My blog about how suffering shook The Beatles' faith received more feedback than the other blogs about the Fab Four combined. My son John 2 was very articulate in his feedback. I asked him to compile his thoughts for a guest blog post. Here it is. Enjoy.
Blog title: 4twelve or 3two?
Which stance do we take when discussing difficult topics like suffering with students in the church today? Is our position that of 1 Timothy 4:12 which challenges our students to be the leaders of the church they ought already to be? Or have we adopted a 1 Corinthians 3:2 stance that withholds spiritual meat assuming the bottle is all they can handle?
Do we work from the assumption that hard topics like suffering must be dumbed down for our students to understand and/or accept? The faith of today's students is so bombarded by the media, peers, social networks and educators that, perhaps, they're looking for a faith that stands boldly and unapologetically against the cultural tidal wave in which they find themselves.
Blog title: 4twelve or 3two?
Which stance do we take when discussing difficult topics like suffering with students in the church today? Is our position that of 1 Timothy 4:12 which challenges our students to be the leaders of the church they ought already to be? Or have we adopted a 1 Corinthians 3:2 stance that withholds spiritual meat assuming the bottle is all they can handle?
Do we work from the assumption that hard topics like suffering must be dumbed down for our students to understand and/or accept? The faith of today's students is so bombarded by the media, peers, social networks and educators that, perhaps, they're looking for a faith that stands boldly and unapologetically against the cultural tidal wave in which they find themselves.
We spend most of our time discussing how to sail clear of pain or how to row our way out of suffering. Perhaps we need to spend more time teaching our students how to drop anchor in the middle of it. Face head-on the difficult realities of pain, suffering and death discussing with clarity and sensitivity what God has to say about these topics. Use our own personal sufferings as a playbook to coach them on how to weather the storms of life.
Dive deep teaching them there is a Rock that holds in the worst of storms. Then when the storms come--and they most certainly will come--our students will know how to stand firm not only for themselves but as buoys to those nearby tossed about by the waves.
Such faith requires meat, not milk. As they are transitioning into adulthood our students feel they are ready to take on the world. Perhaps it's time we unbuckle the straps on their highchairs and replace their bottles with forks and knives. Who knows, they might actually take the world... by storm.
Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshall
Such faith requires meat, not milk. As they are transitioning into adulthood our students feel they are ready to take on the world. Perhaps it's time we unbuckle the straps on their highchairs and replace their bottles with forks and knives. Who knows, they might actually take the world... by storm.
Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshall
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