Ideas for Uni Ministry – The Science of Teens
I’ve been enjoying ABC TV’s ‘Whatever! The Science of Teens’. If you haven’t seen it, check it out! (episodes online at the link) The Ep on risk got me thinking of an application to evangelism:
they replicated a much larger studies on a small scale…in this case the study had to do with physical vs social risks.
A girl was asked whether she would do something physically dangerous (like ride a bike down a steep hill) – for progressively increasing amounts. She said would do it for something like $200…then she was asked about a socially risky thing, like having her mobile taken away for 2 months. She said she’d do it for something like $2000. It was an order of magnitude bigger…
Here’s what I’m thinking:
I’m placing evangelism in the social risk category. In Australia it’s not really going to present a physical risk (usually)…And being in the social risk category to the teen mind it is perceived to be an incredibly costly activity.
Maybe knowing this helps with uni ministry. Assuming you want teens to actually take the risk of evangelising thier friends or others, you will have to deal with this perceived cost:
It seems in theory that you either need to decrease the cost or increase the value to get a teen on board for evangelism.
Decreasing the cost is a tough one. You can tell them that it won’t be as bad as they think but it’s hard to believe this could be true without testing it out. I can say with great confidence that it is not anywhere near as socially risky as many people think… but we’re not talking about true and false here as though you can argue someone into doing evangelism!
Increase the value would seem to me to be preferable. Jesus is the creator of and lord of every thing, plant, animal and person on the planet. They (mostly the people) need to recognise him as such. It’s what he deserves! And it is what is best for them…He’s a great master and a loving God.
The more a teen (or anyone else for that matter) knows this to be true and desires to act upon it, evangelism increases in value for them. It becomes more important than the potential loss of face and friendship.
good stuff. enjoying these ideas.
just downloaded all the eps of the show – they look great!
Reply to dave miersYou’ll love the teens and sex one – I’ve been out of the ‘youth’ scene for a while now (unlike yourself) and had forgotten how sickening teens in love can be
Reply to reubenGood thoughts Reuben,
We’ve just drawn up a new evangelism plan for our Church in 2010 and we’ve identified building confidence in Christ as one of our big focuses for that year. Our people aren’t going to do evangelism unless they are so confident in the saving power of the gospel that it explodes from their hearts and out of their mouths (don’t think to hard about that mental image)
Reply to Steve BoxwellHey Steve,
I guess you’ll give away more on your blog in time? sounds interesting!
I agree that confidence in the gospel is vital. Not many people think that their words are very good or persuasive…and those that do probably should not. It’s a great confidence boost to know that the word of the gospel is the power of God to save. good stuff!
One thought in response though: Without more that could lead people to have full confidence in the gospel, and at the same time full confidence that someone else will tell it. That is, it could build confidence, but not make the problem of disbelief in others personal.
I think that the ‘more’ that is needed is a real apprehension that Jesus is lord and fully deserves to be lord. God has made him to be so. (Act 2 etc)…flowing from that should be a real dissatisfaction with people treating him any other way than he deserves (disbelief becomes a personal affront to your lord!). That i think provides the impetus for telling those words which have the power to save.
…i’m guessing you’ve thought this out already in the plan…but that’s my angle on ‘increasing the value’.
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Jim Spence…
It sounds interesting but I am not sure that I agree with you completely….
Hi Jim, (assuming this is not spam…) would you care to elaborate? I’m just putting an idea out there and am more than happy for critique and correction!
Reply to reuben