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GCCHMLeadershipCertificationCourseLevelVI,Course#7

EvangelizingPostmodernTeensLindaMeiLinKoh,GCChildren’sMinistries

(Presenter’sNotes)

EvangelizingPostmodernTeensToreachteenagerstodayandtoleadapersontoChrist,youhavetoreachthemwheretheyareandcommunicatewiththeminawaytheycanrelateto.Theworldourteensaregrowingupinisdramaticallydifferentfromtheoneweallexperienced.WegrewupinthemodernagedominatedbyEnlightenment-era,scientific,linearthinking.Theworldoftheemerginggenerationsisincreasinglypostmodern–achangewithhugeimplicationsforhowweevangelizeteens.MarkTittley,DirectorofSonlifeMinistriesinAfricasuggestedsomekeypointsinevangelizingpostmodernteens.KevinFord,inJesusforaNewGeneration,speaksaboutprocessevangelism,wherepostmodernteensandyouth(andalsoadultswhoarepostmodernthinkers)areconvincedoftherealityofGod’slovenotbypropositionalargumentsorone-timeevangelisticrallies,butbyadailyconsistent,practicaldemonstrationthatChristianityworksandthatGod’sloveisreal.ProcessevangelismisquitesimilartothepatternsusedbyJesuswithhisdisciples.Heenteredintotheirworld,heidentifiedwiththeirpainandtheirbrokencondition,hedevotedgreatamountsoftimebuildinghislifeintotheirlives,hecommittedhimselftoaprocessofevangelizing–notjustanevangelisticevent.FourEssentialsofEvangelizingPostmodernTeens

1. Authencity:WemustbeauthenticandcommittedtoJesusChrist.TheChristianlifemustbethecorerealityofourlives,notjustanact.

2. Caring:Wemustdemonstrategenuinecareandunconditionalloveforthepre-Christian—regardlessoftheirlevelofbelieforlifestyle.Wemustalwaysshowloveandacceptanceoftheindividual,nomatterwhatthesinis.

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3. Trust:Wemustberealandallowotherstoseetherealityofourlivesthroughouropennessandvulnerability.Wemustadmitourmistakes,confessoursinandtellthestoryofourpainandourproblemssotheycanseeGodatworkinourlives

4. Transparency:Wemustberealandallowotherstoseetherealityofourlivesthroughouropennessandvulnerability.Wemustadmitourmistakes,confessoursinandtellthestoryofourpainandourproblemssotheycanseeGodatworkinourlives.

Therewasatimewhenwecouldpreachatpeopleandtheywouldrespondtothegospel.Butpreachingatpeopledoesn’tworktoowellanymore.Wecan’tjustcomeatpeople,especiallywithteens–wehavetogowiththem.Wehavetogetintotheirworld,justasJesuscameintoourworldandbecameoneofus.GettingintoTheWorldoftheOtherPerson.Ithasfivesteps:

1. DoWhatTheyDoAswebondwithnon-Christianteens,trustisbuilt,whichlaysthefoundationforevangelism.Whilethetraditionalapproachtoevangelisminvolvesinvitingpeopletodowhatwedo,theincarnationalapproachinvolvesgoingtodowhattheydo.

2. EnjoyandAcceptThem

Ifwejustgothroughthemotionsofdoingwhatpre-Christiansdoanddon’tgivethemourhearts,theywillfeelpatronized,notloved.Evangelismismosteffectivewhenitisnaturalandnotprogrammed–whenwetrulyenjoyspendingtimewithandtalkingtotheteenswearewitnessingto.

3. AffirmWhatIsGoodinTheirValues

Christianstendtobejudgmental,butItishelpfultoaffirmwhatisgoodintheirvaluesystemeventhoughtheydon’tagreewithallourbeliefs.Refusingtoaffirmcancreatedistancebetweenus.RememberthatGodisalreadyatworkintheirhearts–plantingbiblicallearningsandvaluesintheirmind.

4. SharetheStoryofJesusinTheirTerms

Thisisthetransitionstepandisthetrickiest.Wemayhavedonethehardworkofbuildingtrustandgettingourselvesintotheirworlds,butthenwecanblowitbyusingchurchjargonthattheydon’tunderstandandwhichturnsthemoff.

5. InviteThemtoFollowJesusinAWayTheyCanRelateTo

Therearetwodangershere–eitherwegetsoreligiousthatwescarethepersonoff,

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orwenevergetaroundtoinvitingthenon-Christianatall.Butifwehavereallygottentoknowtheperson,itwillnotbedifficulttoaskwhethertheyareuptofollowingJesu

IntersectionoftheGospelStorywithPostmodernGeneration’sExperience

1. TheyFeelAlienated--God’sstorybringsreconciliation.2. Theyfeelbetrayed--God’sstoryrestoresbrokentrust.3. Theyfeelinsecure--God’sstorybringsasenseofsafetywithinaprotective,healing

community.4. Theylackadefinedidentity--God’sstorybringsanewidentityinChrist.5. Theyfeelunwantedandunneeded--God’sstoryoffersthemaplaceofbelonging,a

placeforinvolvement,andaplacewheretheirlivescanbeusedinserviceofapurposethatislargerthanthemselves.

6. Theconversionprocessinnarrativeevangelismcanbecalleda“collisionofnarratives”–ourstorycollideswithGod’sstory–hisstorychallengesourstoryandmakesusquestionourreality.

7. Whilethispostmoderngenerationmaynotbelookingforthetruth,itislookingforwhatisreal.OurapologeticwillneedtoemphasizeaninclusivecommunitythatwelcomespeopletocomeinandobservetherealityoftheChristianfaith.Itneedstoemphasizealovingcommunitythatreachesouttotheneedyandthehurting.Italsoneedstoemphasizethehopethatwehave.

ThreeElementsNeededfromMember

Theconversionprocessinnarrativeevangelismcanbecalleda“collisionofnarratives”–ourstorycollideswithGod’sstory–hisstorychallengesourstoryandmakesusquestionourreality.

Whilethispostmoderngenerationmaynotbelookingforthetruth,itislookingforwhatisreal.OurapologeticwillneedtoemphasizeaninclusivecommunitythatwelcomespeopletocomeinandobservetherealityoftheChristianfaith.Itneedstoemphasizealovingcommunitythatreachesouttotheneedyandthehurting.Italsoneedstoemphasizethehopethatwehave.

1. FaithfulCommunity

Postmodernswillbestunderstandaholy,justandforgivingGodwhentheyseeaholy,justandforgivingcommunityofbelievers.TheywillbeimpressedwhenthecommunitydoingtheevangelismlivesouttheChristianmessage.

2. LovingCommunity

Jesusstressedthatwewouldbeknownbyourlove.ThegreatestapologeticforChristianityisalovingcommunity.Attheheartofthegospelisaperson–notaproposition.Aslongaswetrytodebatewiththisgenerationonthebasisofrightand

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wrongwewillturnthemoffandturnthemaway.Wewill,however,buildbridgestothemaswedemonstratecompassiontothemthroughperformingdeedsofloveasGod’scommunity.

3. HopefulCommunity

Thisgenerationisstrugglingtofindmeaningandhopeforthefuture.Wewillhavetoempathizewiththepainandsufferingsofthisgeneration.Thecommunityoffaithcanofferaneternalorheavenlyhopewheretearsandpainwillnolongerexist(Revelation21:1-5)

CelekAndZander’sModelForEvangelismBasedOnPaul’sEncounterOnMarsHillInActs17.

1.BeReal

Wemustworkhardatbeingvulnerable,transparentandshowingthatweareimperfect.Peoplewillrelatetouswhenwearehonestaboutourstruggles.

2.BeRousing

Asweuseourgenuine,honestexperiences,wewillrousepeoplefromtheirhidingplaces.

3.BeRelevant

Itmustaddressthequestionsthisgenerationisaskingandnotthoseofapreviousgeneration.

4.BeRelational

Moreandmoreevangelismisgoingtohappenthroughrelationships.Thegospelisgoingtobecommunicatedmorerelationallythanpropositionallyorcognitively.

CelekandZandersay:“[Those]withapostmodernmindset.….processtruthrelationally.Inorderforthemtosortthroughanissue,ordelveintothedeepwatersoftheiremotionalmakeup,theyneedtimetoprocesstheradicalmessageofJesus.Theyneedtothinkaboutit,talkaboutitamongtheirfriends,andtalkaboutitsomemore.

Thatprocessisn’tgoingtobefinishedinanhourortwo.Ormaybeevenamonthortwo.Whenyoutrytowrapthingsupniceandtidy,[they]sometimeswillseethatasbeingunrealandtrite”(page114)

TestimoniestoMinisters,p.32

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EllenWhitebelievedthatourchildrenandyoungpeopleinthechurchplayanimportantroleinthespreadingofthegospeltotheworld.Thereforeitisimportantthatweencourageandtrainthem.

“Wehaveanarmyofyouthtodaywhocandomuchiftheyareproperlydirectedandencouraged.Wewantourchildrentobelievethetruth.WewantthemtobeblessedofGod.Wewantthemtoactapartinwell-organizedplansforhelpingotheryouth.Letallbesotrainedthattheymayrightlyrepresentthetruth,givingthereasonofthehopethatiswithinthem,andhonoringGodinanybranchoftheworkwheretheyarequalifiedtolabor....”