Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Focusing on Sabbath
In Dodgeball Theology on the chapter about Sabbath, Blair Spindle states that 'today's child has become the unwilling, unintended victim of overwhelming stress.' The generation in schools now has a very little idea about Sabbath or very little room in which they think they can spare time to do it. In your ministry, how would you help students partake in Sabbath and understand its purposes? (list of suggestions on pages 58-9)
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I think one important thing to make sure my students understand about Sabbath is what it is. I know that I did not learn what it really meant to take a Sabbath until I was a Sophmore in college. So explaining what sabbath is and why it is imporant for our walk with Christ is something I will be sure my students understand. One important way I could help my students understand Sabbath is by making it a challenge. I think that challenging a student to do something is often the way we get them to experience something for the first time and realize how valueable that something is. In this instance i could challenge my students to intentionally take a sabbath every week for a month. After that we could have an honest discussion about what thier sabbath looked like and what they feel the did or did not gain from taking a sabbath every week.
ReplyDeleteI think by explaining what Sabbath is and giving examples of what students can do to honor the Sabbath would be a great way to start. I don't think that many people know a clear-cut definition for what Sabbath truly is. So I think by doing things along with your students and walking with them in this journey of honoring the Sabbath not only helps them, but it also shows your students what your faith looks like, which is important as well.
ReplyDeleteWithin the beginning of the chapter, the text mentions, " Youth ministries governed by God's holy imagination for his people are comfortable with interruptions." (50). I read this statement with curiosity as to how interruptions can be comfortable, and yet, on the other hand, my curiosity expands to desiring that which is uncomfortable. After all, that is what we are called to be 'in the world but not of it,' which is extremely uncomfortable. Therefore, I would approach my youth ministry with the attitude that the Sabbath does not have to be as scary as it appears to be. Personally, I have thought of the Sabbath as literally dropping everything and being completely silent, which (as the text states) seems practically impossibly in today's society; however, presenting the Sabbath with the attitude of positivity may provoke students to not only be more interested in the practice itself, but also in the growth that can come out of participating in the Sabbath. Stepping out of one's normal routines can be (and in most cases, often is) a scary thing, but it does not have to be. I would personally take the approach that the text mentions with reading Scripture and praying. There needs to be a level of daily practice with these components of one's faith journey that do not "take a break" on the Sabbath. Instead, this should be a routine, in which case, the Sabbath would be an opportunity to dig deeper into the Word and perhaps take the time to pray about multiple things While the Sabbath is defined as an interruption from the rest of the week, I would present it to my students as a new, healthy, and positive habit to develop. It still serves as a mental and physical break from the week, but truly it is a spiritual renewal; a challenging and convicting time to let the Lord speak and move in one's life.
ReplyDeleteI love Blair Spindle's ideas for influencing Sabbath! I also agree with Christa that we really need to give our children or youth a definition of Sabbath so they stop just associating the word Sabbath with Sunday, but not really following through with practicing Sabbath. One of my favorite ideas of Spindle's is to take part in communion. I agree with him that this is a time that can feel refreshing and like we are stepping away from reality for a little while. I think that communion with a time or reflection at the end could be a good way to practice Sabbath as a community.
ReplyDeleteSabbath is not so much abstaining from work or activity, but rather participating in those things that bring joy and a sense of rest from the stressful and mundane. With this understanding, a couple ways to help others understand might encourag activities that either are just plain fun (games, cookouts, movie nights, etc.) or are enjoyable ways of ministering (inviting local youth to play, planting flowers or trees, lifting the spirits of the shut-ins and shut-outs, making crafts to encourage others, etc.). None of these have to take great chunks of time (although they could) but while we participate we are resting from the crazy lives we lead. In our age, stillness is next to impossible so if we really can't be still I want my students to engage in things that are not their everyday work but are very obviously God's work: the caring for and nurturing of all of creation.
ReplyDeleteSabbath comes to different people in different ways. I feel that it is important to find where the youth of this generation find their rest and attempt to get them to try and experience it. It is very hard to take a step back from the crazy schedule we all have and find time to rest. One of the better ways to get the youth to rest on the Sabbath is be an example to them whenever we have the opportunity. Whether that means that we should intentionally not schedule anything on the Sabbath to remind the kids to rest or whether that means that we should have specific events to remind the kids what Sabbath is, we should do all of those things. It is very important to let the kids know that Sabbath is needed in all of our lives, even if the kids believe in Christianity or not!
ReplyDeleteI want to help the youth I minter to really understand and enact the Sabbath. I struggled with that as a teenager and still do as a young adult, but, as Spindle said, the Sabbath should not be a stressor. The Sabbath should instead be a stress relieving time with the Trinity. I want to be an example to the students by enjoying the Sabbath in my own life and I want to be able to help them create their own time of Sabbath. I think starting with a few hours a week and then moving to half days then to a full Sabbath with the help of accountability, encouragement, and explanation would be very helpful. I also feel that this would be a good series to cover in youth group not only to inform them and help them understand the Sabbath's purpose, but to remind them that we all need rest and need to have our lives replenished by Living Water.
ReplyDeleteStudents need to understand the importance of Sabbath not just in words but they need to see it put into practice. They need to see the benefits of Sabbath or else they will not take time to pursue it. As part of ministry we should openly share about how we practice this spiritual discipline and the value it has in our own lives then maybe practice the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude so the kids can better understand what it means to just be still.
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