.... I'm missing Mexican Hot Chocolates and Raspberry Ice Tea.
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My 17 year-old nephew asked me to lead a Thursday night Bible study that he was putting together with some of his friends. This came as a bit of a shock since I'd never really hung out with him (or even met his friends).
T told me that (according to his mom) he really liked it when I taught his Jr. High Vacation Bible School Class 6 years ago. I suspect that he knows that I'm still looking for a job and was trying to offer me a way to feel useful. ... but I'll leave that topic for a later depressing post.
Over the last 2 weeks, I talked with him a bit about the kind of format he thought would work and a bit about the range of spiritual maturity in the group. It seems that there is a mix of born-n-breds and new believers. With that in mind, we are doing a mish mash version of the "Mentors of the Bible" series I did for the old Love's Command class along with "H:11 Heroes" ... series of quick hit bios of the OT faithful listed in Hebrews 11.
I feel fairly confident that tonight's Mentor topic (Barnabas and Saul) went over well but we had to do a bit of catch-up on who Paul was ... a few of the guys thought he was one of the twelve and that the stoning of Stephen was a "flashback". The H:11 Heroes was a bit obscure though (we did Abel and Enoch).
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One of the things that I really liked about Thursday night at Homers was our commitment to focus on fellowship rather than a Bible Study. I couldn't help but feel that I was cheating a bit by having prepared notes. I realize that I'm twice as old as some of these guys but it was neat to see the obvious strength in their friendships and genuine concern for one another as they shared prayer requests.
.... so I know that I'm rambling now. I have another interview tomorrow, so I should get to bed and post more later. Sorry for being so quiet lately.
9 comments:
you weren't rambling--quiet as much as you thought! :)
Orry was 4 when we got married. He was our ring bear. (ahh)
There are 11 boys invited to the group and the 2 weeks that they have met they have had 8 or 9 boys both weeks. I think some of the boys got saved in Tina's house actually. So there really is a mix of kids who have been raised in church with kids who don't have a background in church. I think it's great that Orry and Dash are working together to reach, teach and keep these boys for Christ! ;)
I know what you mean. I miss the hanging out at Homer's too. I'm involved in a men's group on Saturdays. It hasn't been happening a lot lately because of the summer and everyone being gone. It starts off with just hanging out, but we read at least one chapter in the Bible and talk about it pretty seriously. Nobody wants to discuss the difference between "shoegazing" and "Dream pop."
I miss you guys too! I have taken a break from Homer's with the new baby, but hopefully soon I'll be back in action with Dust. (We'll have a lot to catch up on.)
Dash - have your read the new HP yet? When are you gonna post on that?
Good luck with the interview.
The bible study sounds awesome and just what those guys need. Hang in there!
Yeah, it sounds fun. It sounds like something that you are well suited for.
I'm waiting for the HP post too!
I don't like to post when I'm stressed. It's somehow too much. I don't know. I hear you. The Bible study is a nice focus right now as you search for how things are going to be ultimately. Good job.
I really miss those Thursday nights at Homers. I don't think it was an accident that our "men's night" lasted so long. We became friends first instead of trying to put some kind of template over it. (I hate men's groups that just focus on pee-pee accountability >:O)
You are well-suited to be in a wiser teaching/experience role. I've decided to take the initiative and try something similar here. I think it will start out with a James Caan movie or something like that for a couple of weeks and then I think the dam will burst for some of these guys. Could be scary. But I'm just Uncle Wino-Head so I can relax and enjoy it too.
"Looking for a job" - that sentence is just one of the heaviest four-word phrases that outstetch alot of my other fears in life. We'll be praying.
Dash, I found your blog! I hope things are going better since you wrote this, jobwise. The bible study sounds like a great ministry. Keep up the good work. I'm still jealous that you guys had the time to go to thursday night coffee group. Us moms don't have it so easy.
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