catechize
catechise
verb - catechized, catechizing
1. To instruct someone in the ways of the Christian faith, especially by means of a catechism.
2. To teach using a question-and-answer method.
3. To question someone very thoroughly.
Derivative: catechizer - noun
Etymology: 15c: from Greek katechizein, from katechein to instruct orally
From the early church years there was one who would teach youth the ground work of the Christian faith by means of a catechism. He was known as a "catechizer." Today we call them youth pastors. I am so pumped to be a part of this team, looking forward to what God has for Calvary. Perhaps as a way to spark discussion you might chime in on what you see are some of the greatest needs facing today's teens. How would you help remedy those problems? How should the church approach it? How can we challenge our church's teens to be set apart and grow dispite these problems? Any interaction is good interaction...looking forward to many great discussions.
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4 comments:
working with teens on a regular basis, i've noticed that there's a genuine want to be "sold out," grounded, solid in their faith. however, there seems to be an ongoing battle from outside sources (sports (especially-hours of practices each day!), academics, drama, friends, family), none of these particularly wrong, just all battling for our time and attention. how do we help teens find the balance without becoming just another weekly time commitment??
it seems to be that we have lost the acknowledgement that church is not a volenteer commity. when you are a part of the body of christ you are no longer expected to sit in the seats or even ride the bench. you are expected to be in the game. i do not want to say that sports, drama, etc... are bad. i participated in them when i was a teen. what i didnt know and what i was not taught was what my role was in the church and how, because of my faith, i was to perform that role in the church (as a part of the church). teens need to know that we are given directions (very detailed directions) on how the church is suppossed to be run. i never knew as a teen ager that the building was not the church but the body was. i never knew that even though i was young i had a role. nobody taught me what my sp. gift was. how sad is that?
maybe that old saying of "20% of the church is doing 80% of the work" would go up if we just kept on assuming that teens would figure out by themselves that they were expected to work for the glory of God. if we factof them into the church, into the church body, into the body of god, then why not teach them their role? maybe its because 3/4 of the church today doesnt know their role. maybe we should start there?
Hey dude, you actually kinda sound like you half-way know what you're talking about. You always were the better actor. ;) j/k
No but really, I'm definitely with Lionel on this one. No ones teaching kids religion these days. They have to discover everything themselves. But the irony is, that's exactly how they want to do it. They don't want to be told what to believe. They want to figure it out for themselves. Unfortunately, much of that passion and inquisition gets stunted by stereotypes, misinformation, and probably most of all, teenage drama. But watch out for those few kids who really decide this whole relationship with God idea is something worth pursuing with their lives, get them started and who knows where it'll end up.
Glad to see you're still alive out there in Valpo. Hope to come see the new place soon enough. Peace.
And Lionel - I'm reading through A Ragumaffin Gospel too, good stuff huh.
amen, jen. i think Truth is exactly what Christianity has to offer. i wonder if joe's question is more about the way in which we go about offering that. what are your thoughts on this? anyone?
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