Understanding What Teens Don’t Understand
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008Often, when I lead Small-Group Bible studies, I start doubting myself and wondering if my “Read and Discuss” technique is too boring–After reading a section of the Bible, I always ask a few simple questions just to make sure the teens comprehend what we read (these are the questions I worry are too boring because the answers are often obvious) then we discuss a few life-application questions.
Recently, I was discussing Mary with my Jr. High Small Group, and I was trying to focus the discussion on how we make tough decisions, so I asked something like “Why do you think it would have been difficult for Mary to agree to be the mother of Jesus?”
(Before I tell you what the teens said, keep in mind that we just read Luke 1:26-38, and I just asked three or four text-comprehension questions.)
Several teens gave me a response something like “It would have been weird for Mary to sit down with her fiancée and the other guy who got her pregnant and talk about what happened.”
(Doug’s mouth falls open and there is a moment of awkward silence.)
Clearly, I had failed. But I learned two things:
1) Apparently, simply reading the Bible and answering a couple comprehension questions isn’t enough to understand the story they had just read. There has to be something more . . . (discussion).
2) Our catechetical time must focus more on the stories of the Bible. It is unacceptable for a 14 year old to go through 14 Christmases and countless masses and still miss the idea that “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.” Goofy skits are great, but if they misrepresent the story in the Bible, then they shouldn’t be used because I can’t discuss God’s overwhelming humility and love if the teens don’t understand one of the most important examples of God’s humility and love.
I’m not advocating a more classroom-like model of ministry. I do believe in relational ministry (actually, the phrase “relational ministry” is redundant because there is no such thing as a “ministry” that isn’t “relational”). We play games, and we spend at least half the meeting just having fun because that helps us connect with the teens so we can minister to them better. And, when we do finally get to catechetical time, I often question whether my simple “Read and Discuss” technique is effective. Clearly it isn’t a perfect technique, but the discussion did help me discover what the teens didn’t understand, and then I was able to clarify what the Church teaches. And, once we started discussing things that “we don’t understand” about the Bible, the teens revealed they were also confused about why King Herod, who was trying to kill Jesus, was also trying to bring Jesus gifts . . . they thought King Herod was one of the three wise men, who are often called the Three Kings.
None of those ideas would have come out if I hadn’t struggled through my self-doubt, and a few boring questions, in order to get to a good discussion.
Maybe skits are funnier, maybe movies are more entertaining, maybe music makes more people dance and cry, but my goals are 1) to connect teens to the Church (group time), and 2) to pass on our faith (grow time), and so far “Read and Discuss” is the only technique I know of that builds a catechetical environment where I can lean what they don’t understand and then help clarify the Church’s teachings.
I’ll keep searching of better ways to minister to teens and better ways to catechize, but for now, I’m sticking with my simple Bible studies.
