Ideas for Growing in Christian Practices with Teens

1 Ideas for Growing inChristian Practiceswith TeensDOROTHY C. BASS ANDDON C. RICHTERWITHLANI WRIGHT ANDSUSAN BRIEHLWAY TOLIVELEADER SGUIDE: Ideas FORGROWING INCHRISTIANPRACTICES WITHTEENS 2002 by Dorothy C. Bass and Don C. RichterAll rights part of this Guide may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission exceptin the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, write UpperRoom Books , 1908 Grand Avenue, Nashville, TN Upper Room website: ROOM , UPPER ROOM BOOKS , and design logos are trademarks owned by THE UPPER ROOM ,Nashville, Tennessee.

2 All rights otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Versionof the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of theChurches of Christ in the Used by permission. All rights scripture quotations are from The Messageby Eugene H. Peterson, Copyright 1993, 1994, ,1995,1996, 2000. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights thanks to the Rev. Bill Buchanan and (Theological Expressions in Arts Ministry)for contributing activity Ideas and to the Rev. Kerri Peterson-Davis for reviewing this design: My Tribe Communicates ( )Design and implementation: Nancy J.

3 ColeIdeas for Growing inChristian Practiceswith TeensDOROTHY C. BASSANDDON C. RICHTERWITHLANI WRIGHTANDSUSAN BRIEHLC ontents 1 Introduction7nGuidelines for Lectio Divina9nPray the Psalms10nWhat Are Practices ?12 Life17 The Story22 Bodies28 Stuff 34 Food40 Creation46 Creativity52 Work58 Play64 Time69 Truth75 Choices82 Friends88 Welcome94 Forgiveness100 Justice106 Grieving114 Music120 Prayer126 PracticeINTRODUCTIONn1nn n n n n n n nIntroductionWelcome to the Leader s Guide for Way to Live: Christian Practices for Teens . This Guide provides chapter-by-chapter suggestions for involving Teens in thinking about and taking part in the eighteen Christianpractices discussed in Way to turning to these suggestions, we want to explain some of the process and thinking behindWay to Live.

4 Why is it so important for Teens and for adults to understand and participate in Christianpractices? The authors of Way to Livebelieve that we live in a period of social change when many of thebasic patterns of daily life and human relationship are up for grabs. Some of the changes underway arepositive; but even so, figuring out how to live is rarely easy. Today we must make many choices about howwe shall live, and we make these choices in the midst of many competing messages and pressures. Thesechoices and pressures are especially prominent in the lives of teenagers. Those who want more thanto be swept along by external forces need to be deliberate about what their way to live will Teens do want more so much more than to be swept along by external pressures.

5 They yearnnot just to get by but to live lives that are good for themselves, for others, and for all creation. Theywant not just to survive but to be alive. They long to know the presence of God. Way to Live urges Teens to understand themselves as part of a community of people who don tjust go with the flow. This community gathers around Jesus, whose whole way of living and beingembodied the loving, challenging life of God. Through his presence and example, a way to live comesinto focus. The community with Jesus at its heart experiences his presence in many ways in the facesof people in need, in bread shared, in music sung, in prayer, and even in the suffering we sometimeshave to endure, just as he did.

6 Sharing life with Jesus, we are caught up into the loving, challenging lifeof God. Christians call this life in the Holy Spirit. It is abundantlife Life with a capital L Life fullof the kind of freedom and love and courage Jesus lived himself and gave to his community. Rather than exploring this way of life (or Way of Life ) in one big chunk, this book and Guideexplore it one practice at a time. Each practice addresses a basic area of human need. Each practiceis something we learn from and do together with other people. Each practice appears in theThis Leader s Guide is formatted for using it online, you can also click throughhighlighted text to go directly to , and each has also taken shape in Christian communities through the ages and around theworld today.

7 Participating in these Practices is a way of responding through action to God s love forus. (See pages 10 11 below for a full definition of what we mean by a Christian practice.) We growstronger in Christian living as we practice these Practices . The weaving together of all these practiceswithin a community would be that community s way of hope that Teens will be called to a way of abundant life through their encounter with Way toLive and, more important, through their encounter with you and other adults with whom they aregathered into a community with Jesus at its into each practicen n n nThis Guide provides many suggestions for exploring each practice.

8 It is up to leaders to select thoseactivities that will most interest and challenge their specific group. As a starting point for leaders plan-ning, each chapter opens with a summary of the main idea(what the practice is and why it matters)and then offers a sample outline for a 60- to 90-minute program for sample outline selects activities from the various sections of the our current experience of this area of our lives. nJoin the the Bible and learning from Christians who have gone before ourselves to live more faithfully. God thanks and praise, and asking for God s websites, videos, music, books, and other you adapt the sample program outlines to meet the needs of your group, we urge you alwaysto include activities from at least three sections of any given chapter.

9 Be aware that it is fine to changethe order in which you move through these sections. For example, a Bible study group could begin withJoin the Storybefore moving to other are some other issues for leaders to keep in mind as they invite young people to explore Christianpractices:nBecome aware of how we already engage in this is the practice in the livesof Teens today? Sometimes exploring this question requires us to turn a critical eye on the waysin which the practice is distorted (such as the tendency to pile up too many material possessions;see the Way to Live chapter on Stuff).

10 Sometimes it means noticing the positive ways in whichteens give attention to God or care for themselves and one another (such as the story at theend of the Way to Live chapter on Friends). nAcknowledge the presence of God in the practiceand understand how involvement in thispractice draws us into God s intentions for us and for the world. Each chapter in this Guideincludes Bible study suggestions, a Bible text for lectio divina(see pages 7 8 below for an expla-nation of lectio divina), a prayer based on a psalm chosen to illumine the particular practice, sug-gestions for worship, and often other options as for wisdom from Christians who have gone before us, both historical figures and olderpeople within Teens own local to LiveLeader s GuidenNotice the moves that make up the practice, which are usually very down-to-earth sugges-tions that Teens can pursue in the middle of everyday life.