✤ Experiences matter. Be a Tour Guide.!

✤ Lift up progress over perfection.

Experiencing Truth in a Culture of Doubt